Buying glasses online

[Itsonthestairs]

Everytime I go for glasses im really disappointed in the choice, I live in a small city so the choice is poor even after shopping around. I have found a few pairs online that I love. Would the usual highstreet options fit lenses/measure the frames and adjust them if I went for this option? I have always thought this was abit cheeky taking my own frames into store

Should be fine, I’ve had my old frames reglazed and they didn’t seem to mind - the old frames were bought online but with the lenses, just had new lenses when prescription changed.

If you buy the complete glasses (including the lenses) online,no other opticians aren't under any obligation to adjust them normally or sort them out if you have a problem.
Obviously it's down to the individual opticians, but there's no obligation and it's completely goodwill if they do.However many will, just to be helpful, if they are not too busy. I'm sure most people who buy online just go to their local opticians and they may not notice if you just blag it and go in asking for an adjustment!

It's like buying shoes from ASOS, then expecting Clarkes to spend time checking and fitting them for you for free.

The cost of glasses online is cheaper as they don't have to subside the high costs of professional services.

Oh I thought OP meant buying the frames online and getting the lenses from their high street optician

I don't think they would do that. When I went back to Specsavers to have some altered they checked the name on the inside of the arm to see if they matched the ones I got from them (they were). I have bought glasses on line as a cheap spare pair and adjusted the arms myself using a hairdrier to warm them before bending.

I mean buying the frames online and then getting the lenses locally, I wouldn't expect them to do this for free I would happily pay. I usually need them adjusting to fit so I wouldn't buy them completely online

It's cheaper to have an eye test locally and then buy complete glasses online. I haven't had problems adjusting them myself if needed.

To find a pair that is likely to fit well, look at the measurements given printed on the inner arm of one of your existing pairs you like and then find frames with similar measurements online.

I’d just pop to your optician and ask. The optician I use was happy to just replace the lenses on my existing glasses so I don’t see why they wouldn’t do it on new frames. The only thing is that they made it very clear that they would not be responsible if the frame broke while they were doing it. They did make sure the fit was ok when I got the glasses back. Oh, and it wasn’t much cheaper than getting full glasses, it was the best part of £200 for a pair of single vision lenses and a pair of sunglasses (both lenses only).

Do you have an ace and Tate near you?
Best of both worlds, as they have a great online service but a few shops so you can go see the optician for the tests.

But you can’t always fit all lens prescriptions into all frame styles. You need to check they’d be suitable.

I've tried this and many won't do it incase they break the frame or there is a problem. Generally they don't like re glazing anything you haven't bought from them because of this risk/ they are not insured for the damage.

I've got quite a high prescription with astigmatism that has to be thinned and not all frames are suitable so my prescription is complicated to get right so the online places don't work for me.

My mum and OH have pretty low/simple prescriptions so buying the frame and lenses online is super cheap and simple for them.

My optician has a good selection but, if I see frames I like online, they'll send for them for me to try - no obligation to buy. The one time they weren't able to do that, I got the frames myself and they put the lenses in, though they wouldn't have taken responsibility if the frames hadn't been the right fit. Basically I would ask them! I find an independent optician is far more likely to go the extra mile.

I used to work in an opticians.
Buy the frames online and we supplied the lenses.... that's fine and we'll fit the frames on collection for free.
Buy frames and lenses online and then want us to fit them for you....that would be £25 for our services.

I spoke to Specsavers today, and asked them this very question!!

I go there for sight tests, and need new frames, but theirs are so boring, so I plan to buy some online. I've seen some nice ones on Bloobloom - you can order five trial pairs to try on at home. However, because I need varifocals I would rather Specsavers supplied and fitted the lenses as there's lots of measuing needed.

The answer was - yes, no problem! They charge £39 for single vision lenses, plus the usual additional cost for varifocals/coatings and whatnot.

Vision Express will do this too.

I used Lenses in Glasses to have my new prescription put in an old pair of Raybans was abut £30 and really quick service. Might be worth a look

I have bought from BlooBloom and been able to get them adjusted by an optician.

Specsavers wouldn't adjust anything they hadn't sold - annoying as I had been buying from them for 15 years and only stopped as my face is small and they no longer stock a decent petite range, plus I've been on the contact lens scheme for 10 years, so they have had a lot of money from me. Optical Express said they would over the phone, but I ended up going to a local independent who adjusted for £10 as they were closer.

Vision express fit lenses for frames bought online. I've used them several times for this

If you buy from Glasses Direct they'll do the glazing too, plus explain how to measure for fit, plus send out four frames to try for a v small fee if you want.
I've always found them good.

Never tried other online retailers so can't comment on them.