Ordering glasses / contact lenses over internet

[gyzmo]

Has anyone, with a proper prescription of course, ordered glasses or contact lenses over the net? I've read that they can be a lot cheaper than what is available in the high street, but I do have my doubts.

 

Has anyone done this and any problems? I'm particularly interested in anyone who is short sighted and has astigmatism.

[reduk054]

Hi gyzmo, I have sucessfully ordered contact lenses, I am short sighted, and purchased daily disposables, cheap, quick postage and great quality. AFAIK they also verified my prescription, do you want me to find out the web address name? Think that the company I use feature on the first page of most searches.

Red

[gyzmo]

Thanks - I'm not after a specific company at the mo - just whether or not ordering over the internet is feasible / risky!

[becka]

I looked into it and discovered that Specsavers were still cheaper for my contacts as I also have an astigmatism. If I didn't need Toric lenses it would probably be cheaper over t'interweb!

[gyzmo]

Well.... It turns out that my astigmatism isnt even worth bthering about. Apparently its under the minimum that can be prescribed for. More on the thread in the "other stores" forum.

[barracad]

I was wondering how ordering spectacles online works... surely to order them you need to know the distance between your pupils, but this isn't measured by the optician during the eye test, only by the sales staff when you choose your frames. How do you know the measurement? Do you have to measure it yourself? Or is it not needed?

[Lula]

I order all my specs online, and sunglasses too, I have astigmatism and am long sighted, they are so cheap it is almost embarrassing, you can also order reactolite ones.

 

The trick is to have your current prescription, and make sure that you know your PD (pupil distance, it is easy to do).

 

http://www.goggles 4 u . c o m

[Lula]

forgot to add, that I also have prisms and if you have them you need to make sure that you put what type you have in the box at the bottom, if you cannot read the symbol then just pop into a opticians and ask.

[gyzmo]

What happens though if you do not like them or they are not suitable? DSR shouldnt really apply if its a case of not liking as they are made to order. Do they provide a satisfaction guarantee? Yesterday I tried on about 20 pairs of specs and didnt like any of them. God knows what I would be like ordering online!

[KJD]

Shamelessly resurrects old thread...

 

Gyzmo - did you order any glasses online in the end?

 

I'm in desperate need of a new pair but the last time I went to get a prescription and then looked at glasses, the assistant said the ones I needed would have cost me nearly £200, and that was deducting my NHS voucher. As I said to her at the time, if I could afford that, I wouldn't be on blooming benefits, would I?! She bamboozled me a bit as my presrcition was changing from bog standard long distance lenses to bifocals. I didn't definately need bifocals, just thought it would save me taking my glasses off every time I read (or balancing them on the end of my nose!). Anyway I didn't get new ones at that time, just 'made do'. But now these ones are starting to 'fail' so I really do need to change them.

 

Any way, sorry to waffle... did you??

[skonk]

I was thinking the same thing! I need new glasses, and have worn them for 32 years, and there's no way in hell I can afford to put anything towards them. I think it's so unfair to people that need glasses to see, that you're still expected to pay astronomical amounts of cash for something that is essential to your everyday life.

 

Even when you have your voucher, you're still expected to pay at least $50+ towards the free frames and lenses available. They always find a way of getting your money. I may actually have a proper look into that site above, as if I'm expected to pay towards my glasses, they may work out much cheaper. My last pair cost £190 and I had to borrow money from two people, three years ago, and just about paid them back, as I'm on benefits...

[KJD]

I think the only trouble is that a lot of the online opticians don't take nhs vounchers. It's going to be a case of weighing up how cheap they would be online against how much in a high street store, less the vouncher.

 

Going to make appointment for weekend and see what occurs.

[labrat]

going to try ordering a cheap pair over the weekend as a sort of test, if they come and are the right perscription then ill order a better pair

 

as for compairing cheapness i looked at the site lula recommended

Titanium Memory Metal Frames + Lenses + UV coating + scratch resistant coating + AntiGlare + posting = about £14.50

 

so ill let people know how it goes, just got to find my perscription and messure up a pair of glassed

[gyzmo]

Havent ordered. I got Specsavers to give me 6 months of contacts for free!

 

AND! My employer has had to put me in for a H&S eyesight thingy which means I'll get a voucher to spend on some speccies gratis (or not very much of my own dosh anyway). January sales here I come!

[labrat]

forgot to update, been wearing my glasses off the suggested site for the last month now..

 

took around two weeks to arive but ive got a pair of memory metal frames (the sites stopped doing them now im afraid) plus a pair of my lenses, scratch resistant coating, anti glaire (read the sites advertising blurb im not listing all the add ons)

 

got them for little under £19 and two weeks for delivery from pakistan isnt bad