Help with theft prevention

[geoff]

In message , Andy Hall writes

You spent ... minutes working that one out, didn't you

[SantaUK]

Oh god, what a bunch we are :-))

[F]

Should've gone to Specsavers...

[SantaUK]

Okay, heres the pics :-))

once again, a flexible, but rigid "straw" type pipe, that will cover the silver bar to stop the glasses being removed. Ideas?

[geoff]

In message , SantaUK writes

surely people would buy their frames from somewhere like glasses direct rather than the rip-off prices charged by dispensing opticians

The price of frames is obscene for a bit of bent metal or plastic - that's why people steal them

[Doki]

Do piss off. Granted you can buy glasses far more cheaply mail order, but that's because nobody checks that they fit you or fits them to you. You need to get the correct bridge width and arm length to have glasses that fit you properly and work right.

[Doki]

Normal transparent plastic hose should work fine.

[geoff]

In message , Doki writes

Fuck off yourself - the price of frames is a rip off

your philosophy ?

"ITYM people who pocket what they can when they can, much like any other business. "

[dennis]

You get that on the £10 frames.. the obscene prices of "designer" frames

*are* just a rip-off. Still its peoples choices if they want to look like a moron with thick plastic arms obscuring their view. Maybe they will be running in blinkers at their next race?

[Emil Tiades]

Opticians need clueless morons like yourself to subsidise their industry.

[Dave]

I couldn't imagine driving with my peripheral vision blocked with that type of frame.

:-)

Dave

[Doki]

You're the one advocating theft.

Depends rather where you go. It is possible to buy glasses relatively cheaply, retail, but it'll always be more expensive than buying mail order. Designer frames are much like anything designer - some are far better made, some are average and some just look better. The best designer frames are made by people who do nothing but, and the worst are the ones made by big fashion names, IMO.

[Owain]

It seems there is a fundamental flaw in the design of the display fitments if the little right-angle bar shown raised in b.jpg can't be locked down close enough over the bridge of the specs so they can't be removed.

Using thin cable-ties to tie the specs to the fitment would stop them walking, at the expense of customer try-on-ability. Using some thin clear heatshrink tubing to link the earpieces (shrunk on to the earpieces) would also stop them walking, allow a little more customer touch-ability, but possibly at the expense the specs would be 'shop soiled' if you tried to remove the tubing.

Large clear sliding doors across the front of the fitment would at least limit the number of specs exposed at any one time.

Owain

[Clive George]

My current pair was bought from a proper opti-whatsits. Eye test - fine. Fitting of frame? None of that - the frame is one size only, so you've got to choose whichever random frame happens to fit your head, and woe betide you if you want something unfashionable (I like large lenses) - there's bugger all choice. And the quality of the glasses was cack too - the first set of posh lenses lost their scratch-resist coating in little over a year, and the frame itself is not robust at all, despite being one of those bendy ones - I thought they'd be better at handling knocks etc, not worse.

Grrr.

So given the staggering cost difference, I'm looking at these mail order ones - worst case I lose a little bit of money for a spare set, and I could come out quite a lot better.

Or can you persuade me otherwise? Eg recommend what I should be looking for in a shop?

cheers, clive

[Andy Burns]

----8 Or can you persuade me otherwise?

Not to persuade you, but I'm happy enough to pay for a "proper" one.

I've used the same shop for 19 years, always been seen by the same partner, plenty of time to discuss things with him (including the state of my parents' eyes, who are not his customers), he's always been happy to calculate various thicknesses/prices for different lenses, and steering away from the latest greatest most expensive for the sake of a fraction of a mm of thickness.

I've only had two sets of frames and three of lenses in that time, he's been happy to custom shape lenses and frames (once so that clip-on sunglasses from one range would fit another range, the other to fit frameless glasses better to my face shape and avoid the edges being noticable) no extra charges, and never any charge for popping in for running repairs.

I need glasses every waking minute, why scrimp?

[Dave Liquorice]

Our optemetrist shop takes the size information from the existing frames= . The ones on display are just to show the styles and for you try to see what suits and/or you like.

Unfortunately that aplies pretty much everywhere. What is it with this apparent obsession for looking through a letter box? I wear glasses to

*see* not as a fashion statement.

How do you clean your lenses? Yer average bit of tissue is pretty abrasi= ve and add in the dust on the "dirty" lens and you have an excellent grindi= ng mechanisium. Same applies to that hanky in your poecket. I wash mine wit= h warm water and a little bit of detergent (not soap), rinse, shake off excess water and dry on kitchen roll. The coating on may last pair is still 100% after 3 years+. Yes, I did rub the coating of a previous pair= fairly quickly but that was using dry method to clean 'em...

Surely they is bendy so they bend when knocked and can be repeatedly ben= t back without breaking? How on earth do you manage to bend 'em in the fir= st place, do you need to wear glasses all the time or only for some tasks? = I haven't bent a pair of specs (other than the little arms for the bridge)= for, no I can't remember when. Maybe it's down to how long you've had th= em and need to use 'em, in my case it's about 40 years and every waking hour...

One that will measure your head to check the frame size and order that size for you. Note this doesn't have to be done every time, the optician= will have checked the fit and position of your existing pair, probably without you noticing.

One that checks the fit and relationship of your eye to lens on new glasses, even for single vision, with bi or varifocal this is pretty important.

One that checks that the prescription, as suplied, is actually correct b= y getting you to look at the chart and read out the letters on the bottom =

line and that reading small print at a sensible distance is OK.

Depending on your and your parents medical history, one that can take an= image of your retina. I have a photo taken every few years but there is = a familty history of glaucoma, this means I get a free eye test. The photo= is extra but as I'm not paying for the test...

One that will provide free "routine" maintenance of the glasses, so replacement of screws and small parts, repair of minor damage etc.

I've just got a new pair, =A3360. Could probably have got them online fo= r half that but without the checking of fit or prescription on delivery an= d I'd still have to have gone to the shop for the test. Even on line I'd have to have a visit from a travelling optictian(*) as I have varifocals= .

I guess if you just need a pair of single vision for occasional use then= online is fine but anything else I'd not take the risk. Vision is your primary sense, don't take risks with it. Bad glasses can be more than ju= st a headache.

[Clive George]

I thought that. But when the "not scrimping" frames I got aren't actually as robust as the specsavers cheapies I got while I was a student, and they don't really do shaping of frames or running repairs, why should I stick with them?

cheers, clive

[Andy Burns]

Sounds like you *shouldn't* stick with them, but have you tried another local independant rather than the chainstore opticians?

[dennis]

Shouldn't have gone to express.

They are not what I call opticians.. you can tell as they can't do retinopathy for instance.

[dennis]

The optical express own brand flexis just don't last, mine fell apart after a couple of years even though I didn't bend them.

That sounds a bit steep, are they expensive frames? I went for the most expensive lenses they did and it cost less with magnetic sun glass clip ons.