FAQ

Summary of Contents:

P.d Pupillary Distance.
How it Works and Delivery Time/Costs
Lens Thickness & Coatings
Lens Types
Varifocals
Bifocals
Tinted Lenses
Transitions®
Oakley's/Wrapped Frames
Prescription & Terminology
International Customers
Legal

P.D Pupillary Distance

Pupillary distance is an essential measurement. It is the distance from the centre of one pupil to the centre of the other pupil measured in mm. Sometimes you'll be given monocular p.ds which is measured from the centre of the nose out to each eye.

The p.d will be different for distance and near as our eyes move together when we focus up close.

Each spectacle lens will have an ‘optical centre’, this point should be placed directly in front of the centre of each of your pupils. That way, your eyes are looking through the best point on each lens.

The P.D is not routinely written on a prescription, you can ask for this from your Opticians, or ask them to add it to your prescription when you are tested.

If you experience difficulty in obtaining this measurement we can take it from an existing pair of your glasses.

We will not use average figures for this, because of its importance, so we cannot proceed with a reglaze without it.

Please email us a head-shot digital photo of you with or without the frame you want us to reglaze. We can scale this and obtain the p.d very accurately.

If you have ordered prescription lenses with us before we will already have all the measurements we need on file!

Please send us an image looking straight ahead with or without glasses. Preferably without!

How does it work and delivery time/costs.

How does it work?

When you order with us, online or over the phone, we will send you pre-paid packaging to send your frames to us. With will include the paperwork for the order and fragile labels to use. Please enclose a copy of the prescription unless you have already uploaded this to us.

Send the box back to us. You'll need to have recorded or special delivery scanned in at a post office. We will inform you when the box has been received by us and then again when the job is completed and dispatched to you.

What is the turn-around time?

For most stock Single Vision lenses, we order the lenses when you place your order on-line, your lenses will arrive at our lab the next working day while your pre-paid box is on its way to you. When we receive your frames we aim to glaze within two working days and send back out.

Certain prescriptions and/or lens combinations may mean your lenses have to be specially ordered and will fall into the timescales set out below. Feel free to ring and check if this is the case to confirm delivery times.

For special lenses like, Varifocals, Bifocals, Polarized, Mirror coated and specialised single vision we don't order the lenses until we receive your frame and prescription at the lab. The lenses are then ordered and can take 5-7 working days to arrive with us. We aim glaze the glasses the day the lenses arrive with us.

Delivery Costs?

For all UK delivery, we send you a pre-paid and addressed box. Free standard delivery is now 1st Class with the Royal Mail, Recorded £8.00 and Special Delivery £16.

If you spend £150 or more you'll get Free 1st Class Recorded Delivery insured up to £150,

Please consider the value of your frames when selecting the postal service you require. Special Delivery is £16 extra (£8 each way) but insured to £750 and guaranteed next working day delivery.

Overseas Delivery.

Overseas customers must send their frames and prescription directly to us. We will send back International Signed For.

Lens Thickness & Coatings

Lens Thickness

Standard (1.50 index) Entry level plastic lens, better for all powers up to +/-3.00 but good for powers up to +/-6.00 and great for all applications, enhanced with extra coatings.

Thin (1.60 index) The first level of thinning, 25% thinner than the equivalent 1.50 index lens. Good for powers over +/-3.00. Stronger and more robust material, good for rimless/semi-rimless and sports frames.

Super Thin (1.67 index) 2nd level of thinning, 33% thinner than 1.50 index lenses. Great for all powers over+/-4.00. Includes the anti-glare/scratch coating. Good for rimless/semi-rimless and sports frames.

Ultra Thin (1.74 index) Our highest level of thinning, 50% thinner than standard lenses. Good for all powers over +/-4.00 and higher too. Includes the anti-glare/scratch coating.

Trivex (1.53 index) This standard thickness lens is almost indestructible! Perfect for rimless and sports glasses due to high impact resistance. Good for powers up to +/-3.00.

Polycarbonate (1.59 index) This is a thin lens being 25% thinner than a standard lens. Good for powers over +/-3.00. Impact resistant so perfect for rimless and sports glasses.

Lens Coatings

Anti-Scratch (HC) This will reduce (not stop) surface scratching of the lenses, it is on both sides of the lens and increases durability.

Anti-Glare/Scratch (MAR) This has been the most popular coating for the last 30 years, it will reduce surface reflections, improve cosmetics, improve your vision and reduce glare also.

Ultra-Clean (UC) This includes the anti-scratch/glare but has another benefit, it is hydrophobic. It will resist smudges, fingerprints and dust on the lens surface, making them easier to look after. A step forward from the MAR coating.

Blue-V this includes anti-scratch/glare and UC. It will block 'bad' blue light from screens and lights. May make the world seems slightly 'yellower' as the blue wavelength is blocked. Perfect for screen users.

