thecyclist Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 ok QUESTION a) How do you know what the frames look like when you put them on? Answer I could tell what the frames looked like by looking in the mirror when I had them on.(Sorry, little joke there) Also before I purchsed them I checked them out in a local high street shop Question b) How do you know they feel comfortable when you put them on? Answer They felt comfortable when I put them on. Questionc) How do you know that the lenses and frames reach British Safety Standards (oh yes, they do exist on spectacles) Answer I checked with the body responsible for opticians in GB. They knew them and could assure me they produced specs to BS. Also I spoke to friend at Norville the manufacturer of lens grinding machines. I worked closely with Norville some years ago when they developed the new machine for Vision Express Questiond) How do you know that they are correct to your prescription? There are tolerances set by the General Optical Council for the make of spectacles... you might be able to see out of them (so you think) but then they might be too strong/weak for you.. but you'd never know. At least with a "high-street" opticians you know that they will have been properly checked by a professional - and you know that they fit & look good! Answer I have extensive checks at Rotherham General hospital twice a year, at which I had them check out the glasses against my most recent prescription which I had in October 2006 via vision express. All proved to be well. You may say that I am taking advantage of the high street outlets by using their facilities and then buying on line. I suppose that is a valid argument. However it is hard to reconcile a cost with nikon lenses of £374 and a two week delivery from the high street against a cost with Nikon lenses for £179 and 3 day delivery online. I.ve paid £800 for specs from Daybell and Choo and very nice they were but they still only lasted just over 18 months as did the £465 from Vision. And that was not because my prescriptiob changed, but because the specs fell apart. I think I will try the online specs for 18 months and if they are as good as the others then I am quids in. May seem harsh to opticians but thats the market. And it may interest all to know that spex4less is an optician in Bolton who has spotted a market and is making a mint. Good look to him I say. And thanks you to everyone for the debate, lots of views and opinions all well discussed. Lovely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S8 Blade Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 ok... again, being a moderately high prescription myself, like our mod, I am very trusting with my own optician, knowing that they have to take certain measurements to ensure the quality of my specs and vision. they take a measurement between my eyes to ensure that the central part of my lenses are placed in front of my eyes (I had a problem once where they were set too wide and I was getting double vision), and they also check that the specs aren't sitting too close, or too far away from my eyes as this can strengthen/weaken my prescription due to the physics of light passing through lenses. When I take my mum to get her bifocals they put the glasses on her and measure where the line goes on her glasses. We had a case once where they hadn't measured it (never been there since) and just guessed where to put it and when she put the frames on the line was going straight through her vision!! I have looked at a few of the sites that you have mentioned, and on one of them, they offer to just set the lenses at a default width!! it's unbelievable! how they get the bifocals right I don't know.. never mind varifocals - they're worse I'm sure they are. My father always complains that if he moves his head slightly it's out of focus so how they get those I don't know. I'd never stray away from knowing that I'm getting my glasses made from somewhere where they are checked out by somebody registered with the GOC.. I mean, would you order your prescription from the Doctor off the internet without consulting them first?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medusa Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 I've got astigmatism too but only on my right eyes...hmmm what do you mean with that '........a couple of millimetres' change in the distance from my eye is enough to make me lose focus'. Getting worried ..... Don't worry about it- you know whether you have good focus. When you're driving can you read the road signs? What I mean is that during an eye test, whilst wearing the rather attractive test glasses, the slots for the lenses are only 2mm apart. The difference between 6:6 (very good) eyesight and 10:6 (significantly blurry) for me is only one slot in the test glasses. I'm simply using this as an illustration of the importance of proper fitting and measuring when your prescription gets complex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeP Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 I think 'pre-made' glasses are fine if you just have basic short sightedness or long-sightedness. HOWEVER - I too have astigmatism, and so the lenses need to take that in to account. A good eye test will also look for signs of retinopathy, probems with eyeball pressure, issues around colour vision, etc. Glasses are expensive but I'd not consider using 'off the shelf' glasses except as a spare 'emergency' pair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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