The deregulation of opticians monopoly was supposed to bring this rip off into a free for all market, the only problem is you still need to get your eyes tested with an opthalmic technician, so prices have narrowed as some of the competion went to the wall and competion lessened. There is an outfit at Blackburn that manufacture their own lenses, they are cheaper but the good lord only knows where they get the prices for a bit of acrylic plastic and brass wire they make the frames out of.