Reduced -Fog this is our most advanced coating, has all the benefits of the Blue-V without the yellowing effect and now even more hydrophobic so resists 'steaming-up'.

Mirror Finish this is normally added to tinted or reactive lenses. Perfect for high glare situations. It mirror colour has little effect on the vision through the lenses but improves the cosmetics, giving that fashion 'sunglass' look.

Lens Types

Single vision from £20 these will have a single focus, generally for distance, near and intermediate. The mainstay of lenses until you need different focal length lenses like bifocal or varifocal.

Bifocal lenses from £35 these (dual focus) lenses can be supplied with different focal length combinations, the most popular being distance and near. There will be visible lines on the lens where the bifocal portion is situated.

Varifocal Lenses from £50 these will give you a wide range of visual performance with different working distances from the same lens with no lines on the lenses. You may see some tiny hall-mark type markings on the lenses, all UK supplied varifocals have to have this, they will not affect your sight.

Life-Style Digital from £90 enhanced power lens for those that spend more than 3 hours a day operating at close range who don't yet need varifocal lenses.

Occuapational lenses from £95, will give seamless change from intermediate to near viewing with no lines or markings on the lenses. perfect for those who spend all day at a VDU.

Double Aspheric from £130 are specially made lenses where the lens curves are specifically calculated to reduce distortions at the edges of the lenses. This is something that becomes more apparent the higher the power. Only available in Super-Thin and Ultra-Thin and they come with MAR coating as standard.

Executive Bifocal from £65 these lenses have a line all the way across the lens, only available in standard thickness. Great field of view through both the top and bottom half.

D35 Bifocal from £50, our standard bifocal has a reading portion in a 'D' shape that is 28mm across, the D35 has a portion 35mm across, giving a wider field of view.

Transitions from £95, these are the new GEN S material and will darken when exposed to UV, protect from all UV and come in many different colours.

Transitions XtrActive from £115, these are from the same transitions family but these will darken in the car too!

Varifocals

Our optician has created this flow chart to help with choosing the correct varifocal lens type for you. Feel free to contact us for any more help or advice with your selection.

Basic from £50, an entry level lens, great for a first time wearer and for standard tasks. Smooth transition from distance to intermediate and near.

Premium from £80, upgrade from the basic type, wider field of view all round, good for first time wears, the most worn lens we do!

Elite from £100. Free-form design lenses, updated recently with wider zones all round the perfect all-rounder, very popular and well received. Field of view 3 times wider than the basic style.

Elite HD from £135, much like the Elite style but with a wider intermediate zone, better for all tasks especially VDU work, a must for those that spend hours in from of a screen. Not recommended for first time wearers. Great lens to upgrade to.

Elite Ultra Drive from £190, these are our most advanced lenses and come with a special coating too. They are designed for people who spend a lot of time driving and intermediate dashboard type viewing.

Occupational from £95, perfect for office type work where most of the work is carried out at intermediate and near ranges. Combined with the Blue-V coating, just perfect.

All varifocals supplied by UK registered manufacturers will have making scribed onto the surface of the lens, you may be able to see these on close inspection, they are like hall marks on jewellery and are there so we can identify the product and guarantees authenticity.

Bifocals

D28 from £35, these are the mainstay of our standard lenses with a 'D' shaped reading portion with the flat line across the lens. The portion is 28mm is diameter.

Executive Bifocal from £65 these lenses have a line all the way across the lens, only available in standard thickness. Great field of view through both the top and bottom half.

D35 Bifocal from £50, our standard bifocal has a reading portion in a 'D' shape that is 28mm across, the D35 has a portion 35mm across, giving a wider field of view.

Tinted Lenses

Standard from £28 these are the most common tinted lenses we do, you can select dark, medium or light, they will block 85%, 50% and 25% of the light respectively. They can be had any almost any colour the best being brown, grey and green. We can do tint levels outside of these pre-set levels. They will block all UV.

Graduated from £41, this is where the tint changes depth over the lens, being darker at the top to a lighter shade at the bottom, very popular and pleasing cosmetic look.

Special Tints we can do special coloured tints like the Ray Ban G-15 tint, a very popular comfortable tint.

Polarised from £75 these lenses will reduce glare from wet roads while driving, or glare from snow when skiing. Polarised sunglasses help to reduce this glare by filtering out the horizontal light waves, allowing only vertical waves to pass through to the eyes.

Coatings, all of our tinted lenses come with anti-scratch as standard, but all the usual coatings we have available will work too. The mirror coating adds the perfect cosmetic addition while reducing glare further.

Transitions®

Transitions (from £95) everyday lenses get as dark as ordinary sunglasses (category 3). If you prefer the darkest lenses available we recommend Transitions XTRActive, our darkest everyday lenses ever. Photochromic lenses react to their environment so the level of darkness is influenced by temperature, UV exposure and lens materials.

