Prescriptions and prescription glasses online?

[DennisCA]

I have needed glasses for a few years now (2019), I got progressives and they have to correct for astigmatism as well. I can count myself fortunate that using progressives felt natural from the start for me. But they are expensive. I have been looking at buying a pair of glasses that would be cheaper and that I could use in the shop and it wouldn't be the end of the world if they get banged around a bit.

I am currently looking at poletto for glasses. Open for other recommendations too.

The thing I am most uncertain about is that I don't have a lot of Add on my prescription, only 0.6. When entering the prescription in order forms the minimum value is usually 0.75. So it doesn't seem like I can order the same prescription I already have. If I put in an add of 0.75 instead of 0.6 will I even notice the difference? Will changing that value mean all the other values like Sph, Cyl and Ax will be thrown off?

I've also wondered if I ought to get a new prescription, but I don't feel like I need a stronger prescription despite my current one being 4 years old. I think I see well with the current prescription.

 

[MetalMonkey]

I recently got some from glassesdirect, and they seemed spot on.
You do have to jiggle the discount codes and deals about to make sure you are getting the best pricing, but I ended up with a "good pair" and a second identical frame with a basic lens in for the workshop which was only an extra £15.

No experience with polette, but I did look at several of the online suppliers before ordering and a common theme is that they will only accept a recent (within 2 years) prescription, which I suppose is logical.
So you may need get an eye test done anyway.

They also require a Pupil Distance measurement, which isn't usually included on the prescription - so worth getting this checked at the same time.
There is an app you can download to do it, but I found I had to have several goes before I was happy I had a consistent result that also matched up with my "eyeballing" (sorry) it with a ruler.

With more complex lenses, strong prescriptions or high index I know it gets a lot more complicated and the measurements are a lot more critical, at which point you are probably better off going to a high street optician.
Although mine is strong, I'm not yet completely blind and went for a medium index lens which are a bit more tolerant - and so far they have been perfect.

The only other thing to mention is mine came pre-mangled, so you need to be reasonably handy with some needle nose pliers to get the frames adjusted and fitted correctly - normally something the dispensing optician would do for you.
But I suspect that won’t pose too much of a challenge for anybody on this forum.

 

[tom2207]

at four years your due a retest ,,, normally done at 2 years , one if you have diabetes or the likes .
no point in spending money if the base script is wrong ,,,
i used to be an opticians tech ,, [ til six weeks ago ]

 

[voipio]

Sph, Cyl and Ax refer to the prescription required to correct vision for distance. Add refers to the additional lens power required for close up viewing, typically for reading. A value of 0.6 suggests your eyes still have a reasonable amount of accommodation (range of focus near and far), suggesting relatively young eyes. For older eyes, where accommodation is small, Add will probably be closer to 1.5 ish.

Regular eye checkups are important, especially with advancing years, and can often pick up other possible medical issues before they become a real problem.

 

[ajlelectronics]

Sph, Cyl and Ax refer to the prescription required to correct vision for distance. Add refers to the additional lens power required for close up viewing, typically for reading. A value of 0.6 suggests your eyes still have a reasonable amount of accommodation (range of focus near and far), suggesting relatively young eyes. For older eyes, where accommodation is small, Add will probably be closer to 1.5 ish.

Regular eye checkups are important, especially with advancing years, and can often pick up other possible medical issues before they become a real problem.

I thought that Axis was "which way is up" for astigmatism like mine?

 

[voipio]

Cyl and Ax define the correction for astigmatism, with Cyl referring to the "strength" of the cylindrical component, and Ax the angle of the cylindrical axis.

 

[DennisCA]

at four years your due a retest ,,, normally done at 2 years , one if you have diabetes or the likes .
no point in spending money if the base script is wrong ,,,
i used to be an opticians tech ,, [ til six weeks ago ]

I do have diabetes (well managed) but given what they charged for glasses I wasn't gonna go back inside 5 years even if I went blind.

