Frequently asked questions

Ordering
  1. What do I need to place an order with Glasses Direct?
  2. How do I obtain my prescription?
  3. How can you charge such low prices?
  4. Can I download an order form?
Lenses
  1. What are the lenses made of?
  2. Do you sell prescription sunglasses and other tinted lenses?
  3. What about lens coatings and tints?
  4. Do you sell bifocal lenses?
  5. What is the segment shape of bifocal lenses?
  6. What about varifocal/progressive lenses?
  7. Can I order frames with plano lenses in them (i.e. no prescription)?
Delivery
  1. How long will my glasses take?
Your prescription
  1. "Near", "intermediate" or "distance" prescription?
  2. Can I use my contact lens prescription for ordering glasses with you?
  3. What is my Pupilary distance (PD), and how do I obtain it?
  4. I don't understand what my prescription says
  5. How strong a prescription can you cater for with varifocals?
Support
  1. What if I entered some information incorrectly?
  2. What if my frames need adjustment after I receive them?
  3. What is your guarantee policy?
Payment
  1. Do you accept NHS Glasses Vouchers?
  2. What are the Postage and Packaging costs?
  3. What are the available methods of payment?
  4. Is the Payment page Secure?
Other
  1. Can I just order frames/lenses with no prescription in them?
  2. Can you read my prescription off my existing glasses?
  3. Can you re-glaze my existing frames?
  4. How did you chose the names of your frames?
  5. Can I inspect the frames before purchase?
  6. What is The Best Fit Machine?
  7. What do the Frame Measurements mean?
  8. I have diabetes/glaucoma/ocular hypertension. Can I still order?

Ordering

Q: What do I need to place an order with Glasses Direct?ˆ top

All you need to order with us is your prescription. Your optician must, by law, provide you with a copy of your prescription, and shouldn't insist or imply that you need to buy your glasses from his own store. Have your eyes tested, bring us the prescription, and save!

Q: How do I obtain my prescription?ˆ top

Your local optician is obliged under law to give you a clear, legible copy of your prescription following your eye test and you should not feel under pressure to purchase a pair of glasses from that particular store. We recommend that you also ask your optician to include your pupillary distance measurement in your prescription. See FAQ below on pupillary distance measurement.

Q: How can you charge such low prices?ˆ top

Our business passes its cost saving methods to you, the customer. We can charge £15 for a complete pair of glasses because we do not have to finance expensive high street properties and sight-testing equipment. We do not offer advice about optical issues, we simply construct glasses to the details of the prescription you give to us.

Q: Can I download an order form?ˆ top

Yes. You can send in your order using this mail order form.

Lenses

Q: What are the lenses made of?ˆ top

We use lightweight plastic lenses for most of our glasses. For our 'thin' lenses, we use 1.6 high-index lenses. We do not offer glass lenses, but we offer a free anti-scratch coating on all our lenses.

Q: Do you sell prescription sunglasses and other tinted lenses?ˆ top

Yes. We have a variety of colours of tints (with standard 15-20% light transmission); or glasses can be made with the "Sun-reactive" photosensitive feature. This type of lens is clear in normal lighting conditions, but tints itself under sunlight and includes a 100% UV filter. These options can be specified when ordering (on the product customisation page).

Q: What about lens coatings and tints?ˆ top

We offer a number of different lens coatings and tints (£15 extra):

  • Sunglasses tint (£15 extra)
  • Anti-reflective coating (£15 extra)
  • UV 400 protective coating (£15 extra)
  • Scratch resistant coating (FREE)
Q: Do you sell bifocal lenses?ˆ top

We are proud to offer both single vision and bifocal lenses. Bifocal lenses are an additional £35 (£60 on safety eyewear). We only recommend these lens types to those people whose optician has recommended them. We will contact you to make an appointment with a trained optical assistant or dispensing optician after you have received your glasses to fit the glasses and if necessary adjust the frames so that you are fully satisfied with the glasses. Because we cannot yet provide this service in Northern Ireland, bifocals are not available to customers in Northern Ireland.

Q: What is the segment shape of bifocal lenses?ˆ top

As standard we use D28 bifocal lenses. These are 28mm wide "D" shaped segments that are positioned vertically 3mm below the centre of the lens and horizontally are centred on your pupillary distance. If you would like them to be positioned further up or down (higher or lower) then do state on your order. We can also make up bifocal lenses which at 35mm are slightly wider, and executive bifocals that stretch across the whole width of the lens. We will contact you after you place your order to discuss which option is best for you.

