Contact lenses at a mad price

Test For Echo

I've just started wearing contact lenses and rang my opticians to place an order for another pair 'just in case' (I only have one trial pair). Went in on Saturday to pick them up to be told: "EUR99 for your 3 pairs of monthly disposables, please". Thinking this was a bit dear I decided to check prices on line...

Same lenses, 3 month supply, delivered: EUR19.95
Same lenses, 12 month supply, delivered: EUR85

Rang the optician today and asked them to check their price: "EUR99 is correct".

I give up...

smelltheglove

I stopped getting lenses from my opticians when I went in and they asked for 45 per box of monthly disposables. It would take me 3-4 months to go through this and my previous purchase was less than 60, when I put that to them they denied the price was ever there, this attitude infuriates me, rather than saying yes there was a price change retailers like to say that there never was a difference in the price.

I think I used yourlenses the last time and got the same order for less than €40. I like to keep my business in the country but at the end of the day if I was to pay vision express I'm not giving the money to an Irish company anyway so not really any damage done!

Test For Echo

As soon as I get my prescription I'll be ordering lenses on line in future. Still fecking fuming :mad:.

Was going to the vet today for pet food but decided to check prices online from a UK site recommended on another Boards forum. Same brand (Hills), same cost (including delivery), except 50% more food :rolleyes:

To hell with 'supporting' local business as far as I'm concerned.


/rant

smelltheglove

I have to say I would prefer support local but within reason, as for the likes of dogfood I reckon I would stay local, I wouldnt even shop north but with the likes of contact lenses etc, I have no qualms shopping online.

Red Sleeping Beauty

Two sets of yearly lenses for €100 in Leonard Costello opticians Sundrive.
(at least it was as of last year)

The solutions are pretty pricey though. Bit of a saving to be had shopping in Sterling though.

mcaul

Accuvue lenses are made in ireland (670 employees), so even if you're buying them in the UK you're supporting irish jobs.

http://www.acuvue.ie/Ireland

Basch & Lomb also make Pure Vision, Optima & Soflens lenses in waterford providing employment to over 1200 people.

So buy online wherever you wish, knowing that the chances are you are supporting Irish jobs - and saving a few bob.

Skopzz

Test For Echo wrote: »

I've just started wearing contact lenses and rang my opticians to place an order for another pair 'just in case' (I only have one trial pair). Went in on Saturday to pick them up to be told: "EUR99 for your 3 pairs of monthly disposables, please". Thinking this was a bit dear I decided to check prices on line...

Same lenses, 3 month supply, delivered: EUR19.95
Same lenses, 12 month supply, delivered: EUR85

Rang the optician today and asked them to check their price: "EUR99 is correct".

I give up...

Wrong, you shouldn't have bought them there.

Buy them ONLINE and save anything up to 200%. I have ordered my contact lenses online since 2006. I checked the price my former optician now charges for a 12 month supply and compared it to the price the online company charges. I'm now saving 200% on the price I would normally pay here in Rip-Off Ireland.

I mentioned this price comparison to my optician and he tried to give the excuse that buying them online was a 'bad thing'!!!

tommy21

Best place by far is daysoftcontact lenses. Used to use specsavers and these guys beat them into the ground pricewise. I ordered just one set to begin with to test them out so got 32 for about €16 including postage. Price in Specsavers was about €35! Google them or go to http://www.daysoftcontactlenses.com/

The fact that they are based in Jersey and that the package fits in letter box means its tax free. If you order a lot of them price comes way down! There is positive reviews on them too somewhere on boards.

Slunk

Thanks for that website, gf is about to buy contacts in specsavers. Will show her this.

tommy21

Slunk wrote: »

Thanks for that website, gf is about to buy contacts in specsavers. Will show her this.

Glad to be of help. Just make sure she gets her full prescription by going in to Specsavers or having them send it out as you'll need it to determine what size lenses etc to enter in online. If you have any queries email them, they get back to you very quickly.

jpb969

Awhile back i had an eye test and a lens fitting done to see was i suitable for lens .The company refused to give me the results of both tests

mcaul

jpb969 wrote: »

Awhile back i had an eye test and a lens fitting done to see was i suitable for lens .The company refused to give me the results of both tests

If you paid a subsidised price (€35 or under) then you can hardly expect to gett the prescription in order to buy online. - same as a kitchen company won't give you any plans unless you pay market rate or buy the kitchen from them.

You can go to an optician and get a full eye test and pay market rate of approx. €70 to take the prescription away.

marinbike

There are massive savings to be made by shopping online.

Heres why:

My wife purchased her Rimless glasses from: http://www.selectspecs.com/

Specsavers and her local opticians wanted €200.00 (lowest price) for them. Selectspecs.com were selling the same pair online for €100.00. Saved 100% buying them online.

Even buying contacts online would save you lots.

Greenmachine

tommy21 wrote: »

Best place by far is daysoftcontact lenses. Used to use specsavers and these guys beat them into the ground pricewise. I ordered just one set to begin with to test them out so got 32 for about €16 including postage. Price in Specsavers was about €35! Google them or go to http://www.daysoftcontactlenses.com/

The fact that they are based in Jersey and that the package fits in letter box means its tax free. If you order a lot of them price comes way down! There is positive reviews on them too somewhere on boards.

That some nice prices. Nice to see the price of lenses has dropped. These one might tempt me away from the monthlies that I have to wash every night, and save me a tenner a month.

marymc

Skopzz wrote: »

I'm now saving 200% on the price I would normally pay here in Rip-Off Ireland.

marinbike wrote: »

Specsavers and her local opticians wanted €200.00 (lowest price) for them. Selectspecs.com were selling the same pair online for €100.00. Saved 100% buying them online.

I agree with both of your sentiments, but - and correct me if I'm wrong - isn't it impossible to get 100% off?

That would mean they gave them to you free.

And 200% off would mean they paid you to take them.

marinbike, you saved 50%, because €100 is half of €200.

It's still an excellent deal, and while my optician and pharmacist and dentist are all lovely people, to compete in the Irish market they have to charge insane amounts more than any other country in the world. It's ridiculous.

On the contact lense note, does anyone know where to get funky prescription lenses online? Such as for Hallowe'en? getlenses.ie has colours available, but doesn't show you them, so you don't know what you're getting.

Skopzz

marymc wrote: »

That would mean they gave them to you free.

And 200% off would mean they paid you to take them.

Its a 2 for the price of 1 plus the overall price compared to the Irish RRP. I calculated it and it amounted to 200% in savings.

oneweb

I've been getting my lenses from VisionDirect.com for yeaaarrrs! Saves me a fortune, although postage to Ireland can take up to 3 weeks - fine if you can plan ahead! :-D

Never had to prove my prescription either.