prescription glasses

[am64]

I just found my glasses and it reminded me to put up this warning. It may already be common knowledge...

When i was first diagnoised last year , i went along to my local opticians with my new medical prescription exemption card, and duely upgraded my glasses. 6 months later i receieved a letter from my local heath authority fraud dept saying i had fraudently used my card....and they were fining me ?100...😱
To cut a long story short I appealled and the optician backed me up and I got a repreive . Beware tho, with the exemption card , you only get the test and lenses free not the frames unless you are other benefits.

 

[Hazel]

OOOHHH, can you help me out with this then

I just paid ?200 for new frames and varifocal lenses

As I am on Job Seekers Allowance should I not have paid for the whole bill of been able to claim back something???

Thanks

Hazel

 

[shiv]

i get mine from specsavers so they've always included the lens in the price.

good tip though, i bet some people would get caught out if not careful

hazel - speak to your opticians to see if you can claim anything back

 

[am64]

OOOHHH, can you help me out with this then

I just paid ?200 for new frames and varifocal lenses

As I am on Job Seekers Allowance should I not have paid for the whole bill of been able to claim back something???

Thanks

Hazel

depends which jsa you are on, if its income based Yes i would check it out with optician, if its contribution based JSA you get nowt...but you should have had the lens free with your prescription medical exemption card anyway...worth checking out

 

[am64]

useful link
http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/HealthCosts/1126.aspx

 

[am64]

GOS3 Optical Voucher for help with cost of glasses
http://www.wantglasses.co.uk/contact-lenses/NHS_Vouchers-cms26.html

not advertising the company just it explains the entitlement

I dont think we get the lens on med excemption cert. just the eye test

 

[kojack]

Being ancient, my tests are free. Nothing else is unless you have financial exemption reasons - it doesn't pay to have savings or have contributed to a pension scheme. Grrrrr.
Had just replaced three pairs of specs thinking eyes were deteriorating, diagnosed and treated for diabetes and after settling down had to replace the lenses. Cost a small fortune altogether.

 

[Andy]

Can I please confirm that you are entitled to free lenses as well as the test free with a medical exemption card?

At the moment I get the test free but pay for the lenses and frames. I definitely know I have to pay for the frames though.

Thanks.

 

[am64]

Can I please confirm that you are entitled to free lenses as well as the test free with a medical exemption card?

At the moment I get the test free but pay for the lenses and frames. I definitely know I have to pay for the frames though.

Thanks.

sorry i seemed to have got a bit mixed up...its only the eye test thats free, what happened to me is optician saw my card and gave me a voucher that i wasnt entitled to...but always good to check with optician first

 

[Andy]

sorry i seemed to have got a bit mixed up...its only the eye test thats free, what happened to me is optician saw my card and gave me a voucher that i wasnt entitled to...but always good to check with optician first

Thanks. I thought that was the case.

 

[shiv]

specsavers usually include the lens in the price with the frame (for anyone looking to dodge paying big amounts for lenses 🙂 )

 

[Psychomuso]

Specsavers are usually pretty good. I'm on DLA and other benefits including Income Support so I get an NHS voucher towards the cost of my glasses (this year, I need varifocals and have got them for free). I think the cost varies depending on which lenses you need, when I first looked at the price chart for varifocals, I thought I was going to have to pay quite a bit.