If you’ve ever walked away from an optician practice feeling more confused than confident about your purchase—or worse, like you paid too much for glasses you don’t love—you’re not alone.
At Clarke & Roskrow Styling Opticians, we’ve helped thousands of clients avoid glasses-buying mistakes by giving them clear, honest, and personalised advice based on their unique vision needs, style, and budget. Our approach removes the guesswork and frustration that’s all too common in eyewear shopping.
In this article, we’ll break down what glasses cost at C&R, explain what affects the price, and give you a real sense of what to expect based on your needs and priorities—so you can make a confident, high-quality, low-risk decision.
Who Are C&R Glasses Best-Suited For?
Existing, frustrated glasses wearers…
If you’re already wearing glasses, you might be fed-up of seeing the same old boring glasses that you can find in almost every optician; you might be looking for glasses that are different, more unique, and that perfectly reflect your personality and individual style, but just can’t find something that you’ll love to wear.
You’ve had a rushed, impersonal optician experience and want expert help…
Perhaps you’ve had a disappointing experience elsewhere; maybe you felt the eye examination was too brief and hurried; perhaps you were left to “self-select” frames on your own and didn’t get the expert guidance about the best frames and lens choices for you; maybe you just found the whole glasses shopping experience to be a hassle and something you’d much rather avoid.
You’re buying glasses for the first time and want clarity, not confusion…
Need glasses for the first time? Don’t know who to trust or where to begin? Feeling overwhelmed by the array of choice but frustrated by the lack of expert advice and guidance?
You’ve made mistakes buying glasses in the past and don’t want to make the same mistakes again…
The optical industry has let you down – a lack of expert advice and guidance, being left to “self-select” frames from a bewildering number of frames on display, to a lack of transparency with price and choices, is it any wonder you might have made mistakes in the past?
By choosing Clarke & Roskrow Styling Opticians, you’ll get an optician that:
- has an unrivalled and proven reputation for getting great results
- has transformed the glasses-buying experience from being difficult and confusing to something fun, effortless and enjoyable
- provides honest, expert guidance about frame and lens choices to make sure you get the best result possible, with no obligation to buy
- has a carefully curated collection of incredible frames to choose from, frames you won’t find in every other opticians, frames that are as unique as you are.
If you’re looking for a smarter, more enjoyable, and less risky way to buy glasses, where someone will expertly and effortlessly guide you through the process, then it’s worth making the investment to avoid the alternative, which is just a cycle of repeated disappointment and frustration.
So, let’s dive in and get some ideas about glasses prices.
Overview.
How much you choose to spend on glasses is dependent on lots of different factors, not just the price of the frames and lenses.
Things that influence the price include:
- what type of frame you choose & the material it’s made from e.g. an acetate (plastics) frame will be a lower price-point than one made from 24-carat gold plated titanium
- what type of lenses you need e.g. single vision lenses are a lower price-point than varifocal lenses
- whether you’re choosing clear lenses or light-adaptive/photochromic or polarized sun lenses
- your prescription
- how many pairs you want to buy (and yes, you definitely need more than one pair of glasses!), and finally
- how important are your glasses to you?
It’s important to us that you get a personalised eyewear buying experience, which is why we have our Eyewear Styling Consultation so that you get the expert advice and guidance you need, as well as discovering all the options available to you when it comes to frame and lens choices.
There’s no “one-size-fits-all” approach here, and price isn’t the only thing to consider.
How Much Do Designer Frames Cost at C&R?
At Clarke & Roskrow Styling Opticians, we’re passionate about offering only the finest and most impressive eyewear from some of the world’s leading independent designers and manufacturers.
Our frame collections are lovingly and painstakingly curated by our team of eyewear experts, so that you have better choices to match your personality, face shape, size, colouring, lifestyle and budget.
We travel to exciting cities such as Paris, Munich, Copenhagen and Milan to discover unique and “eye-catching” eyewear to thrill, excite and delight our clients.
Our frames start from as little as £250. At this price point you’ll have a really good, stylish and great quality frame.
Most of the frames in our collection are in the £300 to £600 price range. At this price point, you’ll have a fabulous choice of amazing frames that are stylish, hand-made/hand-finished, one-of-a-kind pieces that you’ll love to wear.
At the other end of the scale, we have frames that are as much as £2,000+. These frames are at the more luxurious end of the market, and include materials such as natural buffalo horn, wood, stone, and gold-plated frames or frames made from other precious materials.
Whether you’re choosing glasses from our entry level collection, or a more luxurious frame at a higher price point, all of our frames come with a 2-years manufacturer’s warranty against faulty manufacture/defects.
How Much Do Lenses Cost at C&R?
