Buying glasses online

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exile · #21 Post by **exile** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 4:53 pm

The one good reason not to go to an ophthalmologist is of course the long wait for an appointment.
Even out in the sticks the wait is just short of 6 months. However I would still recommend using one rather than the optician because the ophthalmologist will spot things that the optician may miss - depending of course on the training and experience of the optician.

At the age that many of us are - or are fast approaching - there are conditions that are best spotted early or run the risk of severely degraded sight in the future.

Headers · #22 Post by **Headers** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 5:06 pm

exile wrote: ↑Thu Apr 13, 2023 4:53 pm The one good reason not to go to an ophthalmologist is of course the long wait for an appointment.
Even out in the sticks the wait is just short of 6 months. However I would still recommend using one rather than the optician because the ophthalmologist will spot things that the optician may miss - depending of course on the training and experience of the optician.

At the age that many of us are - or are fast approaching - there are conditions that are best spotted early or run the risk of severely degraded sight in the future.

I think things are changing as ‘younger’ people can now go to an optometrist rather than an opthalmologue. OH told me he was having eye trouble. I groaned and said I’d try and get an urgent appt. All ready for a begging session on the phone and she said ‘tomorrow at 11.50. Could have knocked me over with a feather. Went like clockwork running on time too.

Hotrodder · #23 Post by **Hotrodder** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 9:19 pm

suein56 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 13, 2023 3:46 pm
Hotrodder wrote: ↑Thu Apr 13, 2023 3:22 pm Haven't a clue what any of you are on about. I am already well aware of the money that can be saved buying online. My point was off-the-peg reading glasses are for basic stepped strengths and do nothing for odd conditions, etc. For these you need a prescription produced from an actual test. You send that to the online suppliers and they produce the lenses and fit them to your choice of frames, saving you a bundle. My prescription was years old and has clearly changed so I was forced to go to a French outfit that charged a bundle for the test and then got the hard sell to buy the glasses from them.
Why didn't you go to an Ophthalmologist for your eye test ?
No hard sell there .. just a proper eye test and check up.

Up to a year waiting list? None in my area? Lack of response to emails? Need I say more?

Coldonat · #24 Post by **Coldonat** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 9:55 pm

I'm old and have been type 1 diabetic for three years, and should have my eyes tested every year, as I reminded my MG last year. She gave me an ordonnance for a test and I got an rdv with an opthalmologue within three months.
I took my ordonnance with me on a trip to the UK, and got two pairs from Specsavers for £69 (clear and sunglasses), and on my return got a pair from Generale Optique (varifocal) free on the French health service.

suein56 · #25 Post by **suein56** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 10:20 pm

Hotrodder wrote: ↑Thu Apr 13, 2023 9:19 pm Up to a year waiting list? None in my area? Lack of response to emails? Need I say more?

No .. thanks. I thought that might be the case. That's a sorry state of affairs.

Blaze · #26 Post by **Blaze** » Fri Apr 14, 2023 8:47 am

exile wrote: ↑Thu Apr 13, 2023 4:53 pm The one good reason not to go to an ophthalmologist is of course the long wait for an appointment.
Even out in the sticks the wait is just short of 6 months. However I would still recommend using one rather than the optician because the ophthalmologist will spot things that the optician may miss - depending of course on the training and experience of the optician.
At the age that many of us are - or are fast approaching - there are conditions that are best spotted early or run the risk of severely degraded sight in the future.

+1 - I agree.

Because it's so easy for us to get to Jersey, we go to Specsavers rather than suffer the long wait for an ophthalmo here. I don't have any particular problems with my eyesight but OH uses contact lenses and has had a cataract removed following a detached retina. We've always had regular checks.

We can generally get an appointment within a week or so at Specsavers and although they don't have the wonderful choice of frames that you can find in France, we can get 4 pairs of varifocals for the price of one pair here. At off peak times and as a foot passenger, the ferry is no more expensive than a trip to Rennes and back. And you can get a wonderful "full English breakfast" at Rosie's Tea Room in St Helier

hughnique · #27 Post by **hughnique** » Fri Apr 14, 2023 10:01 am

It is a joke the time you have to wait to see an ophthalmologist, as said ours is a good 6 if not 9 months, and when you do get in the waiting room, well break out the packed lunch, 3 to 4 hour minimum and the place is heaving. Now I have this macro degenerate thing in one eye, so that is damn injections once a month, 7 am appointments, God knows what time she gets up in the morning, and it's like a production line in there, one after another. I have always been a bit wary about online glasses but the fiasco OH has had from Optic 2000, lots of money for rubbish glasses won't go there again

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