Haldane Optical — frequently asked

Frequently asked

Will you put lenses in a frame I already own?

Usually, yes — it is a good deal of what the bench does. The frame is tested first with a scrap edge, because a dry acetate or a fatigued rimless mount can split during cutting, and you would rather hear that before the lenses are paid for than during.

Can an old frame actually be repaired?

More often than people expect. Metal hinges solder, rimless mounts re-thread, and a missing arm can be machined to match. What cannot be saved is a frame that has gone brittle all the way through — the bench will say so rather than take the money and try.

How long does a pair of varifocals take?

Seven to ten working days for anything hand-edged, five for a standard job. The measurement happens on the frame you have chosen, seated and standing, which is the step most of the trade skips and the reason most varifocal complaints exist.

Do I have to come in to ask something?

No. Most questions — a price, whether a repair is possible, where a pair has got to — are answered in the thread, and a photograph of a break saves a trip. Anything that needs the frame on your face, like a refit, is ten minutes at the bench with no appointment.