The glass in car windscreens blocks more than 99% of UV light, so most photochromic lenses do not darken noticeably in the car. We offer a solution: Transitions® XTRActive™ lenses contain a specially designed photochromic formula that responds to both UV light and short wavelength visible light, so they are able to moderately tint in the car. Transitions® Drivewear® adaptive lenses enhance the driving experience by combining two of the most advanced technologies in the eyeglass industry: NuPolar® Polarization eliminates glare off the road and car hood, and Transitions photochromic technology adjusts the colour and tint of the lenses as light conditions change. The lenses evolve from green for low light driving conditions to copper brown in bright, sunny driving situations.

Transitions adaptive lenses darken when exposed to UV light. As UV from sunlight is typically not present indoors, the lenses will be clear. The exception is Transitions XTRActive lenses, which react to both UV and visible light. This allows them to get extra dark outside and also when you’re sitting in bright sunlight behind a window.

Extreme situations can sometimes influence the performance of Transitions lenses. For instance, temperature has effect on the reaction time of photochromic technology.

Oakley's & Wrapped Frames

Why so special?

Curved / wrapped frames require lenses that have more curve to them. We often have to have 6 or 8 Base curved lenses manufactures to fit the profile of the frame. We often have to grind special bevels on to the edge of the lens so it fits perfectly in place. We charge an extra £25 for this type of lens and glazing.

We can glaze most Oakley frame that have separate lenses each side, the one-piece designs can't be direct glazed.

We have a frame list here if you can't see that frame it doesn't mean it can't be done, please just email us to ask.

Oakley Frames that we can glaze.

Straight Jacket, Split Jacket, Jawbone, Switch, Turbine, Two Face, Encounter, Tightrope, Jupiter, Enduro, Chain Link, Splice, Fives 2.0, Fives Squared, Holbrook, Frogskin, Fuel Cell, Silver, Crosslink, Pitchman, Whisker, Traildrop, Splinter. Plank, Eye Jacket, Carbon Shift, Mainlink. Plaintiff. Valve, Juliet, Pitbull, Wiretap, Crosshair 2.0, Conductor 8&6. Field Jacket. Gibston, Nanowire, Det Cord, Wingfold, Pommel, Ejector, Plazma, Whisker, Crankshaft, Gascan, Square Wire, TinCan, Trillbe X, Drop Point, Sylas, Monster Dog, Half Frames, Half Jacket, Flak Jacket, Bottle Rocket, Bottlecap, Quarter Jacket

Prescription & Terminology

P.D; pupillary distance

Pupillary distance is an essential measurement. It is the distance from the centre of one pupil to the centre of the other pupil measured in mm (ranges from 50 to 70mm). Each spectacle lens will have an ‘optical centre’, this is a point on the lens where it performs the best and has the least distortion. The optical centre of each lens should be placed directly in front of the centre of each of your pupils. That way, your eyes are looking through the best point on each lens. If the p.d for the glasses is not set correctly then your eyes may have to strain to look through them, this can lead to headaches, eyestrain, visual distortion and in severe cases, double vision.

The p.d has to be measured during a sight test but is not routinely written on a prescription. You can ask for this from your Opticians, or ask them to add it to your prescription when you are tested.

If you experience difficulty in obtaining this measurement we can take it, if necessary, from an existing pair of your glasses or from a good quality digital head-shot image.

We will not use average figures for this, because of its importance, so we cannot proceed with a reglaze without it.

Sph/Sphere.

This value gives the overall power of the eye and determines if you are long or short sighted. The measurement is called the Dioptre. If the Value is a minus then you are short sighted if a plus then you are long sighted. It may also have zero or the word ‘plano’ in this box; this means that you are neither long nor short sighted but you may have astigmatism.
Most values range from 0.00 to +/- 20.00 and go up in steps of 0.25

Cyl/Cylinder

This value indicates the amount of astigmatism you may have. Astigmatism is often described as having an eye ‘rugby ball shaped’ or referred to as ‘toric’, this is where the eye is slightly distorted in shape and is very common. This box may be empty or have a plus or a minus value in it. The measurement is the Dioptre. Most values range from +/- 0.25 to +/- 6.00 and will go up in steps of 0.25.

Axis

This box will only have a value in it if there is a value in the Cyl box, as this is an indication of where the astigmatism is on your eye. The measurement is in Degrees.
The values range between 0 and 180 and may go up in steps of ½, 1, 5 or 10 degrees.

Prism

There may be a value in this box, this is a lens that is used rarely and only to correct some special conditions or some eye disorders (like squints) that require the focused image to move position. The measurement is Prism Dioptre.
The value may be as high as 15 and may go up in steps of ½ or 1. This type of lens has to be made specially so there is an additional charge for this.

