Let's talk glasses frames with Specsavers: you could win £250 NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

The team at Specsavers would love to know what you think about glasses frames these days - there are hundred's to choose from - but do you always go for the same type of frame? Or do you have more than one on the go to co-ordinate with your clothes? What about your DP/DH if they wear specs - do you help to choose them, do they like a particular style? How long do you tend to keep your frames? And do you take advantage of 2for1 offers to get something a bit different? How do you pick the frame which suits you best?

Specsavers say "Whatever your style, we can help you find frames that suit you best. Our collection of women's glasses includes a range of styles from classic chic to bold and contemporary. With stylish frames starting from just £25 a pair and designer frames priced from £99 to £149, there’s something to suit all tastes and pockets. All glasses come with PENTAX single vision lenses and a scratch-resistant treatment".

"Vibrant purples, reds, pinks and rich tortoiseshells are emerging trends in eyewear. We have a gorgeous collection of ladies glasses to help you add a pop of colour to your wardrobe. Our women’s glasses are made in a range of materials, including plastic, metal, stainless steel and titanium. If you have a preference for what your frames are made of, search by materials to find the perfect pair".

Share your thoughts and everyone who does will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £250 voucher from here

Please note Specsavers may use your comments - anon of course - on their pages on MN, on their social media or possibly elsewhere - please only post if you're happy with this.

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

Like other posters, I would like more choice in petite frames.

I used to be -10 and -11 so the number of frames that would take that kind of lens (even the ultra thin ones) was pretty restrictive, but over the years I've gone from Ernie the Milkman round metal jobs (trendy at the time!) to narrow rectangular or oval ones which I think suit me the best (something like this) . Love these. Had a cataract op in one eye a few years ago so now I'm -2 and -10, so all the fancy frames are still pretty much out until the cataract in the other eye gets bad enough to operate on and then I'll be -2 in both eyes and have many more frame options (no more heavy/thick lenses).

Looking forward to having a pair of those lovely metal frames with lacy cut-outs in the arms like this.

Mind you, I'm finding the -2 eye much more of a pain in the arse than the -10 one; it's slowly getting long sighted and am currently squinting with right eye at computer screen while left (-10) eye has a nice cup of tea and a sit down.

Face-wise I don't really have major problems with fitting glasses but DP has a very wide bridge and has problems getting frames to sit properly on his nose.

Can't be doing with various frames for office/fancy parties etc but once I get into reading glasses I'd probably have a pair for work and a pair for home just in case. Ooh! or a pair with clear lenses and a pair with tinted lenses - did that once when i was a rich 20-something and it worked brilliantly.

Have been known to pay £400+ for glasses (but that was when a single lens in my prescription cost £100+) but more interested in whether the frames fit me and suit me than whether they're designer or expensive.

I just bought some new glasses in Specsavers today. I don't usually go to Specsavers as I've been disappointed with the selection on previous occasions. I went today as a bit of a last resort because I couldn't find anything I really liked elsewhere so I'd had a look on the website and spotted a few pairs that I wanted to try on. I wear my glasses all the time so it's really important to me that I find exactly the right pair.

An assistant helped me to choose a few pairs and then we narrowed it down to one. It was a pair the assistant had picked out for me and not ones that I'd ever have picked up to try myself but I had given her the brief of 'something a bit different to my current ones' and she delivered. I also picked some fab prescription sunglasses as my free second pair. Due to an eye condition that means I suffer badly in bright light, sunglasses are as important to me as normal glasses and I wear them a lot. I like 'statement' sunnies and I was impressed with the selection of frames available and found the perfect pair.

Today's experience has certainly made me rethink my previous impression of Specsavers. I pick my new glasses up tomorrow so I really hope my positive experience continues.

One note to SpecSavers though: it would be really useful if you could put prescription suitability in the description of the frames (eg. suitable for up to a -6 lens). It would make browsing for frames much easier.

We love specsavers in our house the opticians are great really friendly - I have to get my eyes tested yearly for glaucoma and they put you at ease

My current glasses are red and proclaimer esque - I love them

They're value for money and as someone who mainly used his glasses for driving cars for work and play I couldn't live without them.

When I had my son, I soon discovered that only glasses that had flexible hinges would do, as he broke two pairs of my old specs in quick succession by grabbing them off my face and twisting the arms the wrong way. I now have Specsavers Tommy Hilfiger glasses, and love them, but they are almost the only frames which suit my face, which is quite small. I also love them because unlike some of the other similar 'rectangular' frames, they are slightly curved, and follow my eyebrow shape rather than cutting across the line of my eye. The style is TH18, if Specsavers want to take note: PLEASE bring them back! I've had to resort to buying a used pair off eBay and sending them off for replacement lenses... If they were back in stock, I'd take advantage of the 'buy one get one free' offer on designer specs and get two pairs in that style.

I have several pairs of glasses,trying to go for one to match each outfit!
I do go for the 2 for 1 offers as they are fab.
I like colourful glasses,liking the slightly bigger styles that are in the shops at the moment.
I have had a pair of glasses for over 10 years,they look pretty shocking to be honest! Style has moved on since then.
Usually whoever is in the shop gives an opinion but really I know myself whether I want the glasses.
Never bother to ask other half as he doesn't even notice new glasses or when I get them and point them out he says they all look the same,erm these are blue the others are pink!!!

before i had kids, I would always opt for a stylish, coquettish type of frame, and would spend a bit more money on them. now i have kids i have found (after my good glasses being trashed on many an occasion) that i opt for cheaper pairs(around £25 or less) and usually the geek chic black framed ones as they are more robust and if they do get broken, I always have a spare pair (and my contact lenses!) to hand! i would love to have a really nice designer pair with all the fancy lens treatments but don't have the funds, plus i get really overwhelmed by the choice too!