When it comes to lenses, we work with premium lens partners including Carl Zeiss Vision and Seiko.
Both companies have a longstanding reputation for making incredible lenses that provide the wearer with exceptional clarity and precision vision.
Not all lens companies are created equal, and as eyecare practitioners one of our roles is to provide you with the best vision that we possibly can, which is why we don’t compromise on the optical quality of the lenses that we use.
The cost of your lenses will depend on what type of lens you need, for example single vision, anti-fatigue, indoor, or varifocal, and whether the lenses will be clear, photochromic, or polarised sun lenses, and also what material the lenses are made from.
As with our frames, we have options available when it comes to lenses, and our expert eyewear stylists will give you all the time, guidance and advice you need on choosing the best lens options for you, based on your prescription, frame choice, lifestyle, comfort, and style.
If you need “single vision” lenses e.g. for distance tasks only such as TV, driving etc or for near vision tasks only e.g. reading, our premium lenses start from as little as £125. From this price point, you can choose the most suitable lenses for you, based on your prescription, the optical quality of the lenses, and the final cosmetic appearance, up to the “top of the range” lenses at £485+.
If you need varifocal lenses for distance and near vision tasks, our varifocal lenses start from around £350 and they go up to as much as £800+ for the “top of the range” varifocal lenses.
And of course, there are lots of options between those two price points, and the dispensing team will go through those options with you and guide you through the process of recommending the best lens options for you.
All of our premium lenses come with the very best lens coatings as standard (scratch-resistant, anti-reflection, water and smudge/oil repellent, and anti-static) and come with a 2-years manufacturer’s warranty against faulty manufacture and defects.
So, How Much Are My Glasses Going to Cost?
If we consider the cost of the frames and the lenses together, you can see that for an entry level frame with basic premium single vision lenses, you could be spending in the region of £375. If you need varifocals, then you could be spending in the region of £600.
Most of our clients want glasses that they’ll love to wear, and that will give them the best vision possible, and so they’ll invest somewhere between £600-£800 for single vision glasses, or £800 – £1,000 for varifocal glasses to get the perfect result they’re looking for.
Why not try out our Price My Glasses estimator here.
EyeCare Plan members benefit from exclusive savings on eyewear and other in-practice purchases, and we have flexible payment options for your eyewear, to make choosing your ideal glasses as affordable and stress-free as possible.
Why Your C&R Glasses Will Say More Than Your Smartphone Ever Will.
You might be thinking “Really?! People spend that much on glasses?” and the simple answer is yes, because a great pair of glasses does so much more than just correct your vision.
Your glasses are one of the first things people notice about you. They sit front and centre on your face, shaping how you’re seen by the world—and how you feel about yourself. Confidence, personality, professionalism, creativity—your eyewear speaks volumes, even before you say a word.
Now think about your smartphone. According to a USwitch survey, the average smartphone contract cost £903 between 2022 and 2023. Most people upgrade every two years. That’s over £37 a month—often more. But no one sees your phone. It lives in your pocket or your bag. It doesn’t shape how people perceive you—or how you perceive yourself.
By comparison, let’s say you invest £1,000 in a pair of beautifully crafted, custom-fitted glasses that you love to wear. If you wear them every day for four years, that’s just £21 per month—less than most phone contracts. But unlike a phone, your glasses don’t just serve a function. They enhance your confidence, your comfort, and how you engage with the world.
So yes, great glasses are an investment. But when they help you See Better, Look Better, and Feel Better—they’re worth every penny.
Why C&R Glasses Offer More Value For Money Than Chainstore Opticians.
We recognise that our glasses aren’t the cheapest option. “Cheap” is rarely the same as “value for money”. Here’s a few reasons we think you’ll get more value for money from glasses at C&R than “cheaper” alternatives:
- A Passion for Helping You.
At Clarke & Roskrow, we’re passionate about helping people discover glasses they’ll love – glasses that make you look and feel at your very best and that give you fabulous vision.
- Time, energy, and resources to bring you eyewear you’ll love!
Unlike the majority of opticians in the UK, we’re actually passionate about the frames we stock and invest huge amounts of time, energy, and money in sourcing high-quality frames from top independent and specialist designers from around the globe.
At C&R you’ll discover a wide range of designs, shapes, sizes and colours for the best choices to perfectly match your unique features and style. Think frames that you simply won’t find elsewhere in regular opticians – frames made with finesse and originality from high-quality materials to give you an individual look.
Some of our frames are customisable, allowing you to get not only the best colour option but also the optimum sizing to ensure you get the most comfortable fit.
- We only work with artisan designers & manufacturers.
Our frames are often only made in small quantities, specially created for comfort and long-lasting quality so they’re a worthy investment for years to come. Consequently, the frames in our collection do cost more than the “designer label” options you see everywhere else and that are worn by everyone else.
