Need some advice about paying high costs for glasses please

[SaltyDragon]

Posting here for traffic.

I have Diabetes, and as such, my vision changes quite regularly. About three months ago I began struggling to see properly with my close to glasses, unable to read books properly anymore or thread my sewing machine. I kept having to take my glasses off and get up very close to see. My long range glasses are not as bad, but still not working properly.

Booked an optician test to be told that my glasses are now too strong and I need to get them changed. However, even with an NHS voucher one pair of glasses is going to cost me £700 and I simply don't have that money, or anyway of borrowing it (think COL as everyone is struggling as well)

Does anyone know of any charities that can help with costs of items like this? I am getting headaches, bleary eyes and exhaustion from this. I am making an effort to save a small amount, but often need to use it for more important things such as food shopping or bills.

Any advice would be really appreciated. Just as a note, the vast majority of the cost is for the lens, I have varifocals and something to adjust for my astigmatism.

I think I would change my optician!

What lenses are they, thinned down? I would shop around.

Check the prices on some of the online places. Glasses direct or specscart.

I got the £50 ones from Boots, with no extras, 4 pairs the same.

Also used specs4less for fancy ones

How much are the frames? I have to get my super thinned and it is so expensive but even mine were not £700.

Those saying go somewhere cheap - if you have a specialist prescription lots of the cheaper high street/supermarket opticians cant make them or can only do them 1cm thick!! Not sure about online as I would worry about fitting.

Your optician has to give you a copy of your prescription. Take this to any other optician, eg Asda, Specsavers and see how much they charge.

I use the ones in Poundland. Granted they are not a pound but they are about £5. I had a private optician, he suggested it.

depends on a lot of things .. I gave terrible eyesight so my lenses need thinning, and I now need varifocals, and I gave an astigmatism, I pay around £450 for mine.

Conversely my daughter has a low, “regular” prescription, and we get them for about £60

It really depends what you need. Shop around

How special is your prescription?
I have mine from a not-so-cheap opticians and with Reactive lens and insurance and the most I pay is £200. If I had them thinned it would add maybe another £100

I'd try another opticians

Check before wasting your time with places like specsaver that they can actually meet your prescription as they will happily let you do fittings etc and then you find out they cant thin them down with varifocals or astigmatism on high prescription. Total waste of time.

I usually have all.singing all dancing glasses with the thinnest lenses possible, varifocal, glare reducing and a decent designer frame. Then a "free" pair of sunglasses (which cost a few bob once I've added sunglass lense etc).

I have always paid under £450 total from Specsavers.

I guess I last went during COVID maybe the prices have shot up since, like so much has?

I'm.sure if you request the prescription and take it to one of the cheaper opticians and let them know your budget, they will try and help you.

Is that an independent optician? The lenses will likely be better but the cheaper ones will hopefully work just as well. High street wise, Asda is cheapest, but fewer choices of frames. Apparently Asda Varifocals are better than the basic ones in boots etc.

For those suggesting specsavers they cant make high prescription varifocals thin at all.

I went for the cheapest frames so they are £150. I do need to get a copy of my prescription, I'll contact the opticians tomorrow.

They can, but they might not like doing it if they have to do a special order as they cost them more to make. May also vary by franchise?

Simply, the cheapest frames are not £150.

OP, do you know roughly what your prescription is?

What's a high prescription? I've - 4/ -5 and have the thinnest in varifocal.

I agree with the others, if they are telling you the cheapest frames are £150 I wouldn’t trust any of their prices!

I know if you have a complex prescription the most budget of frames may not be an option but there will be some a lot cheaper that are.

@TiredArse do you work for them/are you sure? As I wasted so much time on fittings/frame selection that I was so annoyed I contacted head office to ask why i wasnt told after the eye test when i made the fitting appointment and they were adamant they couldnt make high prescription varifocals thin (below -10 prescription so not super high). I may complain again if you are sure about this.