Streetlife

There is an independent opticians next to Bertie and Boo (I'm afraid I can't remember their exact name). 

I recommend them because they haven't been taken over by one of the big chains, the gentleman in there is extremely knowledgable every time I have been in to see him (even though they aren't my regular opticians).  And he was open one New Year's Day when everyone else was shut (at midday) and I trod on my glasses, smashed them and had run out of contact classes.

It feels a bit like stepping back in time.   I love it.

I never knew Holland and Barrett were opticians. I can wholeheartedly recommend the ex D and A (now Boots) on Clapham High St. Lovely people there.

Shannon and Carton used to have a branch in Clapham Junction. That's gone but, I have such a high regard for this family firm that I now use their Ladbroke Grove branch.

I don't think I could recommend these people too highly. Usual disclaimer.

http://www.shannon-carton.co.uk/index.html

All the best - Ian

Maureen Robinson at Wheeler & Kirk in Southfields, next to Starbucks, is lovely (020 8874 5511).

Oops I meant D&A, now Boots.  I liked the staff but did not like D&A pricings - they have a lot of extras. 
Many thanks for all the suggestions.  I will try out the one next door to Bertie and Boo (great name for cafe).  Pity about the Shannon-carton outfit but they are really too far.
 

My last pair of glasses I got from D&A in Balham. I went back to them because I was  dissatisfied    with the glasses but was told there was nothing wrong(I don't know how they were so certainI was the one looking through them)   I wrote to head office but didn't even receive a reply. When Boots sent me a reminder to have my eyes tested   I told them not while they are associated with D&A

I took my prescription done eslewhere to specsavers. They were great and cheap.

I think it was the prescription that was the trouble in my case

The eye test costs the same where ever you go. Karen Lockyer St John's Road corner with Battersea Rise has always been very good for me.

I assume its not the eye test cost you are concerned about Charlotte as depending on age/special offers about you can usually get a test free of charge. I have always found Bromptons on Clapham High street excellent technically - I need vari-focals and need other corrections. Frames that are very modern are expensive, but you can save - up to 50% of cost if, once you get the prescription amd make/model of frame.... have them made up by a company on internet. Also bear in mind that the least expensive vari's have a narrow field of good vision in prescription. You made need to ask for a prescrition which has a very wide field of vision - which is more expensive.

I find sugar/sugary food blurs my vision.
I find Astaxanthin clears my eyesight.
I use iherb, have to keep orders under £15 to escape UK import charges

Once you have had your eyes tested, check out www.glassesdirect.co.uk .I have used them twice, prices are far less than high street for lenses and frames. The choice is huge and you can have 3 or 4 frames to try before you decide.

I would recommend M. B. Bellmore in Northcote Road. Indepenent and very professional. They have always gone out of their way to sort things out whenever there was a problem and don't indulge in the hard sell of expensive frames you get some chains.

I'd recommend Bellmores in Northcote Road.  They are not cheap but they are extremely throrough and they know what they're doing.  For the first time in years I have both contacts and glasses that are perfect.

Bellmores is the only place to go if you want a thorough check and I've been going there for years.  True they are not cheap , but you get what you pay for and the opticians can be pedantic (the eye test takes much longer than any I've ever had pre-Bellmores, with often a long running commentary about what they are doing and why).  But you get a thorough check over and if there's any problem afterwards (my lenses were not quite right) they immediately sort it out with no quibbling.  They never used to have much of a choice of frames and certainly nothing you might call trendy but now they have an excellent choice, plenty of designer styles which again are (obviously) not cheap, but are really cool. It's an independant shop but it's the best by far.

I have been going to Karen Lockyer at Clapham Junction for years and find their service excellent. They seem very up-to-date with equipment, thorough with their testing and they have a very good monthly practice plan which helps spread the cost of services and gives you big discounts on all their products.

I would like to add to the recommendations for Bellemores in Northcote Road.  Very thorough and do explain what they are doing in some detail (maybe more than you need but it is reassuring anyway).

Slightly off topic, but I think D&A (now taken over by Boots) are franchises, which means that the level of service between different stores can be inconsistent. I've been with them for ~8 years for contacts and glasses and I find the service of the store I go to excellent - it's some of the best customer service I've ever had and the contact lense opticians have spent hours with me talking about finding the right contact lenses. 

This was is the Strand store of Boots / D&A, and the buy out by Boots hasn't affected the customer service so far. I also had good experience at the Wigmore Street branch, but definitely didn't feel like I was treated as well in the Putney branch.

If you happen to go that way, the trip to the Strand branch is worth it.

I find the pricing excellent. If you happen to subscribe to their contact lense by post service you get 50% of glasses, which is a pretty good deal.

(Not working on commission here, honest!)

I have yet to find any local optician who comes close to glassesdirect.co.uk, my variafocels are brilliant and the cost of the lenses and designer frames was so much less than elsewhere. I am pleased to mention them as they are 100% British, very successful and started by a guy under 20 in the last 10 years . Would be great to meet him and offer my congratulations.

I can recommend the ex D&A, now Boots, at Tooting Broadway but only because of the girls that run it who are really excellent and have offered a great service in the past. They are also very supportive of local community activities (eg donated to an initiative my husband started for his local GP surgery).