My son has needed glasses for longsightedness since the age of 2, and I have had a lot of problems finding suitable frames for him. As his sight is very poor, he has his eyes tested at the hospital rather than the optician, and the orthoptic department then issue me with a prescription which I can redeem at any optician on the high street.


The first time I did this, I went to Boots, which was awful. The frames were very narrow and as you can imagine, my 2 year old broke them regularly, which the staff took great issues with. Next time we got a prescription, we took it to 4Sight, which had wonderful staff, but again, a poor range of frames and we found that the glasses from here fitted very poorly, either slipping off his nose or pressing very hard and leaving a mark. This time, I decided to give very careful thought where to redeem the prescription, as he would be wearing the glasses for about 18 months before I got a new one.


I first considered Specsavers, but the branch was heaving the day we went in, and the waiting list to see someone was very long. I respectfully declined and went round the corner to Vision Express. I had walked past this store lots of times, but never actually been in, so I was pleasantly surprised when I entered the store. The store was open plan, and through the window, you can actually see them making the glasses. The store is clean and light, and, most importantly for me, not too busy or crowded. I could see that there was a really good range of frames available, and I was very glad that they weren't all the narrow rectangular type that I keep seeing everywhere else.


The kids range of glasses was excellent, even better than Specsavers, whcih I regard very highly. They have a variety of sizes and shapes, as well as some frames with cartoon characters and logos.


After a short while browsing, a very friendly assistant came over and asked if she could help. I didn't feel that she was intrusive or pushy in any way, she was really nice and helpful and willing to advise me on what was the best frame for my child. When I showed her the prescription, she advised that my son would be best with a rounded frame that covered the whole eye, rather than ones that he would see over the top of. She showed me a few different styles that would suit him and we tried 3 or 4 different frames before deciding on a nice pair for him.


She then called us over to the desk where we were "processed" quickly and efficiently, which was great, as my son was getting very wriggly at this stage and moaning that he wanted to go to McDonalds! The staff were very patient and kind and treated my son and I in a very kind manner. I didn't feel that they were getting irritated by us (unlike the Boots staff!). An expert came in to take precise measurements to that the frames would fit my son properly. The lady explained that as they were a very strong prescription, they would not be available as quickly as normal glasses, but they would have to order the lenses in and they would ring me when they came.


A week later, I received a call and we went in the branch to get our glasses, which were fitted and checked quickly, so we didn't have to hang about waiting. They gave my son his own case and bag to carry the glasses in.


I would highly recommend VE for glasses for children. The branches are spacious and welcoming, with a good choice of frames. The staff are helpful and knowledgeable and the service is quick and efficient, but also personalised, so you feel like a person rather than a number. The staff are really interested in geting the right shape and style of frames to suit the individual, and with such a wide choice, there is something to suit everyone, young and old.