Feb
Hi
I hope any opticians or anyone who has bought glasses in the UK can help. i need thin plastic lenses for a new pair of glasses- i did want glass but was advised that plastic are just as good. the optician recommended seiko 1.74 lenses which he said are the best- my prescription is around -11 so i need good lenses. they cost £330- is that excessive or reasonable?
thanks
Answer:
I have worn glasses for over 40 years and personally I wouldn't recommend plastic lenses. I’ve worn both types.
I found plastic ones are very easy to scratch [especially if you keep taking them off and putting them down] and the hardened glass ones are not.
You only have to get a slight scratch in your field of vision and they’re completed. And at £330 a throw that's bloody expensive!
The plastic ones were brought out for being less weight, but I’ve found that it didn't make any difference.
Answer:
£330 is excessive for plastic 1.74 lenses, you’ll get a superior result with glass lenses either a 1.8 glass lens or a 1.9 glass lens would give you a better result, zeiss is the ideal company at the moment for glass lenses, depending where you go to get them will vary the price, specsavers do 1.8 or 1.9 glass lenses for around £300.
the only disadvantage to glass is the weight of the lens (although much thinner than plastic they’ll be heavier) and you have to be extra careful with the glasses as they will obviously shatter if they were accidently dropped.
also if your prescription is -11.00 you will automatically get some help (not a huge amount but will reduce the cost of your lenses) from the nhs as your prescription is classed as a complex prescription.
if your optician has not mentioned the nhs help you’re entitled to, ask him for your “complex nhs voucher” you’re entitled this and he cannot refuse to give this to you
Answer:
Do you’ve an optician in your local Asda?
You could get 2 complete pairs with frames and super-thin lenses for just £90.00 !!!
I don't think anywhere else can match this.
I tell people they’ve to fight me to get glass lenses from me, they’re extremely heavy, and consider the safety aspect. Do you really want to walk around with pieces of thin glass (the centre of the lens is thin in your case) in front of your eyes? Imagine what could happen in a automobile accident, or even bumping into a door or lamp-post!
Answer:
Sounds way over the top to me. try Specsavers, they always try and sell me reduced thickness lens. I never bother with them but I believe they were around £40 extra.
Ask the optician for your prescription in writing, they’ve to give it to you, then you can go anywhere you like to get it made.
Answer:
Seiko are very good (Orgatech) and they are specially high index plastic. But £330 is rather steep. I would get another quote from a different optician and compare.
Answer:
i only wear plastic glass is to heavy.the cost of mine are about 250 each time.