twenty seventh Jul 2025
Studying Time: 6 minutes
Low cost glasses aren’t all the time as cheap as they appear when you add the price of lenses. Greater than a 3rd (36%) of people that want glasses are sporting out-of-date prescriptions as a result of they will’t afford to purchase new ones, in line with Glaucoma UK. Virtually the identical quantity (31%) have resorted to borrowing family and friends’s previous glasses to get by.
Glasses are costly.
Nevertheless, sporting glasses which are now not appropriate for you can find yourself damaging your long-term imaginative and prescient. It may additionally result in debilitating complications that would price you extra in the long term, by means of illness and misplaced revenue.
However updating your prescription needn’t be such a monetary burden. For starters, thousands and thousands of individuals, together with kids, the over-60s and folks receiving sure advantages, are entitled to discounted or free glasses on the NHS (to see if you’re eligible, click on right here).
Is there such a factor as low cost glasses?
Even in the event you’re not entitled to discounted frames, you’ll be able to nonetheless choose up a fundamental distance glasses for lower than £10 – in the event you store good.
The hot button is to know precisely what you need and wish, and don’t let your self be tempted, tricked or pressured into getting additional options that may solely jack up the worth. There are some retailers that allow you to attempt glasses on at house – so a ‘attempt before you purchase’ – which could add a bit extra faff however might assist keep away from you being pressurised while in retailer.
With glasses, there’s an entire host of such “add-ons” to think about – or low cost – from anti-blue gentle and anti-fogging expertise, to Transitions lenses and varifocals. A few of these, like varifocals, is perhaps a “should” for you, whereas another person with the identical sight downside as chances are you’ll choose to purchase a pair of cheap distance glasses – and carry round an affordable set of readers for once they should examine a worth within the grocery store.
The opposite factor to be careful for are the multi-buy gives. Opticians and on-line retailers are likely to lean closely into these promotions, which can attraction to individuals who need one pair of glasses to put on at house and one other for utilizing the pc within the workplace, however will not be obligatory for you.
Nevertheless, if you’re somebody who wears glasses each second you’re awake, it’s all the time sensible to have a spare pair in case the primary breaks – particularly in the event you purchase low cost glasses on-line, because the payoff of the large low cost is lengthy supply instances of some weeks for a brand new pair.
Discounted and Free Eye Checks
Some folks mechanically qualify for free eye checks on the NHS. They’re:
- under-18s in full-time schooling
- folks aged 60 or over
- folks registered as partially sighted or blind
- those that have been identified with diabetes or glaucoma
- Over 40s with a organic mum or dad or sibling who has been identified with glaucoma
- these suggested by an eye fixed physician (ophthalmologist) they’re susceptible to glaucoma
- prisoners on go away from jail
- these eligible for an NHS complicated lens voucher
- folks entitled to or named on a legitimate NHS certificates for full assist with well being prices (HC2)
In case you don’t qualify, don’t panic. First: when you have been experiencing sudden eye ache, cloudy or blurred imaginative and prescient, or sudden dangerous eyesight accompanied with complications, go to A&E as this might point out a severe underlying downside. In case you’ve had some issues similar to shadows or plenty of ‘floaters’ in your imaginative and prescient for a couple of weeks, go to your GP for a referral to a specialist.
In case you merely want a brand new prescription, there are methods to get a free eye check. At time of writing:
Free Imaginative and prescient Categorical Eye Check with Lidl Plus
Obtain the Lidl Plus app and enroll, then scroll to the Companion Presents tab. You possibly can declare a free eye check from Imaginative and prescient Categorical plus a reduction of 30% off eyeglasses over £50. This supply ends 2/10/2025.
£10 Specsavers Eye Check
Some Specsavers shops supply an eye check for simply £10 (with the non-obligatory eye well being examine check a further payment as much as £10). It varies by retailer and time of yr, so go to the Specsavers web site to discover a retailer close to you and click on E book Appointment – the voucher ought to present on the web page.
Voucher Low cost Web sites
Web sites like Groupon and Wowcher will usually have offers for discounted eye checks obtainable. Examine them recurrently for gives, or signal as much as a selected alert to search out out when you may get a voucher for an inexpensive eye check.
Membership Organisations and Unions
Chances are you’ll be entitled to discounted or free eye checks, or reductions on glasses, in the event you’re a member of an expert physique, a union, or different skilled organisation. Examine the member advantages space in your account to search out out in the event you can declare.
Your Employer
Employers are supposed to supply eye check vouchers for workers who use Show Display Gear (ie computer systems) in the event that they request one. Even in the event you already put on glasses, you’ll be able to ask for an eye fixed check voucher in the event you spend a big proportion of your working day at a DSE station (desk). They could even be required to cowl the price of glasses, however provided that you want a particular prescription for utilizing DSE, somewhat than on a regular basis put on. Nevertheless, many employers will supply some vouchers or reductions in direction of glasses in the event you want them for work, so it’s all the time value asking.
Low cost Glasses: In Retailer
Many individuals get their eye check and glasses from the identical place. It’s handy. and means if there are any points together with your frames you’ll be able to return in-person and get it sorted out.
Be sure to get one of the best deal in your glasses by following the following pointers:
- All the time ask for assist with the maths of how a lot your glasses will price. Many opticians will assist you discover the most cost effective approach to purchase the glasses you want.
- Don’t be tempted by designer names: an affordable pair of frames will do the identical job!
- Examine whether or not the fee or deal marketed is inclusive of lenses and coatings – they will usually be added afterwards to make ‘low cost’ frames out of the blue costly!
- Ask if they provide reductions for college students, carers, blue gentle employees, or in case your trade union gives reductions for members
- In case your glasses aren’t in pressing want of an replace, ask if there will likely be a seasonal sale arising quickly. Then return to purchase them within the sale!
If you get your eye check, be certain that your optician writes your prescription down on a recognisable headed paper or enterprise card. That is vital, because it means you’ll be able to store round in numerous shops and on-line earlier than making a purchase order. Many retailers will insist on seeing this card earlier than permitting the acquisition to go forward, and they’ll additionally examine that it’s for a check executed inside the final two years – any older than that, and also you’re unlikely to have the ability to purchase the glasses you want.
Low cost Glasses On-line
Shopping for glasses on-line has some perks. Digital Strive-On is a characteristic many retailers supply, utilizing AI to position photographs of the glasses in your face so you’ll be able to see how they appear. Others, like Glasses Direct, allow you to order some pattern frames to attempt on at house – however you must ship them again in any other case you’ll face a payment!
On-line can be less expensive total, as there aren’t any overheads for opticians or bodily shops. You can even usually discover flash gross sales or reductions for additional financial savings.
Nevertheless, on-line glasses are tougher to appropriate in the event that they’re mistaken, and may take a number of weeks to reach if they’re made and shipped internationally.
Some respected on-line glasses outlets which were tried-and-tested by the myopically-affected Magpie crew embody:
Keep in mind, too, you can usually get unique low cost codes and earn cashback in your purchases while you purchase low cost glasses on-line in the event you go through a cashback web site like TopCashback, Quidco, or Swagbucks.
Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie isn’t a licensed monetary advisor and due to this fact data discovered right here together with opinions, commentary, solutions or methods are for informational, leisure or instructional functions solely. This shouldn’t be thought of as monetary recommendation. Anybody considering of investing ought to conduct their very own due diligence.
