After the eye test last week I nipped down to Fairplay Optical in Old's
Close, Watford today. They've done all my spectacle repairs for over 20
years, putting new nylon wire in the frameless ones a couple of times,
soldering a broken nosepiece back onto a metal frame once, fitting new
plastic ear covers and changing the lenses when required after eye tests.
Always for pennies and always while I waited. I think the last job was to
replace a broken nylon wire and both ear plastics because one had started to
crack. Took one of the guys about 20 minutes and cost me three quid which
frankly was crazy and no way for anyone to make a living. A tenner would
have been cheap enough. An optician would have charged two or three times
more still.

The specs that finally broke a while back cost me an almighty £200 from the
village optician 23 years ago which must be £300 plus in today's money. The
nosepiece that snapped off was on that pair and not that many years after I
bought them as I recall. The soldered repair was still solid and much
stronger than the OE job when the other nosepiece finally gave up the ghost
a while back and also snapped off and I decided to get new specs because
that pair was so out of date.

Anyway I chose two cheap pairs of specs at £15 and £25 and they didn't even
want any extra for posting them out to me because all the lense grinding
machines were set up for long runs and they couldn't do them until tomorrow.
Not bad at two pairs of specs for £40 all in and they should be here on
Wednesday.

They've also got their own website now at http://www.glassesonspec.co.uk/ so
you can buy online or use the contacts page to reach them. Highly
recommended.

It's actually worth a trip down just to see how the lense grinding machines
work while you wait for your specs to be made or repaired. When I first
started using them they were a one man and a dog operation with a single
lense grinding machine. Now thay have 5 or 6 CNC controlled machines and
several employees and do the lenses for all the opticians in the local area.
It's just if you go to an optician you pay several times as much for the
high street shop rental and the consequent huge markup.
--
Dave Baker

In message , Dave Baker
writes
After the eye test last week I nipped down to Fairplay Optical in Old's
Close, Watford today.

Good, aren't they

Across the way is a company that makes bespoke computer cables, and on
the right at the end of olds approach is RL Supplies, a useful computer
shop

You didn't see your way to popping in and saying hello, did you?


--
geoff

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Dave Baker" saying
something like:

Now thay have 5 or 6 CNC controlled machines and
several employees and do the lenses for all the opticians in the local area.
It's just if you go to an optician you pay several times as much for the
high street shop rental and the consequent huge markup.

Oh yes, I found that out yonks back when an optician mate spilled the
beans.

"geoff" wrote in message
...
In message , Dave Baker
writes
After the eye test last week I nipped down to Fairplay Optical in Old's
Close, Watford today.

Good, aren't they

Across the way is a company that makes bespoke computer cables, and on the
right at the end of olds approach is RL Supplies, a useful computer shop

You didn't see your way to popping in and saying hello, did you?

Well I will next time!

Anyway somehow they arrived Tuesday morning which given I didn't leave them
until 4pm Monday and they said all the machines were busy until tomorrow
means someone must have stayed late and got them in the post Monday night.

I have to say in over 30 years of getting specs made I've never been
completely happy with how sharp my vision was until now. It's always been ok
but never quite what I thought crystal clear. This prescription is exactly
the same as my 1987 pair of specs apart from the axis of the astigmatism
correction but what a hell of a difference it's made. In 1987 I was -1.75
sphere, -0.50 cylinder and 75 degrees axis in both eyes. Seems a bit
coincidental really that both eyes were identical. Makes you wonder.

Now I'm still supposedly the same sphere and cylinder correction but
according to Tescos opticians 10 degree axis in the right eye and 160 in the
left. A big change from previously. With the new specs everything is now pin
sharp. I can read car numberplates and road signs much further away whereas
previously I've always struggled a bit at extreme range. I now wonder if my
eyes have always been like this but the previous tests were wrong.

I am a happy bunny. Big up to Tesco Slough free eye tests which are
apparently better than all the ones I've paid for previously.
--
Dave Baker

Dave Baker :
With the new specs everything is now pin
sharp. I can read car numberplates and road signs much further away whereas
previously I've always struggled a bit at extreme range. I now wonder if my
eyes have always been like this but the previous tests were wrong.

I'm always disappointed that opticians don't test your eyes again *with*
the spectacles they supply. This seems to me basic common sense -
checking that their prescription does actually work.