Base

This gives an indication as to the position for the movement of the image. There will only be an entry in this box if there is one in the Prism box.
The value may say base in, out, up or down.

ADD

This figure is an indication how much extra power is added ‘on top’ of the distance prescription for near or intermediate glasses. This extra power will be the same for each eye so may only appear once. There may also be different values for intermediate and near. The measurement is the Dioptre.
Most values range from +0.50 to +4.00 and will go up in steps of 0.25

Dist/Inter/Near

Dist, refers to distance, this is the prescription required to correct distance vision. This correction is often used for driving, television and general wear. These glasses are often worn full time.
Inter, refers to intermediate, this is the prescription required to correct intermediate vision, and may appear in full, or as an additional power (ADD) to the distance. This correction is often used for computer operation.
Near is the prescription to correct near vision and may appear in full, or as an additional power (ADD) to the distance. This correction is often used for reading, sewing and any detailed close work.

BVD (Back Vertext Distance)

This is a measurement the optician may issue if you have a high prescription, if we need it we will ask for it. Please don't add this to the prescription details when you order.

Common Prescription Questions

How do I get my prescription?

When you have your eyes tested by an Optician you must be given a copy of your new spectacle prescription. You can always request a copy later but they may charge you for it.

How long is my prescription valid for?

Your prescription is usually valid for 2 years unless otherwise stated by your optician

What if my prescription is out of your range?

If your prescription falls outside our available lens ranges use the form on the ‘contact page’ to enter the relevant details and we will contact you with possible alternatives. We can process and reglaze most prescriptions however large or small.

I can’t understand the writing on my prescription?

We require a copy of the prescription, to be sent with the frames, so we can check it when it is received. If you upload the prescription form we will fill the figures in for you.

What happens if my prescription from the Optician is incorrect?

This is quite common! We will try to determine where the error has occurred then decide the best way to proceed, our optician has over 30 years experience so will have come across most prescribing errors. Even though this is not our fault we will always do our best to correct any errors will the least amount of stress for our customer and with as little financial penalty as possible.

Can I make a mistake filling in my prescription details?

No, we only work from the signed prescription from your Optician. So even if you make a mistake, we will correct it before we make the glasses for you.

Why does the price change if my 'Cyl' power is over +/-2.00?

The prescription power does determine the price of the lenses. If you have a cyl power great than +/-2.00 it will add £5 per lens. The lenses have to be specially made and will take longer to process. The sphere power greater than +/- 8.00 will also attract the same charge. We will not charge for both being out of range. The most you can be charged is £5 per lens.

What happens if I enter the prescription incorrectly?

All lenses ordered on the website will be checked against the prescription sent to confirm the correct lenses are put into the frames. If a mistake has been made we will reorder at now extra cost to you.

Can I use my contact lens prescription?

If you wear contact lenses you will be given a copy of your contact lens specification as well as your spectacle prescription, these are often different, so we cannot use this.

What does V/A mean on my prescription?

V/A stands for visual acuity and is a measure of what you can see on the test chart. Some people will have heard of 20/20 vision this is the same as 6/6 in the UK (we measure at 6 meters others at 20 feet!). We don't need the distance or near V/A numbers for the lens order so please leave these figures off the order.

What do you do for a frame refurbishment?

This service is for those who choose to reglaze a frame that has already been worn. We can replace screws, nose pads and end-tips to the sides that may be damaged or discoloured and we will clean the frame ultrasonically. We aim to make your frame look and feel like new, we will polish and clean the best we can. Frame straightening can be done if instructed to do so. Frame repairs and painting cannot be done as part of this service.

International Customers

We have been posting reglazed glasses internationally for years. Popular markets are Southern Ireland, France, Germany, Spain and Portugal but also as far a field as UAE and Australia. All of these countries have higher costs for glasses bought on the high Street. The savings are high, the convenience and speed of our trusted program often mean our service is more prompt than having it done in the country of origin!

We will always declare the full value for the lenses on the return postage documents so that the contents are fully insured. Some countries will levy their own tax when receiving the parcel if necessary, we can't be held responsible for this.

Due to changes in the VAT regulations since the implementation of Brexit, the VAT is now not claimed back by the customer. Your receipt will show the VAT issued for the purchase, this will be refunded once the order has been completed.

Please be aware though, that we are often charged for receiving the frames from you, although we are not purchasing but merely changing the lenses, our authorities in the UK still regard this as worthy of an import charge, if this is levied we will contact you or offset this again the VAT due to be refunded to you.

You can order online, you'll need to send the glasses direct to us, we will glaze and send back to you with a tracked signed for service.

Legal

We are unable to provide prescription lenses for anyone under the age of 17, this is a regulation set out by the General Optical Council (GOC) by which we are governed.

You must be over the age of 17 to order from Reglaze Glasses Direct, and you must not be registered blind, or partially sighted, or ordering on behalf of someone under 17 years of age.