It's time for new glasses again.

[Ooopsadaisy]

I wear contact lenses all day, every day and have done for 25 years.

I have dreadful eyesight so have always had to have a pair of specs for night-times/emergencies/accidents/lost lenses etc.

I always hate my glasses. I spend months searching for ones I like and a fortune for thinner lenses because my prescripton is so strong. I decide I'm going to learn to love myself in specs.

Then -? I hate them and don't wear them except for emergencies.

Now I am starting to find contact lenses a bit less comfy than they used to be and would like to try again with the specs. I am getting older and it is quite common to become less tolerant to contacts at my age.

I have a very slim face (am a small person) and need nothing wider than a 48 frame which are quite hard to find unless you go for a rfame with Hannah Montana or Tinkerbell on the side.

Is it possible to buy glasses online successfully or with my complicated prescription and back history of disaster, should I spend ££££££ I don't have at the optitians?

Glasses Direct are good. DH uses them and their prices are MUCH better than the high street. You can upload a pic and try on different frames.

Try rimless glasses. If you have a little face they do not take over your face like glasses with frames do.

Hope this helps. Also on the specsaver website they have a tool which you can put in the shape of your face and experiment with types of glasses.

With glasses direct you can have 4 frames on a weeks trial too, so have time to think about them. Am thinking about using them to have a spare pair of glasses and a pair of sunnies - I have a v complex prescription, so my new everyday ones are being done by the local opticians in ultra high index and the new 'mapped to your eyes and the frames' lenses

I have a complicated prescription which means that my lenses HAVE to be centred EXACTLY on the centre of my iris. I have tried getting glasses online and they did not work, they were not lined up quite right. I really need to be there to get this right. I explained the sistuation to the online peeople first and they said I could have my money back if it didn't work, and I did get it. I think that online specs can be a bit of a false economy if you rely on specs every day. However, I have noticed that Asda opticians have some pretty good prices and nice frames. May try them next time. Will keep eyetest at Specsavers as I have so many other things wrong with my eyes which they understand.

They've not been false economy here. DH wears them all the time and he has two pairs that are great.

Thanks for all advice here.

Rimless do not suit me I'm afraid, agedknees.

I've actually found a frame I like but they are really pricey.

I want a pair of "ok, so I've got to wear'em so I'm gonna make 'em bold and bollocky" specs this time instead of going for the apologetic, pathetic look.

Bold and bollocky are usually enormous widths but the ones I've found are a good fit (I went to Boots), but the price made me clench my bum so hard I nearly swallowed myself.

Is it possible to get optitians to outbid each other if I try going around seeing who can get me the best price?

Gwan - tell us how much ! My frames this time (inc a single item lens) were £68. My lens bill for all the bits I need was £267

I have -14 eyesight woth high astigamatism and have always paid $$$$$$ for glasses. I bought the Asda ones at 2 for £90 minus the complex voucher so they cost c£75 for 2 pairs. I have 1.9 glass lenses and was quoted £180 to replace just one lens when I smashed my glasses that I had bought from Dolland and Aitchenson.

They have a big range and will give you the thin lenses if you have a big prescription at no extra cost.

I really wouldn't buy online for a complicated or high prescription.It is very important your spectacles are centered,checked and fitted correctly which can't happen online.

It is much better to get your eyes tested where you intend to buy spectacles if you are a complicated prescription so the two things can be brought together if you have any problems.

It is good you don't actually like rimless spectacles as they are also not good for a strong prescription as you need the frame to hid the lens edge.There is a groove for the wire which needs to be put into the lens on rimless spectacles which inherantly makes the lens thicker.A thicker rim plastic frame is usually best.

The Asda deal is likely to be the best one as they give you the thinner lenses which are suitable for your prescription included in the price.This is a really good deal.

You can often negotiate a little bit off specs elsewhere but probably no more than 10% as the big opticians all run deals already.What you are paying for is the correct measuring and fitting and the putting right if you are unhappy with the spectacles.It is not a bad idea to ask for the dispensing optician (qualified) as against an assistant to help you choose the right spectacles and lenses.Really the frame choice needs to be tied in with what is suitable for your prescription if it is high so you need advice while choosing.

As you are going to be wearing them all the time now they have to be right.

There also might be better contact lenses which are more suitable for your eyes if you are finding them less comfortable.

I wear spectacles more than contact lenses as they hide my eye bags nowadays.

Completely agree with Januaryblues. The online retailers don't even do my prescription but een if they did, the PD (pupillary distance?) for me is so important, I need to be able to go and get them checked if required.

You may becoming less tolerant of your lenses as you are overwearing them as well. What has the optician said about your eye health? Have you any extra blood vessels growing - I did as I was wearing them for too many hours a day. I also developed dry eye for a while and had to have some special drops called celluvisc to put in at night to help. I am now wearing my glasses loads loads more and my eyes feel so much better

even

I completely second what January has just said.

agree with januaryblues - it is very important,especially with a complicated rx that your fit is correct and things like your optical centres are in the right place, it is also very helpful to have your glasses from where you have your eye tests - quite a few ranges come up a bit smaller and have 48 - if you go to a good independent they should have more choice and be able to offer to send for some on approval if you pick some out of a catalogue - as a very rough idea oscar & fitch, lupo, mandarina duck just to name three do adult styles in 48 wide
i don't think the 'big' stores are too interested in selling you anything that isn't part of their regular stock range 1.9 is also 'thick' you can go down to 1.6 or 1.7 even for complicated rx

Last time I bought glasses at VisionExpress is cost me £200 for frames and (thin) lenses.

This time I bought them from Glasses Crafters on-line, £50 including a better specification lenses. I wear them all day, everyday and I'm so pleased.

(Must admit that I think the glasses actually came from Hong Kong or China - but they are still fab).

I have a similar problem too you and have suffered for years in uncomfortable adult frames, sore ears due to ends turned in tight to hold them on my head. I wore lenses for many years, but dry eye has put paid to that.
18 months ago I was helped by an amazing member of staff in boots - they now have a limited, but lovely range of more adult frames targeted at teenage girls. I have a pair of adult looking frames that actually fit and a pair of prescription sun glasses that fit too. Plus being kids frames they were much cheaper. My frames also now reflect the size of my eyes so no longer look like I have my mums glasses on.