To buy a pair of perfect glasses, simply put, you need a good optician who will sell the frames you want! The only problem is, it’s not easy to find one. And here’s how I’ve done it.
Related: My First Eye Test in the UK
How do I Find MyType of Optician Store
At first, I googled ‘optician store in the UK’, and it showed mostly big chains to me, such as Specsavers, VisionExpress and Boots.
These chains are mainly selling designer brands which exactly I don’t want. Perhaps I’m not convinced why a fashion brand like Ted Baker or Polo can make a good pair of glasses by putting their brand names on the frame. (Hardly any information about the frames too!)
So, I opened the Google maps and searched ‘optician store’. Filtered out those big chains, it came down to a few shops including the independent ones.
I looked at 3 things :
1. Google Ratings
Are their customers having a good experience? Are they providing professional service?
2. Websites
Are the websites very fancy that only want to catch your attention? What are the messages being conveyed on the websites? What are the missions for opening an optician store?
3. Frames Line-Up
The brand’s line-up plays a vital part. As I mentioned before, I don’t want designer brands. I want a maker/brand which is professional at making glasses. Do they have one? If so, do they have one that you want to try on?
A Good Feeling Right Choice
After considering the above factors, it came down to one shop – Bramley Pope Opticians.
I think I feel sincerity from their website. Currently, it is a one-man-band doing all the work there, and that person is Mark. I didn’t know him before. But from the messages he is saying, I can feel he is genuine, that he really cares. He is the future owner of the shop. So, that makes sense to me!
Something Lindberg-ish, but NOT Lindberg Glasses
What I wanted for a pair of good glasses started with the frame.
Since my prescription numbers are quite high (more than -6.00), is meaning the lens will be thick and overall the glasses are getting heavier! So I need something really light, durable and good-looking!
I know the Danish brand, Lindberg, is in the top tier and comes with a costly, expensive price. So, I was looking for something like that, probably in the 2nd tier, still with high quality, but less fame (less marketing), hence lower price!
At Bramley Pope, they offer around 20 different brands that some of them you may never have heard of. I scanned through them online one by one. It looked like I could find something I’d like there. So, I visited Mark in his shop.
Mark suggested me some frames after hearing what I wanted. I did try on Lindberg as well and it was REALLY LIGHT. Yet, I felt it could be too light and could fall off if not probably fitted. In the end, I met FLEYE COPENHAGEN, another Danish brand.
FLEYE COPENHAGEN
FLEYE was founded in 2002 by Annette Estø, Hanne Rosenvold Anderson and Lars Halstrøm. Their frames are also timeless, designed with ultra-light weight, using Beta-Titanium instead of ordinary titanium, which offers great flexibility and costs less.
And here it is, my new pair of elegant glasses.
SEIKO lenses (Upgraded!)
In Bramley Pope, they offer SEIKO lenses. I don’t know much about lenses, but I do know SEIKO is a professional brand.
At first, I chose a 1.67 lens which kind of fitted to my desire and budget. But Mark later was not happy with the output using a 3D simulation, so he upgraded my lenses to a Seiko AZ double-aspheric 1.74 lens, which is much thinner (He didn’t charge me extra :)).
Although my lens index is slightly higher than before, the lens itself looks thinner and has less change in the face line. I was also given a SEIKO registration card where my lens details are written behind it. This card is a free warranty for about a year.
Now, my glasses are neat, elegant and look good on me.
A good pair of glasses can be used for many many years. Mark said one of his customers has been using a glasses for 20 years! Maybe it’s not good for his business, but quality over quantity is important too! I hope my sharing can help you find a better optician store and a pair of glasses that you truly love!
