[foolsgold99]

I'm going to need a new pair of glasses this year.

I reckon in the UK it'll cost me the best part of £200 for something decent all in.


Does anyone know the cost of these in NZ versus the UK.

If they're cheaper I can wait a couple of months

[eric_amanda]

Would that be single vision, bifocal, varifocal???

Eric is an optometrist and from what I understand you could be looking at between $350 - 400 or more, it is not uncommon for people to spend well over $500 and I have heard Eric's colleagues talk of people buying multiple pairs and spending over $1000. It depends what you want.

Don't expect BOGOF or free sunglass offers, they don't seem as common. Although you may get triple flybuy points!

What you may want to bear in mind is if you buy in the UK, come to NZ and have a problem with the frame like a broken part, it may be more difficult to get a replacement.

As far as a sight test goes, Optometrists here do much more and spend more time with you. The down side is where as in the UK you could probably get a sight test for £20 (some even do much cheaper) here in NZ you will pay about $50+ and be expected to pay for extra tests if the optometrist feels you need them. (such as field screening etc)

That said, Kiwis don't usually have a problem with paying for extra's as long as they are getting a good service!!

If you let us know what sort of thing you need, I will ask somebody for a more accurate price.

Hope this helps

Amanda

[eric_amanda]

After a request by another member via PM, I have hounded Eric to get some more accurate figures for the extra's in addition to a sight test. They are as follows:

Sight Test (where Eric works although may find it cheaper elsewhere) $60 this includes Pressures (where most optometrist blow a puff of air in your eye, although there are other methods)

Field Screening $25 - 30

Fundus Photography $25-30 This is a photograph of the back of your eye.

I guess it is also worth mentioning is that here in NZ an optometrist also carries out things like foreign body removal, whereas in the UK you would have been refered to your GP or eye casualty.

I will hound him a little further to try and get a better idea on costs of spectacles here, although not always easy.

Hope this is of interest and helps some of you.

Amanda

[Mildred]

My husband buys his from the library at a very reasonable £6.00!

[Glenda]

Hi,

I've just ordered a pair from glassesdirect.co.uk - which start at £15. If you are interested (and still in the country :P ) I'll let you know what they are like when I receive them. Tricky buying online for the vain, but useful if you would like a spare ... or look good anyway! :P

[eric_amanda]

Hi Glenda

Not bad prices like you say if you want a spare. but for those wanting a bit more, ie fashionable frame to wear all the time it may not be the solution. I would also question the measuring of your own PD by looking in a mirror!! Some optometrist may provide you with this, but I would bet that most don't even record it on your record. I would also question buying bifocals on the internet. They have no ability to set the bifocal to you and it depends on how the frame sits on your face as to where the bifocal line is set.

Highly arguable I'm afraid, but I guess its abit like the topic of being able to buy coloured contact lenses in dress shops!!

Let us know how your glasses turn out and how long they take, it would be of interest.

Amanda

[Hannah-NL]

So how about contact lenses? How much are they in NZ?

I have soft lenses, have a special shop to go to, I have a twice a year "checkup plan" for 110 NZD a year
For this I get any needed check-ups for free and 15% rebate on any fluids and (new) lenses and accessoiries I buy there.

Pay around 145 NZD for 6 months of lenses (new ones once a month).

Am very curious if I can keep on wearing them or have to go back to glasses ;)

[eric_amanda]

Yes they do contact lenses here! Funnily enough Eric is off to auckland tonight for the launch of a new one!

Yes they do all the various combinations of daily, weekly, monthly, more longer term etc etc.

Can't help with the price though, i will try and get more specifics from him over the next few days. I'm sure it will help a lot of people here on the forum.

Amanda

[Mildred]

Interested article in yesterday's Daily Mail about Specsavers only paying £9.00 for their frames including lenses. Same glasses then retail for £99 so perhaps hubby isn't so weird after all by buying his glasses from the library

[Glenda]

Hi,

I've just ordered a pair from glassesdirect.co.uk - which start at £15. If you are interested (and still in the country :P ) I'll let you know what they are like when I receive them. Tricky buying online for the vain, but useful if you would like a spare ... or look good anyway! :P

Have now got the glasses after three weeks ... and they are far better than the ones I paid a fortune for at the opticians. The only thing I found a little offputting is that the frame rim is just a tad thicker than I am used to and perhaps I should have gone for rimless.

I'm pleased. :yes

[eric_amanda]

Sorry it has taken so long to get the prices, I have finally pinned down a colleague of Erics to give me some accurate prices.

Frames $250 (this is average and you can get cheaper and more expensive ones)

Single vision lenses, plastic with scratch resistant coating $126
Single vision lenses with Anti Reflection coating $166
Singlevison lenses, plastic photochromic $260
Singlevision lenses, glass photochromic $154

Bifocal D28, Scratch Resistant $246
Bifocal D28 Antireflection Coating $306
Bifocal D28, Plastic Photochromic $434

Varifocal (average) Scratch resistant $365
Varifocal Antireflection $458
Varifocal Plastic Photochromic $622

Again, everyones needs and requirements are different, so in some cases these prices may be cheaper or more expensive.

Hope this helps everyone, personally I think it is expensive here for Specs, although Eric does tell me that some prices are coming down!

Amanda

[Jules]

Well, I went and had my eyes tested yesterday and here are the prices.

Eye Exam - $57.00 (not as thoro as a UK test)
Frames - $279.00 with $83.00 discount (they have a sale on thank god)
Lenses - $352.00 (plastic), I normally have glass but they were double the price :eek

Total - $604.30 :eek

Jules

[Carol]

The Warehouse

$15 per pair..............they are fine for what I need.

(I would avoid the $10 ones as the plastic doesnt seem such good quality) ;)

[SteveR]

40.286666666666666666666666666667 pairs of glasses at $15 for the price Jules has paid for 1 pair!!

it would of been cheaper for me to buy her a white stick.




Jules better half although poorer

[baboonworld]

A lot of the NZ frames are imported too - they only cost about NZ$6 but they sell them for over $100 (and that was 10 years ago)

(My uncle was an optomistrist in NZ and went into business importing frames from Hong Kong)