I need some new glasses. Any tips?

[minipie]

I have terrible sight but since conversion to contacts at age 12 I have hardly ever worn glasses. My current pair is 10+ years out of date and unusable.

I need to get a new pair sometime before DC1 is born in December.

Any hints and tips to work out what suits me? Where has a good range? How can I tell if they'll be uncomfortable?

thanks!

Is there some sort of deal the opticians who provide your contacts offers? I'm with D&A/boots, and they give me half price frames, so i just go there. I've never had a problem with comfort, although i imagine it'll be a little strange for a while if you're not used to them.

Just go to a few high-street places one afternoon and have a browse. Would say, same as when trying on clothes, do your hair/make up otherwise you'll think everything looks awful and get fed up.

I am just looking at getting a new pair myself and have noticed that vision express and spec savers let you upload a picture on their website and then you can 'try on' the glasses you like the look of.

Actuallu, I tried to get new glasses when I was pregnant and the optician( that was in Germany though) actually told me I'd be wasting my money as the pregnancy hormones mess with your sight and then once baby is there your sight may well improve again. I have to say I think she was right in my case.

Second warning: if you do get them now get insurance or get a very bendy pair, DD1 loved nothing more than to swipe the glasses off my nose and bend them into funny shapes for about the first year.

Pootles I tend to get my lenses online so don't think so unfortunately.

Good to hear re comfort - I have a pair of sunglasses which rub so just want to avoid the same thing.

frump oh I hadn't realised that about pg hormones messing with sight. I actually got an updated prescription recently at about the time I fell pregnant - so hopefully I could use that and it would be reliable (too early for any hormones to have taken effect?) Will have to ask the opticians I guess.

good tips about the uploading pic option and the insurance/bendiness, thank you.

Buy the frames in Europe. They cost a fraction of the price and look much nicer than the crappy brands on sale here. You could book a daytrip on Sleazyjet and still be quids in.

Then get your own local optician to fit the lenses.

I agree about pregnancy affecting your eyesight. I got a pair of prescription sunnies when I was in early pregnancy. They were fine while I was pregnant, but unwearable now. V annoying.

You could also look online for the frames / lenses. I saw a pair of specs on the high street that I liked, and found the same ones online for £90 - saving over £150. They came in same packaging as you'd get from an optician ... But cheaper!

I take my phone. V short sighted and can't see what suits me
So I flip my phone camera and take photos of me wearing them

Good tips thanks!

notjust how early in pregnancy were you if you remember? Worried about my recent prescription being unreliable... but it was VERY early, i.e. about 2 weeks after conception!

Specsavers have a camera that takes a pic of you so you can see what you look like.

Go for the lightest pair you can find - heavy frames can leave red marks on your nose.

Specsavers refunded me when my glasses were uncomfortable - very good customer service.

Thanks - I should be ok on the "seeing what I look like" front since I can wear my contacts.

Good point about them being light. It's been so long I've forgotten things like that.

If budget allows, go for titanium frames - light as a feather, I wouldn't wear anything else now.

I think that may be what my current elderly pair have got, valium. But I think the thicker plastic frames suit me better...

Titanium frames are so thin and rimless lenses you don't really see the glasses iykwim?

sorry to hi-jack but I recently broke my glasses (I often wear lenses): both the frame and one of the lenses have smashed. I have to have thinned lenses (very short sight). Does anyone know where the best deal would be for a pair of glasses with the thinnest available lenses in a high prescription (am about -8)?

valiumredhead I like the idea of titanium!

Op, thinking about it, I don't think it was early pregnancy - I think I was about 5 months along! Having children has obviously addled brain ...

... I reckon you'll be fine with the prescription you've got. :)

Lets face it you aren't going to wear the things except for midnight child care and if you loose your lenses, get the cheapest ones you can!

scripsi I too would like thinned lenses (v short sight, -9 and don't want my eyes shrunk too much!)

mummy thanks - though thinking about it I am now not sure whether that prescription will work for glasses or only for contacts

Theas in theory you're right but I do want to have the option of wearing them out of the house... and I am vain enough that I don't want to look hideous even if it's just me and DH and the LO! That said, from a look at the vision express website, I like some of the cheaper ones as much as the pricier ones luckily. (Been playing with the "virtual glasses" tool).

Oh, so your prescription is for contacts? You'll need to have your eyes tested again for spec wear, I believe, as different measurements are needed.

I couldn't wear contacts at all while pregnant - my eyes were so dry, they were really uncomfortable.

It was done for the purpose of contacts, but I think they might have done a specs prescription too (hope so) - will have to ring up and check.

My contacts have been more uncomfortable recently - didn't think it might be preg related

You know how blood vessels dilate during pregnancy? They do so in your eyes too, so your eyeball changes shape slightly. Along with dryness, that's why contacts are so flippin uncomfortable. I put my supply on hold for 6 months and just wore specs. Dd is 4 months old, and I have only recently started wearing them again.

Had no idea about eyes and pregnancy but now it all makes sense (couldn't wear contacts then either!)

Try Glasses Direct . Their service is brilliant. You can order up to 4 pairs of frames at a time to try at home - you have a 7 day trial period. I got my trial pairs less than 24 hours after I placed online order. You then return all of the frames (free post) and order your chosen pair online, quoting your prescription etc. They take another 10 days to be made and sent out to you and they keep you updated every few days by email. They often have special offers. I got my regular glasses plus prescription sunglasses for £140.

I used them because I hate being pressured into buying a pair that the optician's assistant thinks suit me but actually don't.

Ahhh I'd noticed my eyes seemed to have lots more blood vessels!

ooh cross post, Glasses Direct sound fab.

Take someone with you to take photos of you as you try different frames if y pure not doing it online. This is how my (blind as a bat) dh does it.
We've both had great glasses from Asda of all places!

DH and I have used Asda opticians too and got great deals with them. They are doing two pairs for £99 just now and that includes thin lenses.

My advice would be to try on as many different pairs as possible. Even ones that you don't think will suit you - just give them a try anyway. I always find that some I like the look of on the stand just don't look right when I try them on.

If they are kind where the nose rests are separate pieces you should be able to get them adjusted to fit comfortably. If they are the plastic kind where the nose rests are 'built in' (if you know what I mean) then you'll need to be more careful about fit - make sure they rest comfortably on your nose without any gaps, or being too high up etc.