Expensive eye test at Bellmores - worth the cost? Post Reply

[foodeditorjo]

I am at an age where my eyes are playing up. I've worn contact lenses for many years but am now having problems with near/distance vision, i.e. with lenses in, I can't see close up writing. I don't necessarily want to wear glasses all the time and I tried varifocal lenses without success.

I have phoned Bellmores as I think I need an expert optician to advise me and get it right. However, they charge £55 for an eye test and an (eye-watering) £109 if this includes contact lens tests. I don't mind paying a bit over the odds but this is way more than Specsavers etc which seems to charge around £25. Is it worth the extra cost ? Thanks for any pointers.

[pinkpeony]

I genuinely don't understand how they charge so much. I felt completely ripped off after a contact lens appointment there. I went to Clair Vision on Balham High Rd last time and had the exact same test for free!! I then was happy to spend on new frames and lenses as well as buying contact lenses from them because it felt so reasonable after Bellmores!

[Goldhawk]

I think it's not worth the premium
I went and didn't check the prices as I assumed they would be similar to other places (I was taking the kids anyway)

Specsavers by Clapham Junction are good and often do free eye test vouchers
I think if you buy your contacts from Boots then you may get the contact lens check for free

[Dr&DaughterPreg]

I just paid £10 at Boots and they also did and eye health check

[lalectrice]

I've used both Bellmore's (once) and Specsavers Clapham for glasses/contact lenses prescription and couldn't really point to a difference. Given the cost, I didn't return to Bellmore's and decided to stick to Specsavers.

[foodeditorjo]

Thanks. I did recently go to Specsavers and it was fine. I was just wondering if you get a 'better' eye test at Bellmores, to reflect the extra cost. Probably not, though, as they all do the same procedures.

I will cancel my appointment with Bellmores and persevere with Specsavers. They did give me varifocal contact lenses but I hated them. Hope there are other options as I don't want to wear glasses!

Thanks so much for your help everyone.

[shopper]

I have been going to Boots for years (Putney High St) for full eye check and lenses - I do their contacts scheme so all checks - eye health and normal eye tests - are part of the cost. I have found them to be really thorough and would def recommend.

[Tess20]

Hi you might have already been to specsavers. I having been to Bellemores for years and then discovered vision express on Kings Road. I thought they did a much better job it was £25 and then got the nicest pair of glasses the other side of the road where the Sunglasses hut used to be next to GAP for £98 including the prescription lenses. The only hassle is to cross the river...

[ally30_1998]

The tests are expensive it's true. Whether it's worth the extra cost is a matter of personal opinion.
The surroundings are nicer, the staff do have a lot more time for you, especially when it comes to choosing frames.
They also have a better selection of frames at the higher end as they don't do the ultra cheap frames.
In my experience they are fantastic at doing eye tests for small children with special needs, even if the child has no language, as they watch pupil reaction and so on. I'm not sure if Specsavers can do this.
Also, you are paying for experience. The Bellmores (it's family owned and the two brothers took over the business from their father) have far more experience than any of the staff at Specsavers in Clapham Junction.
Also, if things go wrong they sort it out without quibble. Specsavers is a franchise and it can become really difficult to get problems resolved.
There is another excellent independant optician in Clapham high street called Brompton which is part of a small London chain. They are excellent and have a fantastic selection of frames. Also very good with kids and far more thorough than specsavers in terms of their customer service.
I and my family have had extensive experience of all three. If you are concerned with price only then there is nothing wrong with Specsavers.

[zaza107]

I've been a fan of Bellmore for years until I started needing varifocals, and they simply couldn't get my prescription right. I ended up at an optician in the US this summer, where they did a brilliant job and it was clear that Bellmore's did not get my prescription right. The US plac was expensive, but my conclusion is that Bellmore's are not as good as their reputation. It is good to see the other recommendations here, so I don't have to go to California next time I need new glasses!

[foodeditorjo]

Thanks so much for all the feedback... yes, I was wondering if you do get better eye care at Bellmore's or whether it's just that, as a small independent company without the volume of customers that Supersavers has, they simply have to charge more, especially with rent on N'cote Road being so high.

I tend to think that an eye test is an eye test - they all follow exactly the same procedures and simply reach a conclusion based on which line I can read easiest etc, so I am not sure it's worth paying more. Then again, I do care about my eyes and I don't mind paying more IF IT'S WORTH THE EXTRA COST.

I am going back to Supersavers again tomorrow and will pursue it all with them. If I still feel that I haven't got a good outcome in terms of being able to see properly/options, then I will try one of the other places recommend.

So grateful. Thanks.

[foxyfriend]

Hi there - I wanted to let you know that there is an alternative to wearing glasses/contacts. I had very good vision up until my mid 40's when everything - near/distance/middle just got fuzzy....I couldn't really see much at all but thought that it was just age related and there was nothing to be done. HOWEVER....the big secret that opticians never mention is IOL...this is where they actually replace your lens with a prescription one (very like a cataract op.) I had this done in 2009 and it is truly amazing. I don't know what the cost is now - but back then it was around 3k.....I went to Optical Express but there are many places that do this procedure...Just google up Intraocular lens replacement and have a read....not for everyone - but it was brilliant for me.

[Fionag]

A friend of mine runs a SpecSavers in Dorset and I was chatting to her about this at the weekend.
She pointed out that SpecSavers is a franchise and her and her husband are effectively local business owners too. They live in the area, employ local people, send their children to local schools and contribute to the community by being members of the High Street trading association etc.
They pay SpecSavers a percentage which goes towards the brand advertising, 'buying power' so they can get frames etc at a lower price, training, & can take out a loan to buy new equipment.
I don't know specifically about the SpecSavers here locally but am pretty sure they would run on similar lines, so ultimately the service provided will depend on the quality of the manager of each business and opticians employed.
I don't have an opinion either way on local opticians (we support our friend's business & combine eye tests with a nice weekend by the sea!) but I guess the point I am trying to make is you should go on service etc rather than automatically ruling out high street names such as SpecSavers in preference for a more 'local' brand.

[foodeditorjo]

Thanks Billykins... that's really interesting. I have considered laser surgery but was told by my eye surgeon (when I had a squint corrected) that it's not really worth it at my age as my eyes will change etc and I could get cataracts anyway further down the line.

[foodeditorjo]

Thanks fionag. I did wonder that... sometimes we can think something's less good for being cheaper but it's a large company with and each one is a franchise, as you say. I have to say my experience with Specsavers has been excellent, which is why I couldn't work out how Bellmore's was justifying such a high charge for an eye test.

I went back to Specsavers last week and saw a lovely optician (who did her degree at Cambridge, so presumably knows her stuff). She offered me various solutions to my problem so I'm currently wearing one lens for distance and one for near. Which is an improvement. She also gave me another lens that is weaker so I can try that after one week. They seemed proactive and keen to help me. Happy!