angeli

The situation is worse than you can imagine Davehornet....I now have to wear them for everything....driving inc...Only time I dont wear is walking in large open space, swimming and cycling....dont want them to smash if I fall off and get stuck in my eyes....So have to wear pair to be exchanged into shop or I might never find it !!!! tried contacts but was told I'd still need to wear glasses as well for some things.....how bizarre is that ???? Anyway, like Indiebird agreed to everything was given my free trial, taught to put them in / take out, then told to go away but not to drive with them in as not used to them...Had to go to pound shop and buy magnifying mirror so I could fish them out in car before driving home !!!! Nightmare !!!!

davehornet6

dont spose you have any old pairs that are still reasonable

angeli

Yes, do have old ones but prescription different...but suppose I could wear them into shop and say others fallen apart and will send them the bits !!!!But not.....til I'm sure.......

indiebird

That's what I would go for.... oh and get the bus into Town!!

angeli

Ok, will do.....bus and white stick here I come.......

Lorna at Vicenza

I got my dad some beautiful frames for nothing when I was in the business.
Three English high street opticians refused to put lenses in them because he had not bought the frames from them.
Proof that they make a lot of money just on the frames.

angeli

Never a truer word...
VE wanted mw to pay £180.00 for frames (the ones that keep falling apart), I looked on net and found them - same ones, for £130.00, told them and they matched the price so worth shopping around......New frames are made by sporty glass people so hopefully wont fall apart in a hurry

37100

In our household three of us wear glasses, but until oh retired his healthcare plan covered the cost so TBH the price never really bothered me. Boy, was I in for a shock. Now, any time someone mentions new glasses I break out in a sweat. I tried specsaver last year, but they didn't impress me and there choice of frames is very limited and I still managed to spend over £200 for varifocals. Can't remember the price of the last pair of varifocals we bought here, but hubby needs a new pair so I'll soon find out if I can ever get him to go for an eye test. Ds had new single vision glasses in Nov and they cost €180. It would have been more if I hadn't flately refused to have the very expensive lenses they wanted him to have. By the look on the assistants face it must have been the first time someone had refused.

37100

My mum always used to buy her frames here, but it was always a hassle to get new lenses in the u.k and when she could get someone to do it they often.refused to guarantee her new lenses

indiebird

Oh, yes I've tried this too.... I've got quite a few frames now with old prescriptions in them and in the past i've tried to say 'Look it's such a waste to buy new frames' but they really don't like it and often there isn't much difference between having an old pair reglazed and buying a new pair!! It doesn't seem fair that just cos I'm blind as a bat I have to fork out a small fortune every time my prescription changes a bit just cos of my dodgy genetics!

I have to say that I like plastic frames. They're warmer for one thing and lighter often and they do have more give than some of the metal frames I've had in the past. Also, because my lenses resemble milk bottle bottoms I can often argue that I don't need to pay a hundred quid to have mine thinned as they are going in a thicker, plastic frame. They also suit me better. I can;t do contacts either. I did once but after getting pregnant with Harrison my eyes dried out and they were too uncomfortable. Also, cos I've always worn glasses I used to feel really naked, and people often said I looked strange without my frames. i guess some people just suit frames better.

PAT M

I have been dreading needing a new perscription, I need 4.75 in one eye so have to wear glasses all the time, so far so good, I will have my next eye test in the UK. For thin lenses, coatings, frames etc it would set me back 500 euros here when I last asked the optician for an estimate, so I might as well shop around in London and have more choice, some of the frames here would do Dame Edna proud. I only use the special spray they sell for cleaning lenses and use a silk cloth, I once ruined the coatings on my lenses by using a little drop of washing up liquid and running them under the tap, doh!

Lorna at Vicenza

I wash mine under the tap several times a day - but don't have the special coatings on my lenses - and I only use water.

I used to see some folks come into our factory to ask if we could change the little nose pads on their glasses and some of them were so horribly gungy. Glad it wasn't my job to change them. The ladies nose pads had often become bright orange because of all the foundation they wear.

angeli

I'm with you Pat, much cheaper in uk and huge choice....haggle and be brave, I am going to invest in silk handkerchief and magic liquid and attempt to look after new ones....I have always chosen plastic frames (had not given it a thought that they were warmer tho') just light and seem to be more robust than metal frames which I am sure I'd break......

Lorna at Vicenza

The best frames to get are the ones with flexible hinges on the side pieces. If you open your glasses out too quickly or too far the side pieces will flex out and not just break off.

angeli

Mime have bendy sides but I'm frightened of bending them incase they fall apart (again)....just a bad design, bendy sides are a must !!!!!