I have been going to the same opticians for a few years. The optomertrist left and I saw the manager who looked at my eyes. I have ongoing eye problems, and my eyes are very dry and I have blepheritis. This optomertrist told me to use eye drops three times a day and wanted to see me again to check the eyes. I went back and she said they were better. She then told me to use antibiotics for the blepharitis for 3 months and she wrote to my doctor for me to get the prescription. My doctor would not let me have them for more than a week so I told the optomertrist who said ok if your doctor wont let you have them then I suggest you go to our local private hospital and see the eye consultant who will give them to you. The optomertrist did not say that to me personally, she told the receptionist who then told me what was suggested. I then phoned the hospital and they said an appointment to see this consultant would be £195. I said how much are the antibiotics and they said £8. I then said there is no way I am paying almost £200 just to get some medication which costs as little as £8 so they said then you will have to tell your optomertrist which I did. I phoned and spoke to the receptionist to let her know that I was not prepared to go to this hospital because it was too expensive and asked why she did not suggest an NHS one and the receptionist said she had no idea but she said if this is where the optomertrist wants you to go and you wont go then we cannot do anything more. I then left and joined another practice. The new practice checked my eyes and obtained my last prescription reading from my previous practice to compare the difference and they said the findings were vastly different. They said my eyes were much worse from their reading and I said how can eyes change that much in the space of only a month. Anyway they wanted to see my glasses which I only have for distance because I do not need reading glasses. They checked the glasses and found the glasses were ok and matched my reading so I do not need new distance glasses. However they said I need reading glasses because although I can read books, newspapers and magazines etc I cannot read very very small print. I said the other optician noticed this and said this is not something to address because on a daily basis you do not read very very small print so it would be a waste of money getting reading gasses just for that. When I told my new optician she said ok but what do you do on occasions when you have to read very small print and I said I use a magnifying glass. She said that is incorrect and you need glasses for that. I then said how much would they cost and she said oh we have some budget glasses and the dispenser can tell you. He told me the cost of lenses and frames would come to £75. I was aghast and said I would go away and think about it. I then said why cant I just buy some glasses over the counter if it is only for the purpose of reading very small print which does not happen daily or even weekly and the optomertrist said no you have other eye issues and you cannot just do that. I am being referred to Morfields eye hospital in London for my blepharitis and have decided to ask their opinion because after all they are consultants. I am wondering whether this new place is just trying to make money out of a gulible customer. It has never been suggested that I get reading glasses by any other optoertrist and their opinion has always been "it is not worth it" I feel as if I am being taken for a ride