(no subject)

[dakegra]

Went to the opticians today for an eye test. I had one about... four years ago? It was back when I started with Trigold, so that's probably about right. New employer has a healthcare scheme, so I can claim back £30 worth of optician stuff, so I figured I might as well get 'em checked.

Turns out I need specs for close-up stuff - reading and using the 'puter. The nice lady tried to show me some frames, one of which was £120, the other £170.

Then another £99 for the lenses.

I tried not to look *too* shocked, muttered something about wanting to get K to come see the frames first, and made a hasty retreat.

Crikey, are they really *that* expensive? For reading glasses?

I had a look, and Asda will do a complete set for £65, with anti-reflective coating and other stuff. Seems far more reasonable...

Comments

[myfirstkitchen.livejournal.com]

Good grief, where did you go? I have complicated lenses and designery frames and mine cost around the same as just those frames, all in, with Reactions lenses (SpecSavers) but no anti-reflective stuff as that tends to disagree with me. If you want to go properly cheap (but still decent) though, E's driving glasses and driving sunglasses come from Glasses Direct and were £20-ish all in and still grand. I mean, I can totally see why the company is not yet making a profit, but best to take advantage of the prices while one can.

[dakegra.livejournal.com]

Optical Express on Briggate, only because that's where I went last time, and the eye test was 拢15 instead of Dollond & Aitchison's 拢30 (where K took the kids for theirs).

I don't mind paying for decent frames & lenses, but 拢200+ seemed like a *lot*. Fair enough if I wore them all the time.

[myfirstkitchen.livejournal.com]

Future ref: Boots often do free tests if you have an Advantage card, Nectar often do free vouchers for D&A tests, Tesco branches with opticians also do free tests often. Plus your work should give you a voucher for a free test anyway since you work with a computer screen.

[dakegra.livejournal.com]

Work have the healthcare scheme where you can claim back cost. Good to know about the free tests - wish I'd asked last week!

[alicephilippa.livejournal.com]

Even without a healthcare scheme people employed in jobs that require substantial use of computer screens are entitled to claim the cost of an annual eyetest back from their employer.

[isihac.livejournal.com]

Just put in an expenses form for it.