What is the difference between a health fund providers’ ‘FREE’ spectacles and Vision West spectacles?

Health fund spectacles are dispensed down to a price determined by the health fund, not the Optometrist. Typically this means the cheapest frame with the most basic uncoated lenses. It is not possible to provide the best optical solutions for the price a health fund determines is ‘enough’. This means the carefully devised prescriptions for your spectacles are then compromised by inferior materials and poor quality frames that cannot last.

To meet health fund cost parameters, providers of these so called free spectacles have to source old, discontinued or poor quality frames and lenses. Often when you price equivalent product at a health fund provider and compare it to Vision West prices for quality product, we will be cheaper in many cases.