Can anybody recommend a good chain of opticians?

[MilaMae]

Not keen on Boots and our D&H has closed down.

TIA

I would not go to any chain of opticians, try and find an optomtrist who may charge a bit more but is interested in the health of your eyes not just flogging you expensive glasses that you may not need.

I go to Tesco (Really!!)

Their eye test is free and thorough, was there over an hour this week for me and two DC, they charge £15 for a Contact Lens consultation and they have never once tried to sell me glasses - if fact I've often bought elsewhere and never been made to feel embarrassed about asking for my prescription, so I can take it somewhere else.

I found my local independent much more hard sell

Most chains are franchises, I think, so there is little consistency.
I go to Specsavers in out nearest town to the east, which is brilliant, good service, great clinical care (I have other stuff wrong with my eyes apart from shortsight), very helpful and patient over choosing glasses etc. Also quite happy to tell me if I don't need new glasses.

On the other hand, the Specsavers in our nearst town to the West is a total disaster.

Rosie how do you find a good optomtrist?

go to the one with the people you like and are good to you. the chain iteself doesnt matter

should be in the yellow pages or go to yell.com some even operate from eye depts in hospitals, I spent years going to specsavers, boots etc and paid a fortune for prescription glasses an d sun glasses, went to a local optomatrist 3 years ago who gave me an eye exam that lasted 90mins and told me my eye sight was 20/20 and had been wearing glasses for 12 years that i didn't need!!!. Opticians tend to be franchises which require minimal training to operate and are there to make as much money as possible.

Go locally independent! Eye Love Local.

Can't speak for all independent opticians but at ours we are honest, we don't charge you for things you don't need, if you don't need glasses we won't tell you you do.

Also you may be entitled to a free sight test and a voucher towards your lenses if you're in receipt of certain benefits :)