Specsavers

Finding new doctors, dentists, hair stylists… the whole lot is really daunting, especially if you don’t get it right. You would think that as much as I have moved around that I would be accustomed to this, but I’m not and I’m always worried that I am never going to be able to replace the people and services that I have come to love. Fortunately, I don’t have to worry about my Optician! Wedding is coming up soon and as much as I love my purple specs, I don’t really want to wear them on my special day. However, I haven’t had contacts since last year… combination of being too expensive and allergies made me stick with my glasses. I was doing research online and of course I used Unilocal to help make a decision. I took a look at the Specsavers website and found that you can request an appointment online. Good thing because I decided to do this at 10 p.m. at night and probably wouldn’t remember to call the next day.
Next morning, someone from Specsavers called and asked me a few questions about why I was requesting an appointment. She was able to accommodate my last minute appointment request for the next day and was even able to get me a back-​to-​back appointment (eye test and contact fitting). Specsavers is on the first floor next to Aldi’s. It is a fairly big store and there are lots of staff to welcome you and point you in the direction you need to go. Both times we went it was super busy, but they seem to do a good job of getting people in and out.
I checked in and we had a seat in the waiting area. I wasn’t sure what the eye exam here in the UK entails because in the U.S. there are standard things they do and then tests that are optional and sometimes cost extra… like a picture of your retina. I was called into a room and the staff member took my glasses to find out what the prescription was and conducted the test where there is a picture that goes in and out of focus. Fortunately no puff of air! I went back out to the waiting room and a few minutes later I was called into another room. The staff member was very friendly and started with examining my eye balls. Of course after that, you can’t see much with the lights they have used.
Of course there was the standard letter reading, plus using the lenses to see if my prescription needed to be updated. Fortunately they didn’t need to dilate my eyes, but I don’t know how often they do that here. The staff member told me that one of my eyes has gotten worse, but only just slightly and said that I would need to update my glasses if I do start wearing contacts with the newest prescription. He pressed a button and someone came to the door to take me upstairs to the contact lens department.
We did have to a wait a bit, but I guess they weren’t expecting my eye exam to be over so quickly. Upstairs is much quieter, so waiting wasn’t really a problem. Eventually I was called back to another room where I went through quite a bit of the same process that I did with the staff downstairs. Not sure if I needed to have the eye exam, but it was only £23 so it isn’t like it broke the bank. This staff member was really friendly and I felt very comfortable chatting with her. I would totally be friends with her. Does that sound desperate. Oops ;). Anyway, she went through all of my contact lens options and gave me the pros and cons of each. What sold me on trying the daily lenses were not having to clean and store them and… the fact that the dailies were actually cheaper than the bi-​weeklies that I used to wear. She also discussed the subscription deal versus just buying the contacts at the store when I need them.
They gave me five pairs for free to try out for the week and then made a follow-​up appointment for a week later. I was early for my follow-​up appointment, but they called me back about 15 minutes before my actual appointment. The staff member was very friendly and checked to make sure that everything was ok. And ended up adjusting the prescription and also gave me suggestions on things like comfort drops, etc. for when my eyes are a bit irritated. Again, a button was pressed and another staff member came to get me. This staff member got my contacts ready to go, completed some paperwork, explained the subscription/​direct debit option including being able to adjust my subscription online, she also explained some of the benefits like free glasses after 30 days and eye exams for free, and then took my payment. To be honest, this might be better than my last optician as I don’t think there were any additional benefits to the subscription option besides having the contact delivered to your door.
Really, really glad I chose Specsavers as I couldn’t have had a better experience! The staff are friendly and the service is also so quick! I also think the eye exam and the contacts were quite inexpensive compared to what I usually spend in the U.S. Clearly I am a big fan!

