Anyone an optician or work for an optician (part. if Specsavers)

[Doomfinger]

I'm after a bit of advice. I was beaten up on the bus yesterday and my glasses were thrown to the floor and are too far gone to do anything with.

I went back to Specsavers where I got them from (although a different branch as my parents have taken me to theirs to help with the children) and was told that I can't have NHS help because I only had them in August so I have to wait until August next year for a recall.

When I bought my glasses I asked for insurance, I joked with the lady about having children and finding it useful in the past. She said they don't sell insurance because the warranty on them will cover all that sort of thing but now they're telling me I can't get any help at all.

So questions:

Is there anyway I can get NHS help?
Is there anyway to get Specsavers to replace them on this amazing warranty that means they don't sell insurance?

I'm on crutches and had my baby in a wrap on my front when this all happened, both my baby and toddler had to be checked out because of this assualt. I'm in so much pain and struggling to move, this with my glasses is just insult to injury (or literally salt in the wounds as I sat crying and making my face hurt!)

I don't think the sparkly warranty will cover this kind of thing -do you have house contents insurance? I've had to claim on that for glasses before.

Sounds like a pretty rough day -hope you're ok

I don't, I'm on benefits and live in one of the most expensive postcodes in the country (my HA showed me the postcode insurance codes and I'm in the highest with only one other, it's a millionaires area with an estate dumped in the middle!) and I don't have anything expensive enough to make the insurance worthwhile.

I asked them about them getting broken and they said they'd cover it. Frustrating because I didn't even have the option of taking out insurance on them which I was happy to do.

I'm still quite sore and shaken up, my toddler seems OK but then she comes to me and will be a little sad. She saw an old cut on my hand this morning and said "What that?" I said it's just a scratch and she looked at me sadly and said "Lady?" She keeps telling me "Lady falled me" or "Push. Falled. Head" (as she bumps her hand on her head). Last I heard they hadn't caught her but she lives in that area and is a regular on that bus and they're going to get the CCTV so they should get her soon. It's our route to school so I hope so, would hate to run into her again.

That sounds awful. Poor you. If you happen to be a -3.5 in one eye and -3.25 in the other, I can send you my spare pair.

I'm not sure what I am to be honest, but thanks for the offer :)

If you are on benefits, then doesn't that mean that you qualify for an NHS voucher for sight tests and glasses? I thought that if you qualified for a voucher, the the NHS did help with repairs. I would double check what you have been told.

My dd wears glasses, and has done since the age of four. Let's just say that when she was young, she had quite a few bumps and scrapes, and we were never charged for the repairs.

I'm so cross that you were attacked today. What an awful thing to happen .

I am surprised that you can't get them repaired/replaced for free on an NHS voucher if you are on benefits.

My DS broke his specs the other week - we whizzed over the Specsaers and they put his lenses in a new frame immediately. I just had to sign a form to authorise the 'repair'.

How dreadful for you. I hope you are OK. It doesn't sound right that you aren't entitled to a new pair if you are on benefits.

Re the contents insurance - it isn't just in case of theft. If your house was flooded or went up in flames you would still need to replace your belongings. Things like clothes, kitchen equipment etc can soon mount up. According to the money saving expert guy contents insurance is one that you really should take out.

This page sets out whether you are entitled to an an NHS optical voucher. If you are it should give you help toward the cost of a replacement pair

Can I get my glasses repaired or replaced on the NHS?

p.s. children under 16 are entitled to free repairs but only certain adults are

Unfortunately, the warranty covers manufacturing faults rather than accidental damage, and as has been pointed out, the nhs repair vouchers don't often cover adults. Sometimes a new voucher can be issued though (depending on how strict the pct is!). I'm sorry, I can't remember if you went back to your original specsavers (baby brain!), but if not its worth going back to the store you got the specs from (specsavers are all franchises so often operate slightly differently between stores).

Hope you get it sorted.

To reinforce as above.^

You are only as an adult issued with a new nhs voucher at your next eye test - usually every 2 years But from what you said a year has been recommended clinically in your case-and you can't bring this forward because your glasses are lost or broken ( children get repair/replacement vouchers ,so different ).

You will have to ring your primary care trust ( check tel directory ) and explain how your glasses were broken and see if you can get any help towards replacement as this can be granted exceptionally due to "extreme hardship."
Warranty normally only covers manufacturing defects so wouldn't apply in these circumstances so specsavers won't do anything on this.
Hope you feel better soon.

How awful for you! Yes contact your primary health trust or get your optician to do it for you. There is provision for repairs for children. It is rare to get a funded repair/ replacement for an adult but there is( or certainly used to be) a system to apply for funding for repairs outside the usual rules if there is clinical need. Its worth a try but may be tuned down.
I hope you heal quickly.

Agree going back to the original store ( or at least contacting them) speaking to the dispensing manager and asking for a repare/ replacement funded by the PCT ( NHS -might have another name now as I am way out of date) due to illness/ injury. In theory IMHO it should be funded but the PCTs but as the breakage was not due to a longstanding illness it could go either way( and I would bankrupt the PCT if I was making the decisions!!). Evidence may be useful. Technically it should be an insurance claim. Is there a victims support fund locally that could assist if turned down?

I specifically asked about damage because of the amount of pairs I've gone through since having children, I normally go to Vision Express and buy their insurance but last time I was due I'd lost my glasses so went with who could fit me in. They told me they didn't need to sell insurance because they'd cover it.

I shall go back to the original store and call the PCT, hopefully someone will take pity on me. I can't wear sunglasses for the next year!

I did work in a Specsavers years and years ago but in Ireland so know nothing about the NHS. There was no insurance but repairs for normal wear and tear were covered. They wouldn't cover if the glasses had been mistreated. However, the manager will always have some leeway, in the branch I was in a tourist came in who had been mugged in Dublin and the boss gave her a free pair of glasses and a free test, I think mainly to show that all Dublin people were not the mugging sort. I would ring and explain what happened and hopefully someone will take pity on you.