Best opticians stores: Boots, Specsavers, Vision Express and more compared

Are you due for an eye test or a new pair of specs? Our exclusive consumer survey reveals the highest-rated optician brands, as voted for by people who have used their services – plus we name some Which? Recommended Providers that might surprise you.

We surveyed 11,539 Which? Connect panel members and members of the public who had an eye test and/or bought glasses or contacts in the past two years. We asked them to rate the brands they had used on a range of measures, including value for money, store environment, glasses quality and customer service.

We know many people value convenience and so tend to stick with an optician they’ve used before - but our research shows that in a crowded market, it can be worth shopping around, depending on your specific eye care needs.

Best and worst optician stores rated

Our ratings cover all the major high street chains, including Boots Opticians, Specsavers and Vision Express, as well as independents and some larger regional players.

Logged-in Which? members can find out which opticians received the highest customer score, and which were rated best for factors such as price, value for money, eye tests and product quality. You can also find out which three optician brands are our Recommended Providers - the results might not be what you were expecting.

If you aren't logged in, you'll see an alphabetically ordered list of brands with no scores.

Not yet a member? Join Which? today and get access to the results below, plus thousands more reviews, brand surveys and ratings on our website. 

Specsavers vs Boots vs Vision Express vs Optical Express: optician brands compared

Logged-in Which? members can see summary verdicts of how each brand was rated by customers on different attributes below, ordered by overall customer score.

If you aren't logged in, you'll see an alphabetically ordered list of brands and some basic information about what they offer.

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 Asda Opticians

Asda Opticians opened its first in-store opticians in 2000 and now has 157 practices in stores across the UK.

Bayfields

Bayfields first opened in 2004 and now has more than 50 stores in England.

Boots Opticians

With more than 550 stores in the UK, Boots is another big hitter on our survey. But how do customers rate its opticians services? 

Costco Optical

Costco Optical, which has 29 warehouses offering its eyecare service in the UK, might not spring to mind as a place to buy glasses or have an eye test.

Independents

Independent opticians aren't part of a large retail chain, but they still make up a large proportion of all opticians.  

Leightons 

The first Leightons store opened in 1928 – making it the oldest brand in our survey – and now has 37 stores in England.

M&S Opticians

M&S has 37 opticians within its stores. 

Optical Express 

Optical Express first opened more than 35 years ago and now has 120 stores.

Scrivens 

Family-owned Scrivens opened its first store in 1938 and now operates 166 stores in the UK.

Specsavers

With more than 900 stores in the UK, Specsavers is the largest chain of opticians in our survey.

Vision Express

With more than 550 stores in the UK, Vision Express is another major player in our survey.

In need of a new dentist, too? See our guide to the best-rated dentist brands

How we find the best opticians

Our unique opticians brand survey is designed to gain a thorough and statistically robust insight into the performance of different optician brands, as rated by real customers who have used their services.

We quizzed thousands of consumers about their experiences with the UK's leading opticians brands, asking them to rate brands on measures we know are important to customers – from value for money and the thoroughness of eye tests to the quality of glasses or contacts and customer service. 

Our expert statisticians then analyse the data, using it to produce an overall customer score and star ratings for different factors, such as value for money, to make it easy for you to see how brands compare and make an informed choice.

For our overall ratings, we only include people who had an eye test and bought glasses at the same store. Our best opticians scores are based on more than 11,500 customers who did just that.

How we select Which? Recommended Providers for opticians

Which? Recommended Provider status is only awarded to brands that are highly rated by consumers in our survey and pass our additional vetting process.

We scrutinise the highest-scoring brands against a number of measures including the cost of glasses, optional extras and what was included in basic offerings – as well as any potential red flags – to determine the brands we are happy to recommend. 

Why it's important to choose the right opticians

Our exclusive survey ratings reveal how each brand is rated by customers for attributes such as product quality, price and aftercare.

It's harder as an individual to judge whether your optometrist is carrying out the appropriate checks, including performing the right eye tests and giving an accurate prescription.

Previous mystery shopping research by Which? at a range of brands uncovered some examples of poor practice. In the worst cases, we found optometrists issued inaccurate prescriptions, and failed to warn customers about key eye health issues.

So it pays to be discerning. As a rule of thumb, you should expect an eye test to take at least 15 minutes and longer than that if you have any eye health issues or a complex prescription.

If you have any concerns about your eye test or prescription, then your first port of call is to speak to your optician. 

If that doesn't resolve it, you can seek a second opinion or escalate a complaint to the Optical Consumer Complaints Service.

See our advice on the best place to have an eye test to get the lowdown on what to expect, from how to recognise key parts of an eye test and what they're for to top tips on taking control of your consultation.