Special glasses

[SassyAunt]

First post here just looking for some advice, my nephew has recently had to get glasses the nhs won’t fund the special glass he has to have in them so I myself have just had to fork out a fortune for the glass does anyone know of any insurances I can get that will cover the glasses

in the UK glasses lenses (at least) are usually covered by the NHS if he’s under 16/18z What is his prescription? Have you tried shopping around?

you can ask for a copy of the prescription and the voucher and see what they’d cost elsewhere.

why wont NHS fund them? They should, unless it irlenes glasses or some other scam like that - in which case you should not be funding them either

I'm guessing the prescription is very strong and that you need thinner lenses? Those aren't covered by the NHS. There aren't any insurance because that's surely going to be a loss to the insurance company? There might be payment plans that spread the cost monthly. DC1 and I are both on them but we have contact lenses.

If it's for thinning the lenses, then we always pay extra for that. We paid double for 2x thinning process. Also, we were advised to get plastic lenses for children rather than glass.
Repairs were done (frequently!!) free of charge by the opticians.

He has recently been diagnosed with an eye disease so the nhs lens aren’t any good for his condition.

And the nhs won’t fund the condition they’ll pay for the frames and his eye tests but not the lens

how old is he? The nhs should be paying for any glasses in under 18s, unless you want something extra or non prescription

He's 13 I took him to Specsavers and they said they can't give him normal lens due to the damage in his eyes and the nhs won't fund it they'll only fund standard lenses

Avoid specsavers and try a small independent place

Would the ophthalmology dept not do this if it's not something an optician can provide?

Specsavers are money grabbing cowboys. It sounds like you've paid out for them already. Next time advise your sister to take him to an independent or an appointment at the hospital eye clinic - astounded they haven't sorted him out already.

This sounds wrong, as pp have said unless it's aesthetic things with the glasses, you get standard for free. My daughters had glasses since she was 2 and her vision in one eye is extremely poor, -9.5 so her lense is super thick, this year we paid extra to have it thinned as she's nearly 8 and abit more self conscious about them now, but again, we chose that, the normal ones would have been free. We take her to an independent shop and they are fantastic, I'd go there and seek some help, any prescription for any eye condition for a child means they get a basic pair of glasses for free.

I’ve made a referral to them but it’s anytime from 8-14 weeks

Yeah I had to pay for them before pick up next week, his mother never took him to the opticians before now he’s been having eye problems for a while so hopefully getting sorted now he’s in my care.

They said they’d offer us the free pair but it would be no use for him I’ve contacted our local hospital for an ophthalmology appointment but they said it’ll be anytime from 8-14 weeks for an initial appointment

Is going private an option? I recently took my 7 year old to SpecSavers for an eye appointment and I left being told she had a ‘lazy’ eye which wasn’t communicating with her brain at all, an astigmatism and that she would never drive! I was distraught!

I took her to see a consultant ophthalmologist who diagnosed her as long sighted, no lazy eye and that with the correct glasses there’s no reason she can’t drive when she’s older. So it may be worth seeking a second opinion.

I would never use SpecSavers again, just wish I had done my research before taking her.

I hope everything works out for your nephew 💐

Are the lenses for myopia control? If so then they are not funded by the nhs as they are classed as a treatment plan. Standard lenses would be covered by the nhs. Myopia control lenses, thinned lenses, transition lenses which change with the sun are all things that generally wouldn't be completed covered.

Did they say why? Do you have a copy of the prescription?

Unless as the PP said they've offered you myopia control glasses, it's quite vague, especially if you've been referred. Did they mention a prism maybe?

Anyway, I'd go back and ask for a copy of both the prescription and what he's been referred for and post it and I can advise.