I visited SpecSavers yesterday and can’t speak highly enough of the Optician I had the appointment with Ms Mistry. Not only was she thorough and informative but made me feel at ease… I don’t like being prodded around! lol
The experience was very good as soon as I entered the Manchester Arndale store, from initial reception, to Assistants taking me for different tests, then up to a Contact Lens Appointment and final OK from the Optician. It was a smooth process in a large store, across different departments and everyone worked as a team.
The only reason I didn’t give 5 stars is that you don’t have many designer frames.
Thank you and as Arnie once said «I’ll Be Back»
#Specs #Glasses #Opticians #Manchester @Specsavers #Service #Excellent #TeamWorkWins

I recently went to Specsavers, this is quite a large store in the Manchester Arndale, right next to ALDI and near enough opposite Subway.
They have a large selection of glasses, but one thing I didn’t like about this branch of Specsavers is they mostly had nosepads, which I can’t stand. I always find the range at specsavers to be pathetic for people like me who dislike nosepads, although they do have a large range.
I find it hard to get a nice pair of glasses here and even at other branches hence that was why I made the switch from the Specsavers branch in Middleton to multiple different opticans before switching to Tesco.
I was hoping to find a better range here, as this is a city centre store and larger than my local store, and a woman who works for Specsavers, sat on a chair near the enterance told me, they could fix them if a problem arises at any store, and then I saw reviews on here about changing your home store, which would of made me feel more comfortable in switching back to the Specsavers brand.
I feel the best place to get glasses in the Manchester Arndale, with super friendly, knowledgable staff and a smaller yet better range is Vision Express. I wouldn’t say to avoid Specsavers open at all costs, but don’t just go here because it is your local opticans, any store with a copy of your prescription can sort out your glasses is a problem occurs.
I feel this store deserves 2 stars, the reasons I feel that I can’t give Specsavers Manchester Arndale a higher rating are as follows:
— This store is a good size but doesn’t take advantage of that by showing some of the best glasses in the area
— Most of the glasses have nose pads
— Lack of variety
— Staff could of shown more effort to help me, than just the woman who answered a quick question, you could tell she hated being bothered from doing nothing.
— More mirrors which are wider

I’m on the contact lens scheme here and I have to say specsavers haven’t let me down yet!
Their scheme, with free glasses up to £45 is great value for money, you get free contact lens check ups in the year and great customer service.
I have been messed about by another opticians before this so it’s refreshing to get the customer service you deserve when caring for your eyes!
Good job keep it up :)

Really great service and reasonably priced too. My son needed to replace his eyeglass lenses immediately. The optical technicians performed a thorough eye test and were able to order and replace the lenses within a day’s time.

Specsavers Andale centre got there at 9 o’clock as it was opening as you walk through the door they seem to attack you from all angles the staff. I just told them I had an appointment and went up the stairs to the contact lens department. Just seems am as I was having my contact lens check for the 12 month. They just seem to try and sell you more and more. But they’re very friendly very helpful just seems that there are too much customer focus which is a good thing.

