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 Greater than a 3rd (36%) of people that want glasses are carrying out-of-date prescriptions as a result of they’ll’t afford to purchase new ones, in keeping with Glaucoma UK. Virtually the identical quantity (31%) have resorted to borrowing family and friends’s outdated glasses to get by.
Glasses are costly.
Nonetheless, carrying glasses which can be now not appropriate for you can find yourself damaging your long-term imaginative and prescient. It may well additionally result in debilitating complications that might price you extra in the long term, by means of illness and misplaced earnings.
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 other people 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 when you’re not entitled to discounted frames, you may nonetheless decide up a primary distance glasses for lower than £10 – when you store sensible.
The bottom line is to know precisely what you need and want, and don’t let your self be tempted, tricked or pressured into getting further options that may solely jack up the value. There are some retailers that allow you to strive glasses on at residence – so a ‘strive 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 a complete host of such “add-ons” to think about – or low cost – from anti-blue gentle and anti-fogging know-how, to Transitions lenses and varifocals. A few of these, like varifocals, could be a “should” for you, whereas another person with the identical sight drawback as you could desire to purchase a pair of cheap distance glasses – and carry round an affordable set of readers for once they should verify a worth within the grocery store.
The opposite factor to be careful for are the multi-buy provides. Opticians and on-line retailers are inclined to lean closely into these promotions, which can enchantment to individuals who need one pair of glasses to put on at residence and one other for utilizing the pc within the workplace, however might not be obligatory for you.
Nonetheless, if you’re somebody who wears glasses each second you’re awake, it’s all the time clever to have a spare pair in case the primary breaks – particularly when you purchase low-cost glasses on-line, because the payoff of the massive low cost is lengthy supply occasions of some weeks for a brand new pair.
Discounted and Free Eye Exams
Some folks mechanically qualify for free eye assessments on the NHS. They’re:
- under-18s in full-time training
- folks aged 60 or over
- folks registered as partially sighted or blind
- those that have been recognized with diabetes or glaucoma
- Over 40s with a organic mum or dad or sibling who has been recognized with glaucoma
- these suggested by an eye fixed physician (ophthalmologist) they’re vulnerable to glaucoma
- prisoners on depart from jail
- these eligible for an NHS complicated lens voucher
- folks entitled to or named on a sound NHS certificates for full assist with well being prices (HC2)
For those who 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 drawback. For those who’ve had some issues corresponding to shadows or a number of ‘floaters’ in your imaginative and prescient for a number of weeks, go to your GP for a referral to a specialist.
For those who merely want a brand new prescription, there are methods to get a free eye take a look at. At time of writing:
Free Imaginative and prescient Specific Eye Take a look at with Lidl Plus
Obtain the Lidl Plus app and join, then scroll to the Companion Provides tab. You possibly can declare a free eye take a look at from Imaginative and prescient Specific plus a reduction of 30% off eyeglasses over £50. This provide ends 2/10/2025.
£10 Specsavers Eye Take a look at
Some Specsavers shops provide an eye take a look at for simply £10 (with the non-obligatory eye well being verify take a look at an extra payment as much as £10). It varies by retailer and time of 12 months, so go to the Specsavers web site to discover a retailer close to you and click on Guide Appointment – the voucher ought to present on the web page.
Voucher Low cost Web sites
Web sites like Groupon and Wowcher will typically have offers for discounted eye assessments out there. Examine them recurrently for provides, or signal as much as a selected alert to search out out when you may get a voucher for an inexpensive eye take a look at.
Membership Organisations and Unions
You could be entitled to discounted or free eye assessments, or reductions on glasses, when you’re a member of knowledgeable physique, a union, or different skilled organisation. Examine the member advantages space in your account to search out out when you can declare.
Your Employer
Employers are supposed to offer eye take a look at vouchers for workers who use Show Display Gear (ie computer systems) in the event that they request one. Even when you already put on glasses, you may ask for an eye fixed take a look at voucher when 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, relatively than on a regular basis put on. Nonetheless, many employers will provide some vouchers or reductions in the direction of glasses when you want them for work, so it’s all the time price asking.
Low cost Glasses: In Retailer
Many individuals get their eye take a look at and glasses from the identical place. It’s handy. and means if there are any points together with your frames you may return in-person and get it sorted out.
Ensure you get the very best deal in your glasses by following the following tips:
- At all times ask for assist with the maths of how a lot your glasses will price. Many opticians will aid you discover the most affordable method 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’ll typically be added afterwards to make ‘low-cost’ frames immediately costly!
- Ask if they provide reductions for college students, carers, blue gentle employees, or in case your business union provides reductions for members
- In case your glasses aren’t in pressing want of an replace, ask if there will probably be a seasonal sale arising quickly. Then return to purchase them within the sale!
Whenever you get your eye take a look at, be certain your optician writes your prescription down on a recognisable headed paper or enterprise card. That is necessary, 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’re going to additionally verify that it’s for a take a look at finished 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 Attempt-On is a characteristic many retailers provide, utilizing AI to position photographs of the glasses in your face so you may see how they give the impression of being. Others, like Glasses Direct, allow you to order some pattern frames to strive on at residence – however you need to ship them again in any other case you’ll face a payment!
On-line can also be less expensive general, as there aren’t any overheads for opticians or bodily shops. You can even typically discover flash gross sales or reductions for further financial savings.
Nonetheless, on-line glasses are harder to right in the event that they’re flawed, and may take a number of weeks to reach if they’re made and shipped internationally.
Some respected on-line glasses retailers which have been tried-and-tested by the myopically-affected Magpie group embody:
Bear in mind, too, you could typically get unique low cost codes and earn cashback in your purchases if you purchase low-cost glasses on-line when you go through a cashback website like TopCashback, Quidco, or Swagbucks.
Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie shouldn’t be a licensed monetary advisor and subsequently info discovered right here together with opinions, commentary, strategies 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.
