It’s understandable for expats to feel apprehensive about visiting a new optician in Spain. From concerns about the quality of service you’ll receive, to whether the experience will be different from the UK — you need a reliable optician that you know and trust, no matter where you are. Our opticians are trained to ensure that you can enjoy the same quality of service and expertise you’d expect from us in UK.
Visiting Specsavers in Spain: Will I need to speak Spanish?
At Specsavers Opticas, we’re dedicated to ensuring that language barriers do not affect the quality of your eye care experience. You will find a fluent, English-speaking optician at each of our Spanish stores.
If you are keen to broaden your Spanish vocabulary, particularly when it comes to your eye care, here are some basic words and phrases which might be useful:
- El óptico — the optician
- Lentes de contacto or cristales — contact lenses
- Gafas — glasses
- Gafas de sol — sunglasses
- Gafas graduadas — prescription glasses
When speaking about differences in the lenses, for example in an eye test, three useful words to know are: mejor (better), peor (worse), or igual (equal).
Will my eye test at Specsavers Opticas be the same as in the UK?
At Specsavers Opticas we use most of the same optical tests that you're used to in the UK. Our Spanish opticians will even conduct a full eye test in English to ensure that you feel comfortable and are able to carry out the eye test.
Here are a few tests and equipment used during an eye test at Specsavers Opticas that you might recognise:
A non-contact tonometer
Using this equipment, the optician will blow a few puffs of air at each eye in order to measure the pressure inside the eye. This measurement can help to determine whether or not you may be at risk of glaucoma.
Are there any differences between Specsavers Opticas and
Specsavers UK?
Sun protection advice
One difference you may discover during your Specsavers Opticas experience is our opticians’ emphasis on sun protection. In Spain, increased exposure to sunshine makes it even more important to consider the impact of UV rays on the eyes. Malaga, for example, gets an average of 2,815 hours of sunshine per year.
At Specsavers Opticas, our opticians are always on hand to provide specialist advice on protecting your eyes from harmful UV rays. Ask us in store and we’ll talk you through the best options, whether you’re looking for a pair of sunglasses with UV400 protection, or some polarising sunglasses to help reduce light glare.
Buying prescription glasses at Specsavers Opticas vs the UK
Using your UK and Spanish prescriptions
If you’d like to buy some new frames using an existing UK prescription, there’s no need to worry about translating it for our opticians — we'll handle this process for you. On the other hand, if you have a Spanish prescription from another optician in Spain, or require a new one, we can easily translate any technical Spanish language to help you understand exactly what it means. All that’s left to do is find the right frames for you.
Choosing the right glasses for you
We stock many of the same great styles and designer brands you can find back in the UK, so you can be sure they are of the same great quality you’ve come to expect. If you’re looking for something in particular, don’t hesitate to ask our experts — we can recommend a specific frame to suit your face shape, personal style or specific eye care needs.
If you have any further questions, simply visit your nearest store and speak to our experts. For more information on eye care services in Spain, visit our expat advice resource.