Q: What about varifocal/progressive lenses?ˆ top

Due to the complexity of varifocal lenses these can only be provided with direct contact with the customer. Glasses Direct has teamed up with a group of qualified opticians who will come and visit you at home to take these measurements. You can place your order in the normal way and within a few days you will be contacted by one of our team who will arrange to visit you to take the required measurements. Your new varifocal will be delivered within 28 days of the visit. Because we cannot yet provide the service of personal visits in Northern Ireland, varifocals are not available to customers in Northern Ireland.

Q: Can I order frames with plano lenses in them (i.e. no prescription)?ˆ top

Yes! Just specify in the prescription form that you require plano lenses.

Delivery

Q: How long will my glasses take?ˆ top

Your order will be given immediate attention and processed on the same day.

Glasses are sent via standard Royal Mail packetpost, and the packages we use fit through most letterboxes. You do not have to be at home to receive your glasses.

Our terms state delivery can be up to 28 days. However it is usually within 14 days, subject to the complexity of the prescription and coatings.

Your prescription

Q: "Near", "intermediate" or "distance" prescription?ˆ top

If your prescription contains different measurements for near, distance or intermediate categories, follow the following advice:

Enter measurements for all categories if you are ordering bifocal lenses.

For single vision lenses, choose the "near" line if your glasses are needed for reading or close up work. Choose the "distance" line if your glasses are required for seeing objects far away. Choose the "intermediate" line if your glasses are required for music or VDU (Visual Display Unit). If you need advice about which line is the most appropriate, please call us on 08456 88 20 20.

Q: Can I use my contact lens prescription for ordering glasses with you?ˆ top

While your contact lens and eyeglasses prescriptions may seem the same, they usually have differences. You must have your eyes tested and a prescription issued for use with spectacles, which is less than 2 years old, or less than one year old if you are over 70 years of age, before ordering with Glasses Direct. These time limits are necessary because your eyesight may change over time and the limits are recommended by joint committees of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians, the Association of Optometrists and the Federation of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians.

Q: What is my pupilary distance (PD), and how do I obtain it?ˆ top

In order for a pair of glasses to perform optimally, the frames need to be made to match the distance between the customer’s eyes so that the center of each lens is aligned with the center of the customer’s pupils.  To achieve this we need your “pupillary distance measurementâ€? or “PD measurementâ€?, i.e. the distance between the pupils of your eyes.  Unfortunately, many prescriptions given by high street opticians do not include a PD measurement.  This omission is often made intentionally to try to ensure that you will purchase your glasses from that high street optician rather than getting better value glasses from Glasses Direct.
We suggest that you either ask your optician for your pupillary distance measurement or if you would prefer not to, we can make your glasses using an average pupillary distance measurement based on a survey carried out on 4,000 people.

Whilst using an average pupillary distance measurement works very well for most customers, certain customers who have strong prescriptions and whose pupillary distance diverges significantly from the average, may experience problems with spectacles made using an average PD measurement.  The spectacles will not damage or harm the eyes but they can cause discomfort or eye strain. 

If you decide to use an average pupillary distance measurement and then find that you do experience difficulties using your glasses, please contact us and we will either arrange for your pupillary distance to be measured and then replace your glasses, or give you a full refund.

Q: I don't understand what my prescription saysˆ top

You can send in your prescription (click here to download a mail order form) or fax it to 0845 01 318 18 and we will try to understand it. However, it is likely that we will ask you to clarify the details on it with your optician if we cannot read it ourselves. Opticians must give you a clear, legible copy of your prescription to take away.

Q: How strong a prescription can you cater for ˆ top

The maximum prescription which we can cater for is: ±8.00 SPH (sphere) and ±4.00 CYL (cylinder).

Support

Q: What if I entered some information incorrectly?ˆ top

Immediately call or send an email alerting us, because we process orders very rapidly. For this reason we ask you to please double-check your prescription and shipping information prior to submitting your order. Once you've placed your order you are given the option of printing it off, we recommend you do this for future reference.

Q: What if my frames need adjustment after I receive them?ˆ top

If you need a minor adjustment, most optical stores will do it for a small fee. If you experience any problems with your spectacles, please call us on 08456 88 20 20.

Q: What is your guarantee and refund policy?ˆ top

We offer you a 14-day, unconditional, money-back guarantee. Should you decide that your new glasses aren't right for you, we'll give you a refund or exchange them for another pair of the same value. We'll ask no questions, just put them in the post and we'll sort it out for you.

When does the 14 day period start?ˆ top

We will stamp your invoice with a date when we put it in the post. The 14 day period will start from this date.

