It used to be that if you needed to get a new pair of glasses because your eyesight had changed or deteriorated that you would have no option but to go to your local optician. But now there are many alternative spectacle providers especially those who specialise in selling on the internet.
Of course it is still very important that you get a proper eye sight test done by a fully qualified optometrist. But when it comes to choosing your frame and getting your lenses fitted to the frame you can go to a smaller high street shop, a different optician or you can get your glasses from a website such as Glasses 4 You.
There is a potential for problems in that it is important that your frame is fitted correctly to you – ie the arms need to be the correct length and they need to give the correct amount of grip to the side of the head so that they remain comfortable without being so loose that the glasses slip out of position. Most internet providers of glasses offer a full money back guarantee – so if the glasses do not fit you or are unsuitable for some other reason, you can get a full refund with no questions asked.
Some people however like the personal service of being able to interact with a human customer services advisor and for these people a visit to the local opticians is the best answer for their needs. The local optician may not have such a wide range of glasses and frames on display but should still be able to get frames delivered in if you have seen a particular frame on the internet that you would like to have your lenses fitted to.
Another potential problem with internet providers is that if you want or need bifocal lenses or varifocal lenses fitted to your frames then these need specialist fitting and are not suitable for you to just buy over the internet ready to wear. Some internet providers have therefore hooked up with local opticians to enable people to get a cheap first class service with local customer service and fitting.
There are strict rules in place moderating those who provide prescription spectacle lenses in the UK to make sure that people are only provided with glasses that are fit for the purpose that they are intended. So you won’t find people who set themselves up to sell cheap glasses that will be deleterious to your eye health. This is important as the requirement to have a prescription from a qualified optometrist means that if you have any eye health problems they will be detected at an early stage during your eye sight test.
