Axis Optical - www.axisoptical.co.uk

We all get used to doing things in a specific way sometimes without realising that there is an alternative. Take me for example, I have for decades always used the same organisation for carrying out my annual eye test; for supplying my spectacles; and for making and fitting my lenses. However, I always knew that I was paying far too much money. One only has to see the cost of frames throughout the rest of the world to appreciate this!

Recently I had a stroke of good fortune: My optician was off work sick; my local diving centre messed up my order for a diving mask with prescription lenses; and I found myself driving 116 miles to Sheffield in order to meet the technician working on my mask. I had to have my prescription mask immediately due to an imminent departure overseas on a diving holiday.

From the moment I spoke on the telephone to a very pleasant gentleman of Axis Opticals, Sheffield, I sensed that he was a good helpful guy and my judgement turned out to be correct: He had me call him at 8 am the next day in order to verify that my lenses blanks had arrived. They had. He then immediately started working on the lenses whilst I set off for Sheffield. After I got a little lost on arrival in town he immediately drove out , found me, and led me to his workshop.

At his workshop he took various measurements and let me choose exactly where the break point was to be located on my bi-focal mask inserts. He then promised to immediately finish the lense grinding and fitting. He said that they would be ready within an hour and they were. (In the meantime I enjoyed walking round the nearby plush Meadowbank Centre shopping complex!)

On collecting my mask he then gave me lots of useful information and advice about opticals both generally and with regards to diving. Never one to miss an opportunity, I also purchased one of his spectacle frames (less than a quarter of the cost of a Boots Opticians' similar frame) and ordered a pair of bi-focal spectacles with photo chromic and anti-dazzle extras. The overall cost was much less than using an optician 'middle man' and I was actually speaking with the man who was going to make the product!

If you have an optician's prescription then this gentleman is certainly your man. But incidentally it is illegal for any optician to insist on you paying for an eye test with them before they make your spectacles. So you are within your rights to commission a pair of spectacles based on an existing prescription. At least one major U.K. supplier is currently ignoring this law and insisting that they test and charge you before possibly then selling you something more. If technicians are prepared to sell direct to the public then it is legal for you to use them direct, thereby cutting out the middle man optician on the frame purchase and lense manufacturing process.

Although a technician may have less spectacle frames to choose from than an optician nevertheless this gentleman had a good choice of frames on offer and would have been quite happy to work on any suitable frame which I may have purchased elsewhere.

I hope that others like me with defective sight will enjoy the same high level of service and low cost which luckily came my way.