I really struggle with choosing, and last time I got glasses the ones I finally settled on weren't suitable for my lens thickness. I'd love there to be a machine that could assess your face shape, prescription, basic preferences and then tell you which ones to choose from!

I'd love there to be a machine that could assess your face shape, prescription, basic preferences and then tell you which ones to choose from!

Or, y'know, a member of staff DOING THEIR BLOODY JOB.

It's not their fault if they don't get the training or have access to the information but is it really so odd to expect an optical sales assistant or dispensing optician to be able to direct a customer towards frames suitable for their head size and prescription?

Haha Fail I like to avoid talking to real people if possible

One thing I'm grateful for is that children's frames are now so stylish. I have a very narrow face and thus has limited the frames I can buy in the past. Now I often choose a frame aimed at teenagers and get the look I want without a frame that is much too big for my face!

I wish, like many others, there was a better way to try on frames when you're not wearing contact lenses though.

I'm happy with the wide selection of frames but I am finding with my seven year olds glasses that they never stay up on his nose. The newer frames don't have the small rubber piece to help them stay put. They look nicer but they don't seem very functional as he constantly has to push them up.

DH and I wear glasses, although I mainly wear contact lenses with reading glasses over the top. When my lenses are out in the evening I wear bifocals. Neither of us gets a sight test regularly. I see Dr at hospital yearly for eye checks and they haven't changed for ages so haven't bothered going to opticians. When I do go I take advantage of 2 for 1 and I am careful how much I spend. I like colour, but not too chunky which seems to be the fashion at the moment. DH has very simple metal frames, as plain as possible. I don't find it hard choosing because I wear contact lenses so can see with them. However, finding the right style is quite a task because they are so expensive, you have to be happy that they are right.

I usually go for the same type of style, my last two pairs have been the same brand. I find my choice is limited because I really don't like frames that have designer names in huge letters on the sides, or big gold hinges. I like classic, neutral coloured frames.

Since I wear my glasses all day they have to be something I like. I have a nice red pair from Specsavers at the moment which I like. What I would really like to see are 1950's upswept glasses. You can get some which give a nod to this style but I want a pair that give me a full on Edna Everage look.

I only wear my glasses first thing at night and last thing in the morning, after and before putting my contact lenses in, so I like the cheaper ranges and some help to choose some that aren't totally hideous.

I don't care about frames at all and whether they suit me or not (mine are for reading only). DD2 doesn't care about frames so long as they are pink and shiny. It's DH who's the fussy one!

Last time DH was in SpecSavers, we were all ready for a huuuuuge long visit, expecting to try on everything and leave with nothing (he has thick lenses and struggles to find suitable frames for them that also suit him). One of the assistants came over and offered to help. We started to brush her off gently, thinking we'd be much faster doing our usual routine - he'd try on everything, I'd take photos of the ones that suited him with my mobile, then he'd whittle those down to a short-list, then we'd check compatibility with lenses... - but were amazed at the service she offered. First, she gave him disposable contact lenses for free, just so he could try on frames and check them himself. Then she explained what the numbers in the frames meant, and which ones to go for (I forget the details now, but she advised him which digits meant they could be used with thick lenses, and which ones related to frame width).

Even including hanging around to get his lenses fitted, the whole job took a fraction of the usual time. Maybe 15 mins? He ended up with frames he loved and that suit his lenses, too. Fantastic! Next time he won't need to drag me along, and therefore all the kids. Even better!

The last time I got new glasses was a year ago from specsavers. I think I must have tried on every frame in the shop before a finally settled on a pair. I chose a style with a slightly winged edge in a plastic blue frame. I love them. I got a second pair of prescription sunglasses in the 2 for 1 offer and I love those too. I had been wanting to get prescription sunglasses for a while and wonder why I waited so long. (Contact lenses on the beach Are not a good idea!)

When I choose I new pair of glasses I like to take my time. As I tend to keep them for 2 years I like to make sure I get something I really like. I do tend to stick to a similar style of frames as I find I don't suit a lot of the shapes. I love the vintage 50's type of frame as I find them really flattering and timeless. I am also not fussed about buying designer frames. I'm not the sort of person who buys designer label clothes so the same applies to my glasses. Quality is more important than a designer label.

I am amazed these days the range of inexpensive glasses on offer - I think back to my childhood and the limited options (unless you had a lot of cash to spend). I remember the standard NHS frames lots of people wore - clear glass with coloured lines through them - usually in brown or pink. My gran always had these. Things have came a long way since then.

my DH wears glasses, he always loves to go for a simple thin frame, he likes offers on brands last longer.

I have 2 pairs of glasses in the same style as I couldn't find 2 different pairs I liked. My eyes are small and I find that a lot of the frames are too big and look silly on me.

For me it's the size of the frames - they have to be tiny or they dwarf my face (my 2 year old's sun glasses fit me!!)

I have been wearing glasses since I was 2, so 40 years now and they are much better nowadays. But my recent trip to specsavers was a nightmare. I spent an hour trying to find prescription sunglasses, being assured they would work but actually nothing would. I have a high prescription and small head so can't have prescription sunglasses as they only do huge frames. Ended up walking out very frustrated. I shouldn't be penalised because I have poor eyesight.