What will specsavers charge for just frames no lens? (Medical card coverage)

augusta24

Hi everyone,

I recently had my eyes tested in a local independent opticians. However, I wasn't too keen on any of their frames and they were all pretty expensive. I took a copy of my prescription so that I could just go and buy frames in specsavers.

However, I have one tiny issue I was hoping someone might be able to advise me about. I had my test done through my medical card, and my optician informed me after that the lens would be covered on that too (don't want any anti-glare or other extras etc). I won't be using the card to get the free frames as I really didn't like any of the free ones that are covered, but I do think its great that the lens are covered by the card because this opticians usually charge for frames + lens.

It is my understanding that Specsavers actually include their price of lens in the total price on the frames. So I was just wondering if I go to Specsavers and just buy frames with no lens will they charge me the same price? Or can they reduce the price since they're not doing my lens? If this is the case I can bring these to my original opticians who said they would put the lens in for free.

However, if Specsavers are going to charge the same amount whether they do my lens or not then I suppose I may as well just let them do my lens there and then anyway and not bother use the free lens covered by the medical card?

Daisies

If you go for a frame that's not covered by the medical card, your form works as a voucher giving an allowance of about €42 off the total cost.
If you want to just buy the frame in Specsavers it's usually about €45 off the price on the frame.

augusta24

Tanks for your reply. I never realised that there was any cover for glasses included until today. Damn wish I'd looked into this before gettin my eyes tested.

So I've already had the test with my local opticians, they told me that I'll get a form in the post and that I've to drop it back into them then.
Do you think it's possible for me to still get the €42off the glasses in specsavers since I had the eye test in a different opticians?

Mo60

augusta24 wrote: »

Tanks for your reply. I never realised that there was any cover for glasses included until today. Damn wish I'd looked into this before gettin my eyes tested.

So I've already had the test with my local opticians, they told me that I'll get a form in the post and that I've to drop it back into them then.
Do you think it's possible for me to still get the €42off the glasses in specsavers since I had the eye test in a different opticians?

Contact your local branch of Specsavers, they will give you all the information you require.

I have just bought glasses from them and found them to be extremely helpful.

endplate

Here's what you can do. Once you are authorised under the medical card you are assigned to the particular optician that sent the form. You can simply walk into any store (not necessarily a specsavers). Tell them you have had a eye test using your medical card in a different shop but you didn't buy glasses. Ask what they can offer you if you were to get re authorised for a dispense with them. If you are happy then they can fill out the form for you and will send a note explaining that you didn't use your allowances towards glasses in the last store. When you get your form back off you go and buy your glasses with your form. Hope that makes sense.

lil_tuts

You can only get the money off €42 at the opticians that did the test with the form you gave them for your medical card and you cant go back and get them it would have to be on the day because they send that off to claim there money. i would ring specsavers and see what the say price wise but they won't be able to cover you medical card wise.

augusta24

lil_tuts wrote: »

You can only get the money off €42 at the opticians that did the test with the form you gave them for your medical card and you cant go back and get them it would have to be on the day because they send that off to claim there money. i would ring specsavers and see what the say price wise but they won't be able to cover you medical card wise.

THanks everyone for the replies, it's so annoying though because my optician explicitly told me I couldnt get money off glasses. She said I could only get the free glasses but they were from a €20 range and were really horrible lookin!

Daisies

lil_tuts wrote: »

You can only get the money off €42 at the opticians that did the test with the form you gave them for your medical card and you cant go back and get them it would have to be on the day because they send that off to claim there money. i would ring specsavers and see what the say price wise but they won't be able to cover you medical card wise.

Not technically true. As end plate said Specsavers can send off a form for you saying you did not avail of your spectacle allowance at the time of your last test. The HSE should be able to see this from their records anyway.

augusta24

thanks to everyone who replied! Turns out its actually pretty straight forward and pretty common to get eyes tested in one optician and the glasses from another! No biggie so absolutely delighted! Thanks everyone!!

Have one more question that I forgot to ask when I was in specsavers. When you use your medical card to get €40 off a pair of glasses, can you still avail of the buy one get one free offer, since they are actually getting the €40, rather than a discount for example.