Best place to buy glasses online in the UK
September 14, 2014 10:33 AM
Are you in the UK? Have you recently bought spectacles online? Were you happy with them? If your answer to all these questions is YES, please tell me more! Plus any other advice or information about buying glasses online.
I'm in London and would like to buy some inexpensive specs (preferably under £125) for my giant noggin. I have a fairly recent prescription tucked away somewhere that I think had the pupillary distance written on it (though I can't now find it, so I may have to go get a new one). I'm only a bit short-sighted, and my prescription's pretty straightforward. Thanks for your help!
I'm in London and would like to buy some inexpensive specs (preferably under £125) for my giant noggin. I have a fairly recent prescription tucked away somewhere that I think had the pupillary distance written on it (though I can't now find it, so I may have to go get a new one). I'm only a bit short-sighted, and my prescription's pretty straightforward. Thanks for your help!
Mine were from Glasses Direct, and my only complaint is that it was hard to filter the frames on the website by width in order to avoid glasses twice the size of my face.
My only tip is to take a bunch of selfies from different angles while wearing the empty frames they send, instead of just looking in the mirror.
posted by emilyw at 10:58 AM on September 14, 2014
My only tip is to take a bunch of selfies from different angles while wearing the empty frames they send, instead of just looking in the mirror.
posted by emilyw at 10:58 AM on September 14, 2014
To be honest, for up to £125 you can go to a brick and mortar store like Specsavers or Boots and get a frame, single vision lenses, a 'free' second pair of glasses and coating (anti scratch and glare). They have a lot of frames significantly below that and the two different coating options may or may not get you up to your maximum amount.
If you insist on going the online route Glasses Direct let you try up to 4 frames at home so you can assess fit and appearance before buying. You've just got to provide credit card details as security and return them within a week to avoid being charged.
posted by koahiatamadl at 12:23 PM on September 14, 2014
If you insist on going the online route Glasses Direct let you try up to 4 frames at home so you can assess fit and appearance before buying. You've just got to provide credit card details as security and return them within a week to avoid being charged.
posted by koahiatamadl at 12:23 PM on September 14, 2014
> To be honest, for up to £125 you can go to a brick and mortar store like Specsavers or Boots
Just to quickly clarify, I'm investigating online options as I've found the selection of cheaper glasses in the brick and mortar outlets really sucks. I had an eye test at Specsavers recently, after which I tried on every pair in my price range—and they all looked foul. I have a weird head and most glasses don't suit me; the styles that do only appear in Specsavers more expensive designer range. The online suppliers tend to have a much wider selection of styles, but as the companies are mostly unknown to me I'm seeking personal recommendations.
posted by EXISTENZ IS PAUSED at 1:09 PM on September 14, 2014
Just to quickly clarify, I'm investigating online options as I've found the selection of cheaper glasses in the brick and mortar outlets really sucks. I had an eye test at Specsavers recently, after which I tried on every pair in my price range—and they all looked foul. I have a weird head and most glasses don't suit me; the styles that do only appear in Specsavers more expensive designer range. The online suppliers tend to have a much wider selection of styles, but as the companies are mostly unknown to me I'm seeking personal recommendations.
posted by EXISTENZ IS PAUSED at 1:09 PM on September 14, 2014
I bought my last pair of glasses from Glasses Direct. I think they are significantly cheaper for designer frames but I'm not sure it's worth it if you're not bothered by the name on the them.
I also found it was harder than I expected to adjust the nose bit and legs so that they fit comfortably - I'd always had that done for me at the optician's previously.
posted by neilb449 at 1:11 PM on September 14, 2014
I also found it was harder than I expected to adjust the nose bit and legs so that they fit comfortably - I'd always had that done for me at the optician's previously.
posted by neilb449 at 1:11 PM on September 14, 2014
I'm a guy, but I've had more luck with Specsaver's women's range in the past. I too had an eye test there recently, and tried on literally every men's pair in the shop before a sales assistant suggested hopping genders. Might be worth a shot next time you go.
Btw, I also wore contacts the last time I was shopping for frames and it made it significantly less painful.
posted by Magnakai at 4:33 PM on September 14, 2014
Btw, I also wore contacts the last time I was shopping for frames and it made it significantly less painful.
posted by Magnakai at 4:33 PM on September 14, 2014
I have a massive unsightly head too, and ended up buying from Glasses Direct after testing probably 6 or 8 styles at home.
I actually found it quite helpful to be able to filter online based on frame width (something that isn't always that easy to do by eye in store), but it did leave me with only a few styles to try. Not sure if other retailers might be able to do better than that - I didn't check.
Nike seems to have a few big head styles, stocked by GD, and that's what I ended up buying.
posted by bifter at 6:25 AM on September 15, 2014
I actually found it quite helpful to be able to filter online based on frame width (something that isn't always that easy to do by eye in store), but it did leave me with only a few styles to try. Not sure if other retailers might be able to do better than that - I didn't check.
Nike seems to have a few big head styles, stocked by GD, and that's what I ended up buying.
posted by bifter at 6:25 AM on September 15, 2014
Thanks for your recommendations, everyone!
posted by EXISTENZ IS PAUSED at 12:52 PM on September 17, 2014
posted by EXISTENZ IS PAUSED at 12:52 PM on September 17, 2014
Not to be all Consumer Rage about it, but...
After this thread, and needing some spare at-the-computer glasses, I ordered some from Specky Four Eyes: it took what seems like a very long time for a straightforward prescription (ordered October 9th, delivered last Monday) and were the wrong strength (normal prescription rather than adjusted for medium distance). I immediately queried them about it (so Monday, two-ish) and have received no reply other than the automated "We've received your message" email.
While I ought to leave it a bit longer than three days before Asserting My Sacred Consumer Rights I've basically accepted that I've just ordered another spare pair of normal glasses and will keep looking for computer glasses and forgetting the whole S-F-E thing - sending them back and waiting another month seems like a bit too much of a faff, even if they do get back to me and accept that they made a mistake (not a given, reading their TOS). They're alright cheap glasses, though.
FYI.
posted by Grangousier at 1:52 AM on November 6, 2014
After this thread, and needing some spare at-the-computer glasses, I ordered some from Specky Four Eyes: it took what seems like a very long time for a straightforward prescription (ordered October 9th, delivered last Monday) and were the wrong strength (normal prescription rather than adjusted for medium distance). I immediately queried them about it (so Monday, two-ish) and have received no reply other than the automated "We've received your message" email.
While I ought to leave it a bit longer than three days before Asserting My Sacred Consumer Rights I've basically accepted that I've just ordered another spare pair of normal glasses and will keep looking for computer glasses and forgetting the whole S-F-E thing - sending them back and waiting another month seems like a bit too much of a faff, even if they do get back to me and accept that they made a mistake (not a given, reading their TOS). They're alright cheap glasses, though.
FYI.
posted by Grangousier at 1:52 AM on November 6, 2014
Sorry to hear it, Grangousier; that sucks.
posted by EXISTENZ IS PAUSED at 3:38 PM on November 9, 2014
posted by EXISTENZ IS PAUSED at 3:38 PM on November 9, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
I've heard good things about Archibald Optics, who operate a similar model to Warby Parker in the US. They're a bit beyond your budget but apparently are good quality.
posted by Magnakai at 10:38 AM on September 14, 2014