--
Mike Barnes

On Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:46:06 +0100, Mike Barnes wrote:
Dave Baker :
With the new specs everything is now pin
sharp. I can read car numberplates and road signs much further away whereas
previously I've always struggled a bit at extreme range. I now wonder if my
eyes have always been like this but the previous tests were wrong.

I'm always disappointed that opticians don't test your eyes again *with*
the spectacles they supply. This seems to me basic common sense -
checking that their prescription does actually work.

Some opticians (well, one that I've used before) did test the spectacles
against my prescription when they arrived. I know this because after many
weeks of not hearing, I enquired and was told this is what had happened.
Alternatively, they could have just forgotten to order them and this was
their excuse.
However, in these days of financial stress, I can't see an optician voluntarily
giving a customer the opportunity to back out (by falsely saying they
couldn't see clearly with the new spectacles) of a sale on a whim.


--
www.thisreallyismyhost.99k.org/page1.php

In message , Dave Baker
writes

"geoff" wrote in message
...
In message , Dave Baker
writes
After the eye test last week I nipped down to Fairplay Optical in Old's
Close, Watford today.

Good, aren't they

Across the way is a company that makes bespoke computer cables, and on the
right at the end of olds approach is RL Supplies, a useful computer shop

You didn't see your way to popping in and saying hello, did you?

Well I will next time!

Anyway somehow they arrived Tuesday morning which given I didn't leave them
until 4pm Monday and they said all the machines were busy until tomorrow
means someone must have stayed late and got them in the post Monday night.


I can better that, last time I got some for the Mrs, they asked if I
could wait an hour - they were ready in 35 minutes after walking in the
door


--
geoff

pete :
On Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:46:06 +0100, Mike Barnes wrote:
Dave Baker :
With the new specs everything is now pin
sharp. I can read car numberplates and road signs much further away whereas
previously I've always struggled a bit at extreme range. I now wonder if my
eyes have always been like this but the previous tests were wrong.

I'm always disappointed that opticians don't test your eyes again *with*
the spectacles they supply. This seems to me basic common sense -
checking that their prescription does actually work.

Some opticians (well, one that I've used before) did test the spectacles
against my prescription when they arrived. I know this because after many
weeks of not hearing, I enquired and was told this is what had happened.
Alternatively, they could have just forgotten to order them and this was
their excuse.

That's better than nothing but testing against the prescription won't
detect an error *in* the prescription.

However, in these days of financial stress, I can't see an optician voluntarily
giving a customer the opportunity to back out (by falsely saying they
couldn't see clearly with the new spectacles) of a sale on a whim.

I would suggest not giving the option of backing out, only of different
lenses.

--
Mike Barnes

On Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:01:33 +0100, Mike Barnes wrote:
pete :
On Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:46:06 +0100, Mike Barnes wrote:
Dave Baker :
With the new specs everything is now pin
sharp. I can read car numberplates and road signs much further away whereas
previously I've always struggled a bit at extreme range. I now wonder if my
eyes have always been like this but the previous tests were wrong.

I'm always disappointed that opticians don't test your eyes again *with*
the spectacles they supply. This seems to me basic common sense -
checking that their prescription does actually work.

Some opticians (well, one that I've used before) did test the spectacles
against my prescription when they arrived. I know this because after many
weeks of not hearing, I enquired and was told this is what had happened.
Alternatively, they could have just forgotten to order them and this was
their excuse.

That's better than nothing but testing against the prescription won't
detect an error *in* the prescription.

However, in these days of financial stress, I can't see an optician voluntarily
giving a customer the opportunity to back out (by falsely saying they
couldn't see clearly with the new spectacles) of a sale on a whim.

I would suggest not giving the option of backing out, only of different
lenses.

Possibly, though I've noticed that when my prescription has changed the
level of astigmatism correction, it's taken a while for my eyes to "settle
in" to the new view of the world (during which time I have definitely not
felt I was safe to drive). You might end up with customers rejecting the
new specs, then requiring a new set of lenses and (on trying them out)
preferring the originals.
I suppose it depends on how confident the optician is with their abilities.