 

[mart]

I have needed glasses for a few years now (2019), I got progressives and they have to correct for astigmatism as well. I can count myself fortunate that using progressives felt natural from the start for me. But they are expensive. I have been looking at buying a pair of glasses that would be cheaper and that I could use in the shop and it wouldn't be the end of the world if they get banged around a bit.

I am currently looking at poletto for glasses. Open for other recommendations too.

The thing I am most uncertain about is that I don't have a lot of Add on my prescription, only 0.6. When entering the prescription in order forms the minimum value is usually 0.75. So it doesn't seem like I can order the same prescription I already have. If I put in an add of 0.75 instead of 0.6 will I even notice the difference? Will changing that value mean all the other values like Sph, Cyl and Ax will be thrown off?

I've also wondered if I ought to get a new prescription, but I don't feel like I need a stronger prescription despite my current one being 4 years old. I think I see well with the current prescription.

I assume there is not an opportunity to speak with the company regarding that 0.6/0.75 restriction on the form (as is sometimes the case with online only), what about a different optician/supplier?

The high street opticians wanted to take the proverbial as usual- £200 for a pair reading glasses, no thanks I took a punt on an online company in Thailand and I paid about £37, that was for 'hi index lenses' as I need a strong script. Shipping included too. At that price I bought a spare pair in case I lost them.

 

[mart]

@DennisCA
and anyone who may have a complex script, you can claim a 'voucher'. See below, and check gov website in small tx at top of sheet.

 

[DennisCA]

I'm not in the UK so things like that don't apply to me.

The cheapest glasses I found was 65€ via Polette, I don't need to give a prescription, just fill in their form. I got PD and all that on my physical prescription. I don't think we have any rules that govern prescriptions or how long they are supposed to last, even if we do, I can just fill in what I want on some site and get it ordered from abroad.

My last pair of glasses where 700€, 400 for just the frames. At least they included free lenses for my sunglasses.

 

[gaz1]

glasses direct

i have flexiframe due to having children they can take alot of bangs at the side and also they can be bent fully in half at the nose and they wont break

reacotlite in both pairs as well all for the cost of 80.00 for 2 pair with reactolites and a visit to opticions for an eye exam so a cost there

so glasses and sunglasses are in one as i use them all of the time

between both pairs i found one of the pairs was off compared to the other frame

prescriptions for glasses eyes change they always have done you can loose enough vision within 6 months for a change of prescription other times you can last long enough for 2 years and get another pair then its down to the user

but users are skin flints at best of times your sight is important dont ever forget that

 

[tom2207]

I do have diabetes (well managed) but given what they charged for glasses I wasn't gonna go back inside 5 years even if I went blind.

over here its an eye check every year and with diabetes its free ,,, maybe worth checking , not sure about where you are for costings , but no harm in asking.

 

[tom2207]

I'm not in the UK so things like that don't apply to me.

The cheapest glasses I found was 65€ via Polette, I don't need to give a prescription, just fill in their form. I got PD and all that on my physical prescription. I don't think we have any rules that govern prescriptions or how long they are supposed to last, even if we do, I can just fill in what I want on some site and get it ordered from abroad.

My last pair of glasses where 700€, 400 for just the frames. At least they included free lenses for my sunglasses.

If I told you what frames cost you would weep ,,, heres a clue , our cheaper range of frames ,,,, if we found a manufacturing defect etc we took a pic and e mailed it to the supplier and then got a new frame credited to out account , old frame went in the dead box , thats dead frames not dead people ,, and used as spares , it cost more than the value of the frame to post them back ,,, nuf said

 

[DennisCA]

over here its an eye check every year and with diabetes its free ,,, maybe worth checking , not sure about where you are for costings , but no harm in asking.

I get a yearly retinal check but otherwise it's up to me, no visual acuity checks. Might be something via works health insurance tho.