Whether you’ve worn glasses or contact lenses for years or have just started needing them, the costs involved can feel like a financial burden.
Regular eye tests don’t come cheap, and if you need glasses and contact lenses, plus cleaning solutions, it’s easy to run up some eye-watering costs.
Fortunately, there are a few ways you can keep eyecare costs down without skimping on your health. Here are five tips which might help.
1. Claim free eye tests
Opticians recommend that you get your eyes tested every two years, but few people realise they can get them done for free with the NHS.
You are entitled to a free eye test funded by the NHS if any of the following applies…
- You are aged 60 or older
- You are registered as partially sighted or blind
- You have been diagnosed with diabetes or glaucoma, have been told you’re at risk of glaucoma by an eye doctor, or if you’re over 40 and a parent, sibling or child has been diagnosed with glaucoma
- You receive any of the following…
- Income support
- Income-based
- Employment and
- Support Allowance
- Income-based
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- The Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
- Universal Credit and meet certain criteria
- You are named on an NHS tax credit exemption certificate and have an income of £15,276 or less
- You are named on an NHS certificate for full help with health costs (HC2).
You don’t need to go to an NHS clinic to claim your free eye test; the service also funds free eye tests through companies such as Specsavers, Boots, Vision Direct, and most other high street opticians. You can get a free NHS-funded eye test every two years.
If you have already had a paid eye test and realise that you could have had it for free, you can download an HC5(O) refund form and return it along with a receipt for your test to claim a refund.
If you meet any of these criteria and cannot leave your home unaccompanied due to illness or disability, you can get a free mobile sight test where a doctor comes to you.
Free NHS eye tests plus 10% off glasses for over 60s
Booking an appointment online has never been easier, and with a range of offers from 10% off if you’re over 60**, 2nd pairs half price^ & a free NHS eye test if eligible, our expert optometrists are here to help you on your journey to clearer vision.
2. Shop around for glasses
If you get your eyes tested and discover you need new glasses, most opticians will try to sell you a pair directly.
You don’t need to buy from them, however. You’re free to take your prescription to any optician you like and buy from them instead, which could offer substantial savings. It’s worth checking a few shops to see which one can offer you a suitable pair for the best price.
Anyone aged 60 or over can get 20% off glasses from Specsavers costing £70 or more, although even with this factored in, you might be able to get a cheaper pair elsewhere.
You can find glasses at low prices online or from non-optician stores, but glasses bought from an optician tend to be better quality and can come with free maintenance, repairs and other services, which you won’t get elsewhere.
You might also prefer to buy glasses in-store so you can try them on first. You can read more about choosing suitable glasses in our article: How to choose glasses to suit your face.
3. Claim discount vouchers
The NHS offers optical vouchers that can be used towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses. There are 10 voucher values, ranging from £42.40 to £233.56, with the voucher you get depending on how strong your lenses are.
Bear in mind that if your glasses or contact lenses cost more than your voucher’s value, it’s up to you to pay the difference. You might not be able to claim a voucher if your current glasses are in good condition and your prescription hasn’t changed.
You can get an optical voucher if…
- You receive any of the following…
- Income support
- Income-based
- Employment and
- Support Allowance
- Income-based
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- The Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
- Universal Credit and meet certain criteria
- You are named on an NHS tax credit exemption certificate and have an income of £15,276 or less
- You are named on an NHS certificate for full help with health costs (HC2).
If your lenses are -10/+10 dioptres or more, or prism-controlled bifocal lenses, you can get a complex lens voucher. These are worth £15.81 for single vision lenses and £40.57 for bifocal lenses, and are available even if you don’t meet the other criteria for optical vouchers.
If you have already paid for glasses or contact lenses and think you might have qualified for a voucher, you can download an HC5(O) refund form and return it along with a receipt for your purchase and prescription to claim a refund. This will be equivalent to the voucher value you would have gotten.
4. Bulk buy contact lenses or try them out for free
If you use contact lenses and know which ones work for you, it generally works out cheaper to buy them in bulk online over smaller quantities at more regular intervals.
If you haven’t tried contact lenses yet or don’t know which ones to use, opticians like Specsavers offer free trials for contact lenses to help you decide, or many eyecare brands such as Everclear offer cheap trial packs.
5. Simple everyday eyecare tips
There’s more to taking care of your eyes than having the right lenses, of course. Like any part of the body, you should do your best to protect your eyes and avoid damaging habits.
- Try to limit time on screens: we all know that too much screen time isn’t good for us, even if it can be difficult to put that knowledge into practice. If you do have to use screens a lot, try using the 20/20/20 method: every 20 minutes, take 20 seconds to look at something 20 feet away. This gives your eyes a break and helps reduce strain.
- Avoid rubbing your eyes: another one that can be easier said than done, but repeatedly rubbing your eyes can scratch or thin out your corneas and transfer germs and other unwanted particles from your hands. If your eyes frequently feel itchy or dry, you could try using eye drops instead.
- Keep a balanced diet: a healthy mix of vitamins can really benefit your eye health. For example, foods rich in vitamin A (like carrots, milk and eggs) and lutein (like broccoli, corn and kale) are among the best to support your eyesight by producing key proteins.
Foods rich in vitamin C (such as cabbage and citrus fruit) can reduce the risk of cataracts, and both C and E ( found in nuts, seeds and avocados) can slow macular degeneration, a condition that causes sight loss. - Wear sunglasses: wearing sunglasses when it’s bright outside is a no-brainer for some, but if you’re not yet in the habit, think about picking up a cheap pair. They’ll protect your eyes from damaging UV rays, as well as dust and other irritants.
Free NHS eye tests plus 10% off glasses for over 60s
Booking an appointment online has never been easier, and with a range of offers from 10% off if you’re over 60**, 2nd pairs half price^ & a free NHS eye test if eligible, our expert optometrists are here to help you on your journey to clearer vision.
Final thoughts…
Eyecare isn’t an expense you can really afford to cut corners on, but that doesn’t mean you have to accept the full cost at face value. By staying on top of regular check-ups, shopping around for the best deals on glasses and lenses, and taking advantage of any discounts, schemes, or insurance you’re entitled to, you can keep your eyes healthy without your budget taking the hit.
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