--
www.thisreallyismyhost.99k.org/page1.php

On 29/07/2010 09:03, pete wrote:
On Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:01:33 +0100, Mike Barnes wrote:
:
On Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:46:06 +0100, Mike Barnes wrote:
Dave :
With the new specs everything is now pin
sharp. I can read car numberplates and road signs much further away whereas
previously I've always struggled a bit at extreme range. I now wonder if my
eyes have always been like this but the previous tests were wrong.

I'm always disappointed that opticians don't test your eyes again *with*
the spectacles they supply. This seems to me basic common sense -
checking that their prescription does actually work.

Some opticians (well, one that I've used before) did test the spectacles
against my prescription when they arrived. I know this because after many
weeks of not hearing, I enquired and was told this is what had happened.
Alternatively, they could have just forgotten to order them and this was
their excuse.

That's better than nothing but testing against the prescription won't
detect an error *in* the prescription.

However, in these days of financial stress, I can't see an optician voluntarily
giving a customer the opportunity to back out (by falsely saying they
couldn't see clearly with the new spectacles) of a sale on a whim.

I would suggest not giving the option of backing out, only of different
lenses.

Possibly, though I've noticed that when my prescription has changed the
level of astigmatism correction, it's taken a while for my eyes to "settle
in" to the new view of the world (during which time I have definitely not
felt I was safe to drive). You might end up with customers rejecting the
new specs, then requiring a new set of lenses and (on trying them out)
preferring the originals.
I suppose it depends on how confident the optician is with their abilities.


Unfortunately not everyone's eyes work the same.

Apart from one pair of specs that had to be redone twice before the
lenses actually matched the prescription I have had to part company with
one optician completely.
Optician rechecked eyes and lenses and eventually gave me my money back.
Went elsewhere and a retired hospital expert who was working part time
checked my eyes. Apparently if you set up each of my eyes separately
they simply will not work together. He came up with a prescription that
allowed me to see perfectly immediately.
More recently varifocals have been a bit borderline. Last exam was by
Vision Express but they declined to fit my -6 ish presription into
rimless because of the difference in curvatures. Two other places quoted
around £700 including high index lenses. Eventually went to The Specs
Factory in Chelmsford who did it for less than £300 including Rodenstock
lenses. Once the frames were adjusted they are the best varifocals I
have ever had. Reading, computer and distance all come naturally without
having to deliberately move my head. As ever DIY is the exception when
needing close vision above eye level.

pete :
On Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:01:33 +0100, Mike Barnes wrote:
pete :
On Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:46:06 +0100, Mike Barnes wrote:
Dave Baker :
With the new specs everything is now pin
sharp. I can read car numberplates and road signs much further away whereas
previously I've always struggled a bit at extreme range. I now wonder if my
eyes have always been like this but the previous tests were wrong.

I'm always disappointed that opticians don't test your eyes again *with*
the spectacles they supply. This seems to me basic common sense -
checking that their prescription does actually work.

Some opticians (well, one that I've used before) did test the spectacles
against my prescription when they arrived. I know this because after many
weeks of not hearing, I enquired and was told this is what had happened.
Alternatively, they could have just forgotten to order them and this was
their excuse.

That's better than nothing but testing against the prescription won't
detect an error *in* the prescription.

However, in these days of financial stress, I can't see an optician
voluntarily
giving a customer the opportunity to back out (by falsely saying they
couldn't see clearly with the new spectacles) of a sale on a whim.

I would suggest not giving the option of backing out, only of different
lenses.

Possibly, though I've noticed that when my prescription has changed the
level of astigmatism correction, it's taken a while for my eyes to "settle
in" to the new view of the world (during which time I have definitely not
felt I was safe to drive). You might end up with customers rejecting the
new specs, then requiring a new set of lenses and (on trying them out)
preferring the originals.

I found exactly that with my first pair of glasses. When I went back to
the optician he said that I needed time to adjust, and I accepted that.
But after a few weeks of failing to adjust I became suspicious. I went
to another optician for another eye test. After the test I showed them
my first prescription. They said it was completely wrong.

--
Mike Barnes

"Dave Baker" wrote in message
...
Now thay have 5 or 6 CNC controlled machines and several employees and do
the lenses for all the opticians in the local area. It's just if you go to
an optician you pay several times as much for the high street shop rental
and the consequent huge markup.

I bet the local opticians who are using their services don't know they are
selling online, they bloody hate that type of thing.

