Whether you are buying a pair of spectacles for the first time or are simply looking to replace a broken pair, the cost of new frames can vary dramatically, making it difficult to know what is a reasonable price to pay and where to get the best deals.
If you are investing in prescription glasses, Opticians will often have a huge range of frame options to offer you, but the total price can end up being a lot steeper than this base product. Here is a guide on how much you can reasonably expect to pay for this vision correction option.
Firstly, the prices of the glasses frames themselves can vary hugely, with some of the cheapest frames around being priced at as little as £10 to as much as hundreds of pounds for designer items. Finding a frame to suit your budget should therefore not be difficult at all.
It is important to remember, however, that lower prices can mean lower quality; the spectacles themselves may be manufactured from a more brittle or fragile material, a material that is easily scratched or one where the pattern or color can rub off with frequent use.
Many frames may be made from scratch-resistant, shatter-proof and materialistically. They may also boast superior, flexible hinges to make sure that the spectacles do not infrequent use. Be prepared that the prices of these options are steeper, sometimes over £100 for even non-designer frames.
As well as considering price, it is therefore strongly advised to pay attention to quality as well. This will ensure that you get value for money, rather than just enjoying an initially cheap price.
Some people buying prescription glasses in the UK may well be entitled to NHS help toward to cost of their spectacles. This particularly applies to under sixteens, pensioners and those on social welfare such as Universal Credit. For more details, contact your local optician on what you may or may not be entitled to.
The most costly part of buying glasses is in fact the addition of lenses and various features to improve vision and wearability. These can add up, meaning that selecting even the cheapest frames can result in a total cost of well over £50.
One example where this is true is for those who require high prescription lenses. If your vision requires a high level of correction, your lenses will automatically be thicker. For this reason, sturdy and more costly frames will therefore be needed.
There is often an alternative to buying thicker frames to handle the thicker lenses that higher prescriptions require, however this can also be costly. This alternative
requires investing in special high prescription thin lenses which are often a premium option at many opticians. Spending here, however, can allow you to buy the thinner, cheaper frames you were originally hoping for.
There are also several other lens and frame options for those buying prescription glasses. These can included tinting for easier vision, reactive lenses that alter their shade according to the level of light they are exposed to, and a scratch resistant coating to ensure that your lenses last as long as possible.
These extra frame and lenses options are often available from both large chain and independent opticians from around £20 to £60 per option. Spending your money on one essential feature that you desire can therefore add an extra £30 to your total cost, whereas a few of these can potentially add £150.
All in all, buying prescription glasses can be costly. Although frames can be cheap, all the additional options and premium materials and features can really add up. The best way to get value for money is to consider what you really need, and then strip down on the bonus options which may be nice to have, but will not benefit you personally that much.
Oakes Opticians is a family-owned business providing value and care since 2010, serving the local Huddersfield community and beyond. Oakes Opticians offers a wide choice of frames at competitive prices and bespoke eye examinations, always prioritizing the needs of the patient. The optical staff at Oakes Opticians has over 20 years’ combined experience and utilities the latest technology to provide a premium quality service. Oakes Opticians also offers a more thorough eye test than typical high street opticians, also providing late evening appointments in order to serve both 9 to 5 workers and schoolchildren. Oakes Opticians has easily accessible free parking right outside the premises available for all customers. To find out more, please visit: https://www.glassesca.com/