Actually I was glad I went to Specsavers (Specsavers Opticians)

Member Name: azana

Product:	Specsavers Opticians
Date:	09/05/09 (217 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good value

Disadvantages: Big nationwide brand

I've worn glasses for nearly 20 years now and in that time had various pairs of glasses. Generally I have been to independant opticians, but when I realised it was time to get my eyes tested again a £10 eye test voucher in the paper caught my (bespectacled) eye. I decided to give Specsavers a go - I did wonder if I would get the level of service I have been used to, but being relatively new to the town where I live it was time to find a new optician.

First impressions:

I made my appointment, and the staff were lovely and helpful. The shop I went to was quite busy, which is unusual for shops in my rather small town. They were able to book me in for a test but not until the next Sunday - so 7 days wait. Having not had a test for a while and having the coupon from the paper this seemed not too long to wait - generally on the High Street eye tests are £20, though if you work with monitors you may be able to get your employer to pay I believe.

The test:

I was happy with the test, which was as detailed as any I have had to before - having turned 40 since my last eye test I had to have a glaucoma test, which was fine. At the end of the test I made the suprising discovery that my eyes had improved slightly, and decided to choose some new glasses.

Choosing the glasses:

The staff couldn't have been more helpful in helping me choose the glasses. What I liked was the transparency of the pricing policy. They had a 2 for 1 deal on; the price includes standard lenses and anti-scratch, with various upgrades such as anti-glare available. The price for bi-focals was clearly displayed to - one for the future for me no doubt.
I didn't feel pushed towards the more expensive glasses at all - they ranged from £85 up to £129. The lady who helped me struck the right balance of tactful "hmmmm not for you" and not over enthusiastic "those are great" and guided me through my choice. I was able to choose 2 pairs at £99 and opted for anti-reflection on my first pair for £29.
The choice of glasses was good - they had conservative and more funky styles with frames from plastic, through stainless steel to titanium.

Aftercare:

I was impressed by how quickly the glasses were ready - by the Wednesday (after a Bank Holiday to boot) I had a call to get my new glasses, followed by a written reminder by post. When I picked them up I was really pleased with them - again the staff were really helpful and took great care to adjust my new glasses to be comfortable and to check all was well. I was told I was welcome to call back if I had any problem at all.

Overall:

Overall I was really impressed with my Specsavers experience. The glasses were a lot cheaper than I would have paid elsewhere, and are of similar quality to my last pair which was much more expensive. The optomerist really seemed to know her stuff and the staff were really helpful and couldn't have been nicer. I have made an appointment to get some disposable contact lenses, and will definitely use this optician again.

Summary: My first experience was a good one