Asda Opticians Eye Test Cost 2026: The Cheapest High Street Option?
Asda publishes one price, £24, a pound under the £25 Specsavers quotes for most of its stores. But with fewer locations and OCT imaging only at selected stores (with no published price), it is not right for everyone.
How much is an eye test at Asda?
A standard private eye test at Asda Opticians costs £24, a pound under the £25 Specsavers quotes for most stores (some Specsavers stores charge less, and its £10 offer runs to 31 October 2026 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland). Asda does not publish a separate contact lens check fee, but includes free aftercare (one appointment within 12 months) when you buy your lenses from them. Asda advertises OCT imaging only at selected stores and publishes no price for it, so for a guaranteed enhanced test consider Vision Express (OCT included, £30) or Specsavers (up to £10 extra). If you qualify for an NHS-funded test (over 60, under 16, under 19 in full-time education, on certain benefits, or with diabetes or glaucoma) you pay nothing. Prices can vary slightly by store, so confirm with your local branch when booking.
£24
Standard test
Asda publishes it as usually about 30 minutes
Not published
Enhanced test with OCT
Selected stores, price not listed
Free
Contact lens aftercare
One appointment within 12 months of buying lenses from Asda
Free
NHS eligible
Same examination
Asda publishes a single £24 eye test and advertises an enhanced test with OCT at selected stores without a price. Read from opticians.asda.com on 19 October 2026.
What the £24 Test Includes
- ✓Visual acuity assessment
- ✓Refraction to determine your prescription
- ✓Intraocular pressure check (tonometry)
- ✓Visual field screening
- ✓Retinal examination with ophthalmoscope
- ✓Discussion of results and recommendations
Not included
The standard £24 test does not include an OCT scan or digital retinal photography (a basic visual field screening is part of it). Asda advertises OCT imaging at selected stores only, with no published price, so confirm availability locally. For an OCT scan with a clear price, consider Vision Express (included) or Specsavers (up to £10 extra).
Asda Opticians Price List 2026
| Service | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard eye test | £24 | Free if NHS-eligible |
| Single-vision glasses | From £15 | Includes lenses and coatings |
| Varifocal glasses | From £45 | Complete with digital varifocal lenses |
| Designer glasses | £80 | Complete price. "Buy 2 pairs & save £40" applies to this tier |
| Premium designer glasses | £100 | Complete price, e.g. Adidas Sport. Two-pair £40 saving applies |
| Luxury designer glasses | £130 | Complete price, e.g. Armani Exchange. Two-pair £40 saving applies |
| Children's glasses | Free | With an NHS voucher |
| Contact lens aftercare | Free | One appointment within 12 months of buying lenses from Asda |
| OCT scan | Selected stores | No published price; confirm locally. Consider Vision Express or Specsavers for a set price |
Glasses prices include frames, lenses, anti-reflective and scratch-resistant coatings (varifocals where your prescription needs them, except the £15 single-vision range). Read from opticians.asda.com/our-complete-price-on-glasses on 19 October 2026 and can vary slightly by store.
Location Availability
Not every Asda superstore has an optician, and the gap against its rivals is wide. The NHS Organisation Data Service register for England, snapshot 19 October 2026, lists 132 Asda optical sites against 764 for Specsavers, 494 for Boots Opticians and 440 for Vision Express. Check the Asda website to find your nearest optical store before planning a visit.
Availability is concentrated in larger Asda superstores. Smaller Asda stores and Asda Express locations do not have optical departments.
When Asda Is the Right Choice
Choose Asda if...
- ✓You want a low, single published price for a standard test
- ✓There is a branch convenient to you
- ✓You are under 40 with no risk factors
- ✓You do not need an OCT scan
- ✓You plan to buy budget-friendly glasses
Consider elsewhere if...
- •You are over 40 and want an OCT scan
- •You have a family history of eye conditions
- •You need contact lens services
- •There is no Asda Opticians near you
- •You want the most comprehensive test available
How Asda Compares
| Optician | Standard | OCT Available | Sites in England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asda Opticians | £24 | Selected stores | 132 |
| Specsavers | £25 | Yes (up to +£10) | 764 |
| Boots Opticians | From £29.95 | Yes (from +£25) | 494 |
| Vision Express | £30 | Included | 440 |
Site counts are each chain’s optical sites on the NHS Organisation Data Service register for England, snapshot 19 October 2026, joined by head-office ODS code. They are register counts, not company store totals, and they exclude Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Asda Opticians branches on the NHS register
The NHS Organisation Data Service listed 132 open Asda Opticians optical sites in England on 19 October 2026, across 106 local authority districts. That is 2.1% of the 6,374 optical sites on the register in England. Every one of them can carry out an NHS-funded sight test for people who qualify.
Asda Opticians Eye Test: Common Questions
How much is an eye test at Asda Opticians?
An eye test at Asda Opticians costs £24, a single published price. Specsavers quotes £25 in most stores (its stores are independently owned and some charge less), Boots publishes its Essential test from £29.95 and Vision Express £30. Asda does not publish a separate contact lens check fee, but it includes free aftercare (one appointment within 12 months) when you buy your lenses from them. NHS-eligible customers get their test free.
How much is a contact lens check at Asda Opticians?
Asda Opticians does not publish a standalone contact lens check or assessment fee on its price list. If you buy your contact lenses from Asda (in store or online) you are entitled to free aftercare: one appointment within 12 months of supply at any of its stores. For a separate assessment where offered, confirm the fee with your local branch when booking.
How much are glasses at Asda Opticians?
Asda publishes single vision glasses from £15 and varifocals from £45, then three designer tiers at £80, £100 and £130. Each tier is a complete price: frame, single vision or digital varifocal lenses where your prescription needs them, an anti-reflective coating and thinner lenses where needed, with the £15 single vision range excluded from the lens inclusions. Top-ups such as Transitions, polarised or mirror sun tints and advanced coatings are charged separately. Asda also prints "Buy 2 pairs & save £40" against its Designer, Premium Designer and Luxury Designer tiers. Children's glasses are free with an NHS voucher.
Does Asda Opticians offer OCT scans?
Asda Opticians advertises an enhanced eye test with OCT 3D retinal imaging at selected stores only, but does not publish a price for it, so confirm availability and cost with your local branch. Most Asda branches provide the standard £24 test, which includes a visual field screening alongside tonometry and an eye health check. If you want an OCT scan with a clear published price, Vision Express includes it (£30) and Specsavers adds it for up to £10 extra. Asda also has far fewer optical sites than its rivals: the NHS Organisation Data Service register for England lists 132 Asda optical sites against 764 for Specsavers and 494 for Boots Opticians.
How long does an Asda eye test take?
Asda publishes it as "usually about 30 minutes", during which an optical colleague and the optometrist carry out the sequence of checks. That covers the examination itself; allow longer if you intend to look at frames afterwards.