- Premium Lenses That Provide Precision Vision.
Our lenses are first-rate and made with advanced technology to give you the clearest, most comfortable vision possible. And our expert team of eyewear stylists are on-hand for the support and advice you need, should you have any questions once you take your glasses home.
- Committed to Your Success.
And once you have your new glasses, we always arrange a courtesy call to check-in with you to make sure you’re getting on with them, and to resolve any teething-issues you might have.
- Cast-Iron Warranties & Guarantees.
For added peace of mind, all of our frames and lenses come with a 2-years manufacturer’s warranty against faulty manufacture and defects (sorry, folks, this doesn’t extend to mishaps and accidents such as driving over your glasses, sitting on them, treading on them, being chewed by the dog etc. but, of course, we’ll do whatever we can to help in the event of a glasses-mishap such as these.)
As well as these manufacturer’s warranties, we’re so confident that you’ll love your glasses that we offer our 60-Days Love Your Glasses Guarantee against all glasses, whether single vision, varifocal, clear lenses, sunglasses or photochromic lenses.
Ultimately, our goal is to match you with the perfect pair of glasses so that you’ll have glasses that you’ll love to wear. Every week we work with clients who’ve gone to regular and ‘chain store’ opticians before, but now have the ultimate eyewear they’ve always wanted but struggled to find. So, their investment in their glasses makes a lot of sense – and they choose to return to us again and again for their next pair.
What If I Want to Have More Than One Pair of Glasses?
Looking for more than one pair of glasses? That’s great news! We know from experience that the happiest glasses wearers are those that have more than one pair!
We’re passionate about building an “Eyewear Wardrobe” – having multiple pairs of glasses for different reasons and occasions, and to suit your mood or the image you’re trying to project on any given day.
For example, you might have a professional job that requires you to have a smart, professional, “business-like” look; but when you’re at home, or on a weekend, you might fancy having something completely different that is more suited to the weekends, socialising, going out etc.
As a general rule, we think that 3 pairs of glasses is the “magic number”, but there’s no reason to limit yourself!
Three pairs allows for:
- an everyday pair
- an additional pair that maybe has a different look and style
- every glasses wearer should really have prescription sunglasses in their collection to provide protection against glare and the harmful effects of UV radiation (which is present in natural daylight, even here in dreary old England!).
Some folks may even benefit from a fourth pair, something that is more “task specific” for a particular hobby, pastime or for work.
Realistically, though, we don’t expect all of our clients to have three or four pairs (although some of our most enthusiastic “Clarkeanistas” have more pairs than that), it’s more the concept that having more than one pair of glasses actually makes good sense. Afterall, you wouldn’t have just one pair of shoes, or one outfit to wear.
Having an eyewear wardrobe is something most clients work towards, adding a new pair over subsequent visits, although many clients do choose to have two or more pairs at a time.
Everyone is different, and it’s our job to make sure that we explore ALL your vision needs, so that we make sure we give you all the options rather than just assuming you only want one pair of glasses.
If you’re considering having more than one pair of glasses, we do have a multiple pair lens discount in place with our lens partners, when purchasing multiple pairs of lenses either on the same day or within 30-days of collecting your first pair of glasses. Ask the team for more details about this multiple pairs lens promotion.
Need more help?
By now, you understand that the cost of glasses at C&R isn’t one-size-fits-all—it depends on your needs, style preferences, your vision, and how important your glasses are to your lifestyle.
Whether you’re looking for a stylish everyday pair, premium varifocals, or building an eyewear wardrobe, we offer transparent pricing and expert guidance every step of the way.
Too often, people settle for glasses they don’t love because the buying process is confusing, rushed, or purely price-driven. At Clarke & Roskrow, we believe you deserve more—glasses that help you See Better, Look Better, and Feel Better.
What’s Your Next Step?
✅ Book a complimentary Eyewear Styling Consultation. It’s a relaxed, no-obligation appointment where we guide you through all your options—making sure you get glasses you’ll love to wear.
✅ Try out our Glasses Price Estimator Tool – get a “ball park figure” estimate about how much your C&R glasses might cost in just a few minutes.
✅ Contact the team if you have any questions and wish to start a conversation.
✅ Request a FREE Welcome Pack and receive a copy of our buyers guide to glasses “The Ultimate Guide to Purchasing your Eyewear – How To Look Good & Feel Great In Glasses” – over 40-pages of priceless information and guidance on making your next glasses purchase.
We’re Clarke & Roskrow Styling Opticians, and we’re passionate about helping people discover eyewear that enhances their vision and their confidence. We look forward to meeting you—and helping you find your perfect pair of glasses.