I’m going to review Specsavers purely on my experience. My boyfriend’s likely to review it soon and have a slightly different story to tell as the sheer madness of what happened logistically when he was attempting to change his branch from Edinburgh to here is mind-​boggling, but I’ll leave him to tell you that.
What did we both experience? Amazeballs (amazeyeballs?) eye tests. Okay, let’s look at the facts. I have a man in my life who happens to take great care of me (score) and also takes a great interest in what I do. We were milling about one day, I was wearing my stupid hipster glasses that I sometimes wore to stop computer screen glare, and we started chatting about eyesight. The other half wears lenses, see, and oftentimes glasses, and I came to the realisation that I’ve never, in all my years of being alive, apart from when I was little and saw the school nurse, have had an eye test. A proper one. So when we popped into the Arndale Centre and he made an appointment for his next one, I made one too.
Yay! I like stuff like this. All things sciency and biological fascinate me. So I wasn’t even waiting long, and I got loads of apologies for my waiting time, which was a bonus start. After a brief sit-​down consultation, I was sent into the little room for my actual full-​on test with Alex, an awesome eye doctor who’s actually younger than me. When did *that* start happening? I’ve only just got used to musicians and actors getting younger than me! Anyway, Alex did all kinds of weird and wonderful things. She switched the lights off and blurred things and made me read things and did one eye and then the other and… took photos of THE INSIDE OF MY EYEBALLS. I wanted to take a copy to show my retired science teacher dad, they were amazing. Optic nerves look like trees. So basically if like me, you’ve foolishly never had an eye test, you’ve nothing to be afraid of. Unless tree-​like eyeball innards freak you out. *Insert ominous music*
So what was the result? Well, after years of boasting about my ²⁰⁄₂₀ vision, turns out I have a slight prescription. Now this is where Specsavers shone again — Alex was absolutely honest and told me it was entirely my choice, my mild long-​sightedness meant I could probably get by just fine without glasses but if I felt comfortable with it, I would be able to pick some up for concentration work and reading. She’d asked all about mah fancypants internetz-​job, and I’m half tempted to blame this little Macbook I’m crouched over all day, but real actual proper adult glasses to go with my job? Yes please. I told her I was happy to have some specs, and she gave me all kinds of advice on the buy one get one free deals, where instead I could get this superduper lens coating which would reduce glare for free instead of a second pair of glasses if I wanted. Because I wouldn’t be wearing glasses constantly, I opted for the coating, as I doubted I’d be needing a spare pair. (Touches wood.)
I was handed from Alex to an assistant who was told everything about my prescription. The new lady knew I was a total noob and took me through the glasses section by section, offering style advice. She looked at my face shape, how light the glasses were, even my hair colour and took into account how often I’d be wearing them, and after trying on many, we settled on a cute pair with browny-​bronze frames and black arms. (Sexyspecs Unilocal pic to come soon, fo’ sho’.) I didn’t opt for designer ones, again, I’m not wearing them all the time, and the total cost including my eye test was £79. Money well spent. My glasses would be ready in an hour as well, and the frames were adjusted for my endearingly crooked nose bridge so they sat nicely. Brilliant!
Now I can truly relate to the ‘should have gone to Specsavers’ slogan on the ads. Good choice indeed. Heart my specs.
***Update! A photo of my specs:
:) ***

I always get my glasses from this Specsavers. You can even look at my photos and see the glasses in action.
I’ve never had even the smallest complaint to make. The first time I went, they gave me a quick eye test and I got a card with the details of my poor eyesight on, which I can now use to buy glasses without having to have an eye test every time.
Plus, glasses are so expensive everywhere else. The designer glasses here are £125, and the selection is huge. Though this is quite expensive, almost all of the are buy one get one free, so I got a pair or FCUK glasses and a pair of Oriris ones for the pesa.
Also, I stepped on my glasses and broke the lens out, and when I went in expecting to have to fork out for a repair, they fixed it for free in about 30 seconds.
Plus if you want a cheap pair they’ve got some from £45, and though they’re plain, they’re not at all bad.
Unless you’re loaded, this is your only real option for spectacle purchasing.

I’m with Emma-Louise’s Boyf, my eyesight sucks, and oftentimes I have to visit the optician and get my prescription checked, and due to the damn curse that is wearing glasses, awh I’m playing martyr now, it’s not too horrid, but when I did wear contacts I was in and out of Specsavers all the time.
The staff in the majority of Specsavers up and down the country seem to be extra perky, in fact I think it’s a staple requirement to work in any opticians these days, extra dose of perky at birth.
I’d popped into this branch with the mothership and I swear the minute my hand extended over to the designer spectacles branch three assistants came running over to me with advice and suggestions and preparing the virtual mirror. I thought I’d been candid camera’d for a brief few moments. One woman a shoulder length brunette lady would simply not relent. Even with my reassurances that I’d been wearing glasses for years now and I was capable picking my own, I was grateful of the offer of help, but I was more than happy with my mother’s honest opinions, the other two got the hint, but this one, she stuck on like bird crap on the wind shield.
Eugh, how annoying, and as much as I understood she wished to help, and thought she was doing a good deed, she was getting on my last nerve. Had she offered her help, it would have been kindly refused, but to barge on in regardless, well, noticing an imminent explosion, my dear mother ordered the glasses i had in my hands down on the side and fair dragged me out of the shop. Memories of being five again came flooding back.
Silly woman.
The assistant, not you mum.