What about refunds for postage and packing?ˆ top

We do not offer refunds for postage and packing costs.

Can I exchange my glasses for a higher priced pair?

Absolutely. But we will charge you for the difference in cost.

Your statutory rights are not affected by our guarantee and refund policy.

Payment

Q: Do you accept NHS Glasses Vouchers?ˆ top

These will be provided by your optician subject to eligibility. There is often a note section on the back of your prescription that describes the terms of entitlement. If you are unsure about whether you are entitled to NHS subsidization then we advise you to speak to your optician. If you are sending us NHS vouchers with your prescription please make sure you fill in the declaration section (part 4) on the back. Please note that you must be over the age of 16 to buy glasses from us.

Q: What are the postage and packaging costs?ˆ top

There is a £3.75 postage and packaging charge per frame ordered. Glasses are sent 1st Class via standard Royal Mail packetpost. Our glasses' packages fit through most letterboxes, and you do not have to be in to receive them when they arrive. Special delivery can be requested at a cost of £6.50.

If you buy one or more pairs of glasses you can benefit from free delivery!

Q: What are the available methods of payment?ˆ top

We accept all major credit/debit cards, personal cheques, postal orders, NHS and Accor vouchers.

Q: Is the payment page secure?ˆ top

Our payment system uses HSBC's secure on-line credit card payment service which is secured with 128bit SSL. Our SSL-enabled web server is enhanced with 128-bit encryption from Newnet®. SSL is the leading security protocol on the internet. If you right-click on the payment page, go to properties and look at the web address, you will see that it is an https:// page over a secure server.

Other

Q: Can I just order frames/lenses with no prescription in them?ˆ top

Yes! Just specify in the prescription form that you require no lens.

Q: Can you read my prescription off my existing glasses?ˆ top

Yes! You may send in your glasses with a completed mail order form for us to read the prescription from them. There is an additional charge for this service of £10. We will return your glasses to you following taking a reading from them.


When you send in your glasses to us you must certify that:

  • You are in possession of a written prescription given by a registered medical practitioner or registered optometrist.
  • Your prescription is less than 2 years old if you are under 69 years of age or less than one year old if you are over 70 years of age.
  • That the spectacles you are sending in are made to that prescription
Q: Can you re-glaze my existing frames?ˆ top

Yes. We can re-glaze your frames, prices start from £25. Please call customer services for more details on 08456 88 20 20.

Q: How did you chose the names of your frames?ˆ top

Its not rocket science, but it was a good idea. Carole, who works in marketing here, sent round an email to all of us asking for the names of things like our favourite holiday places, pets names, where we were born and pulled together a list of many different potential names for our glasses. From that list she chose the names she liked the most and assigned them to the most appropriate frames. If you can think of a good name for a frame, email her at carole.egerton@glassesdirect.co.uk and she'll try and name a pair of glasses in your honour!

Q: Can I inspect the frames before purchase?ˆ top

Yes - we understand that glasses are a personal choice and therefore we are very happy to offer our customers a trial service. You may order up to three pairs at a time. To cover the labour, postage, packaging and VAT costs we charge a payment of £3.75 per pair of trial glasses which will be charged to your credit/debit card. This payment is not refundable once you place an order with us. This service is available by clicking on the "Try at home" within the product pages, or by calling us on 08456 88 20 20. The trial frame will be dispatched to you with a pre-paid return envelope.

Trial glasses must be returned to us within 14 days, otherwise we will charge your credit card the price as listed on our website/catalogue.

Q: What is The Best Fit Machine?ˆ top

When you place an order for glasses with us, you are given the option of entering the frame measurements from the frames of your existing pair of glasses. Our website will then identify the frames from the ranges available that most closely match your measurements to ensure that your new glasses fit as well as your existing glasses. Please see below for the FAQ on how to find the measurements on your existing frames

Q: What do the frame measurements mean?ˆ top

The easiest way to get the right frame size is to get the dimensions from a comfortable pair of glasses you already have.

On one of the legs you will usually find (with the aid of a magnifying glass) three measurements, the first two separated by a rectangle.

glasses arms dimensions
glasses front dimensions
glasses profile dimensions

The Lens Diameter is a matter of choice, but the other two determine the fit.

They do not need to be exact, but the closer they are to your existing pair, the more likely your new glasses are to be a comfortable fit.

Q: I have diabetes/glaucoma/ocular hypertension.
Can I still order?ˆ top

Yes, but please note that we strongly recommend annual eye checks for those suffering from any of these conditions.