Glasses Direct

Glasses Direct is making high street opticians feel the heat by offering discounted prescription glasses at a fraction of the cost. All you need is a recent eye test and prescription to order glasses online.

Glasses Direct have chosen to drive down the prices of prescription glasses, where the mark up at high street opticians can be anything up to 1000 per cent. Started by James Murray Wells, an internet entrepeneur, when he was at university, he has to date saved his customers over £4 million in two years of operating.

Glasses Direct is an interesting business model as it has taken what was largely the preserve of the high street chains, turned the business on its head by offering online services and is doing rather well at it. The customer gets quality frames (70 styles to choose from) and prescription lenses with a free scratch resistant coating, as well as a free protective case and cloth, all at a knock down price. Compare their prices to Specsavers here.

The customer chooses a frame and then fills in the lens prescription, which mustn't be more than two years old. If you have trouble reading the prescription (opticians, like doctors, are notorious for their illegible handwriting), help is at hand either by telephone or you can fax your prescription through. Try various styles using Glasses Direct's special software, Customeyes. Upload a jpeg image of your face and then drag frames over your eyes using the mouse.

Styles include rimless, semi rimless and bendable frames, as well as frames from Diesel, Storm, Click and X-Ice. Measurements are given for each frame, with explanations on frame and bridge widths etc. There are optional extras at additional costs, including tinted, polarised and transitional lenses as well as thinner lenses for strong prescriptions.

Tell three friends about Glasses Direct and you will receive 5% off your next purchase.

Glasses Direct also offers protective eye wear and links through to their contact lens site, where you can make yet more savings.