I went there for my eye test. I was wearing varifocals from Boots at the time. I chose new frames about the same size as the ones I was wearing and they told me that they were too small for varifocals, so I had to choose bigger frames. I thought they may be right as I wasn't 100% happy with my varifocals from Boots. Alas I was wrong the varifocals were really bad. I could see better with my old ones. I went to Asda because they were a lot cheaper but wouldn't go back. But maybe some Asda's are better.

not true, their standard varifocals are shamir branded which are premium varifoclas with a pretty decent corridor. All their varifoclas will have an anti reflective coating and depending on your prescription will be thinned down. Just go to one of the big chains and ask how much this lens will cost, pretty confident it will be nowhere near £40 complete with a frame!. You can however pay a little more and go for arguably one of the best varifocals on the market, Varilux phsio.

I have 2 pair of varifocals from Asda ,cost less than previous purchases for one pair from ,D & A ,vision express and specsavers ,they also seem more scratch resistant ,just because something is expensive doesn't mean it is better,

It's like looking through a very small peephole

I would imagine they are several times better than those from ASDA

​they saw you coming . should have gone to asda :-D

Should have gone to SpecSavers - then again, you probably did :smiley:

​thats a ripoff unless they were designer frames with a highly complex prescription

LOL.
As if.

Yes they do them but its a limited range.

​Fatty four eyes :man:

You could source the frames you want online and get them glazed at Asda.

I/we were not offered any upgrade

£15 at Asda. You can however get an eye test done at tesco and take the prescription to Asda

As you have mentioned overseas sites I have wondered if some companies also use overseas suppliers. When ordering from ASDA there is a minimum waiting period of 14 days - at least it was about 10 months ago.

Do you have link please? My hubby has a couple of pairs he uses at home and for fishing etc he could do with re-glazing and this would be ideal.

How do you use overseas sites please.

Could you give details, and who you went with please? sounds like a deal ter me. :-)

Have to agree with you about the rip-off prices at Specsavers these days. They start off reasonably enough, but once all the extras are added in the price leaps. The last pair for the wife (admittedly for two pairs - BOGOF) cost just short of £420 with the extra thin varifocal lenses.

How much would that have been at Asda - and are they really up to the same standard? :neutral_face:

That is one thing to be careful of... making sure you get the right member of staff there who will let you know if the lenses will fit the frames! Some dont actually do that and when the glasses come they dont work with the lens they provide.

As I say a bit hit and miss but aftercare is good. Keep any existing glasses in case you need to send your new ones back.

No usually no... I think they may do if you bought some from them before and your prescription changes.

​Yes for £79

Asda did for me see above

Similar to you in that I wear contacts, I use my glasses for probably 15 mins in morning and same at night and that's about it. Glasses seem spot on and are an awesome price for me!

Yes, advanced Varifocal lenses are included if required.

The ones I just got now were 1.9 glass. Option was given of 1.74 plastic too.

​which branch was this?

Funny you should say that, because I've had a very similar experience with Specsavers.

You don't have anything to do with Specsavers, do you, by the way? It's just a little odd that you signed up with HUKD only yesterday, just to make that one anti-Asda, pro-Specsavers post. :wink:

What they told you about the thin lenses being linked to the prescription is correct. You could have asked (had you known) to see the chart they use to determine that.

From an internet search (and this is from 2009, so could have changed - if they were offering you maximum 1.60 in the inclusive cost it must have changed for the worse over the years, but still wouldn't have given you 1.74 even back then)
For full frame glasses -
>=+7.25 - Seek advice from the optician
+6.25 to +7.00 - Super Thin & Light (1.67 ASPH)
+4.25 to +6.00 - Extra Thin & Light (1.60 ASPH)
+3.25 to +4.00 - Anti Reflection (1.50 ASPH)
Plano to +3.00 - Anti Reflection (1.50)
Plano to -3.00 - Anti Reflection (1.50)
-3.25 to -5.00 - Extra Thin & Light (1.60)
-5.25 to -7.00 - Super Thin & Light (1.67 ASPH)
-7.25 to -9.00 - Super Thin & Light (1.70 ASPH)
>= -9.25 - Seek advice from the optician

For rimless glasses -
>=+6.25 - Seek advice from the optician
+3.25 to +7.00 - Super Thin & Light (1.60 ASPH)
Plano to +3.00 - Extra Thin & Light (1.60)
Plano to -5.00 - Extra Thin & Light (1.60)
-5.25 to -7.00 - Super Thin & Light (1.67 ASPH)
-7.25 to -8.00 - Super Thin & Light (1.70 ASPH)

They don't need to go to Specsavers then. :confused:

And yet, according to Which?:

Local independent optician 88%
Costco 86%
Asda Opticians 77%
Rayner Opticians 74%
Specsavers 72%
Boots Opticians 69%
D&A / Dollond & Aitchison* 69%
Vision Express 68%
Tesco Opticians 65%
Scrivens Opticians - 61%
Optical Express - 59%

So they can't be anything like as bad as you might think.

You're having a laff.
Don't you read Which? :confused:

Me too, I used a Colchester branch and have two pairs of varifocals that I am really pleased with and also really good value.