Anyway i'm shamelessly hijacking this thread! As some of you already know I
make specs for a living and have just acquired the business One Stop
Glasses.
We have been doing their manufacturing for the last 5 years and due to other
commitments they have decided to sell up.
I only took it on on Tueday and currently in the process of photographing
our stock and clearing out theirs (we have frame suppliers we have a good
relationship with, if it aint broke...).

So if anyone fancies a dirt cheap pair of specs there are approx 120
products listed in the clearance section from just over £15, use the voucher
code 'usenet' and get a further 40% off, valid until the end of August.
http://www.onestopglasses.co.uk/prod...-products.html

Any other input, advice or feedback on the site would be also be
appreciated.

Regards,
Rick

In message , R D S
writes

"Dave Baker" wrote in message
...
Now thay have 5 or 6 CNC controlled machines and several employees and do
the lenses for all the opticians in the local area. It's just if you go to
an optician you pay several times as much for the high street shop rental
and the consequent huge markup.

I bet the local opticians who are using their services don't know they are
selling online, they bloody hate that type of thing.

Anyway i'm shamelessly hijacking this thread! As some of you already know I
make specs for a living and have just acquired the business One Stop
Glasses.
We have been doing their manufacturing for the last 5 years and due to other
commitments they have decided to sell up.
I only took it on on Tueday and currently in the process of photographing
our stock and clearing out theirs (we have frame suppliers we have a good
relationship with, if it aint broke...).

So if anyone fancies a dirt cheap pair of specs there are approx 120
products listed in the clearance section from just over £15,

Fairplay are £15 - £20 for a standard pair of glasses


--
geoff

"geoff" wrote in message
...
So if anyone fancies a dirt cheap pair of specs there are approx 120
products listed in the clearance section from just over £15,

Fairplay are £15 - £20 for a standard pair of glasses


Any of ours which are more expensive will be so for a reason and I'll leave
that there.

As I said I'm offering 40% off as I have acquired some stock I want to shift
so it's possible to get a pair of specs for about a tenner.

Tell you what, i'll up it to 50%, you can get a *nice* pair of specs for
under £20 delivered.

On Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:48:35 +0100, R D S wrote:

Any other input, advice or feedback on the site would be also be
appreciated.

Only mention bi-focals, are varifocals available? Though I appreciate
that the fitting and eye/lens relationship with varifocals may
preclude the selling of them over the internet.

On the site, no snail mail address that I can find in the obvious
places like About Us, Contact Us, FAQ etc. AIUI commercial websites
should (must?) have a snail mail address somewhere.

The search box is cunningly disguised as the same colour as the bar
it is sat in.

I don't think you need the CC logos by the basket contents summary
top right. I know that the CC companies have rules that insist that
the logos are displayed but from what I have seen of those rules it
only applies to pages that are asking for or giving options on
payment, so display them only once you are actually in the basket.
How many other store sites do you see with the CC logos on every
page?

The site is quick and responsive, unlike some sites that overload the
client with 100's of K of javascript for no real benefit to the user.
It's easy to navigate but with such a large number of similar
products I'd like to see the abilty to select only those frames, from
all the sections that are purple, metal, flex hinges, and so on.

--
Cheers
Dave.

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.co.uk...
On Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:48:35 +0100, R D S wrote:

Any other input, advice or feedback on the site would be also be
appreciated.

Only mention bi-focals, are varifocals available? Though I appreciate
that the fitting and eye/lens relationship with varifocals may
preclude the selling of them over the internet.

On the site, no snail mail address that I can find in the obvious
places like About Us, Contact Us, FAQ etc. AIUI commercial websites
should (must?) have a snail mail address somewhere.

On my other site www.justrimless.co.uk we do varifocals. We can control the
position better in a rimless frame as the bridge attaches to the lens in a
relative position across the range.

The search box is cunningly disguised as the same colour as the bar
it is sat in.

I'm thinking of adding the advanced search to the front page somewhere and
displaying it more prominently.

I don't think you need the CC logos by the basket...

I hadn't noticed but yes, I agree.

It's easy to navigate but with such a large number of similar
products I'd like to see the abilty to select only those frames, from
all the sections that are purple, metal, flex hinges, and so on.

Currently there are a lot of similar frames and a large number of categories
with frames overlapping them. We intend to list more stuff in fewer
categories and make better use of the search filters.

Thanks for the feedback.