Better quality high street glasses?

[CopperBolt]

Ive got my prescription receipt from Boots for my glasses.
I find their glasses have chromatic aberration - blue/yellow lines up the side of vertical lines if Im not looking dead on straight at them.

Wondering if any high street optician could do me a better quality pair of "transitions" bi-focals?

Anyone got any experience, recommends?

Thanks

[Mr Pointy]

Have you told Boots about the issues? They may be able to use a different glass or lens maker to produce the lenses which don't have these issues.

[bongtom]

In my experience many of the high street retailers (Boots, Vision Express etc) are below par. If you want to get good quality lenses then you'll need to pay a little bit more and get German or Japanese ones, like Ziess, Hoya and Essilor. Independent opticians are the best in my opinion.

Saying that I bought some glasses from AliExpress with clip on sunglasses! Normally the lenses would cost £300+ alone in the UK (very high index plus super thin 1.74 lenses) and double that where I live now. They cost £100! Not the best quality but pretty good.

[BabySharkDD]

I use RXSport. Happy with the lenses from there (Essilor are their standard lens).

[joshcowin]

BabySharkDD said:

I use RXSport. Happy with the lenses from there (Essilor are their standard lens).

Another vote for these guys

[Nemophilist]

I went to Cubitts for the first time in 2019 and have been going back ever since.

The quality of the lenses and frames are fantastic and they just seem to care so much more about what is right for the customer

Most people I know with glasses have started going to them

[Kawasicki]

Isn’t that normal? I always thought it was just the way lenses work. They‘re just prisms, my glasses have no error that I can see when I look directly through the middle of each lense, other than that I see errors!

[phil4]

I've recently moved from Bifocal to full Varifocals. The Bifocals where a bit cheaper and had exactly those chromatic aberrations you refer to. These Varifocals don't seem to... but then the lenses cost a small fortune... and I think that's the problem, you get what you pay for, and the more expensive lenses have less issues. I'm biased but I'm very impressed with my current varifocals, huge areas that are usable, and no odd artefacts.

[ConnectionError]

Costco opticians have a fantastic reputation

[Derek Smith]

phil4 said:

I've recently moved from Bifocal to full Varifocals. The Bifocals where a bit cheaper and had exactly those chromatic aberrations you refer to. These Varifocals don't seem to... but then the lenses cost a small fortune... and I think that's the problem, you get what you pay for, and the more expensive lenses have less issues. I'm biased but I'm very impressed with my current varifocals, huge areas that are usable, and no odd artefacts.

I did the same. I struggled a bit initially, but after a couple of weeks, 'things became clearer' and more comfortable.

I have 'office' glasses, varifocals with the max distance from me to my screens if I push my seat back a bit, and the bottom bit for me to see keyboards, trackballs and control panels. Both types are very good for almost everything.

I intended to ask for driving glasses, with the distance from the end of the bonnet to the horizon for 3/4s of the lens and the remaining bit for the dashboard. The Covid, and I'm still not driving enough to make it worthwhile. Save doing my nodding dog bit.

[Glosphil]

I have an excellent pair of Ziess driving glasses - bought from Boots Opticians.

[Sticks.]

Derek Smith said:

I intended to ask for driving glasses, with the distance from the end of the bonnet to the horizon for 3/4s of the lens and the remaining bit for the dashboard. The Covid, and I'm still not driving enough to make it worthwhile. Save doing my nodding dog bit.

I had this discussion at a fitting the other day and the advice was that the dashboard/dials section would be too far down the lens. I might try desk glasses, though for now my older, weaker varifocals do the job.