Compare optometrists in New Zealand at Canstar Blue. The Independent Optometry Group, Bailey Nelson, SpecSavers and OPSM were compared on Overall Satisfaction, Accessibility of Store, After Sale Service, Customer Service, Range of Products, Service and Advice, Value for Money.
See our Ratings Methodology.
Once again, The Independent Optometry Group is the winner of Canstar Blue’s Most Satisfied Customers | Optometry Award.
Our review compares optometrists on customer satisfaction, so you can discover what other Kiwis think about our compared optometrists before you make your own optometry choice. Think of it like asking hundreds of your closest friends which optometrists they think deliver the best value and service!
Canstar Blue surveyed 1666 Kiwis who had used a national chain of optometry stores within the past three years for their feedback on the optometrist they used.
Respondents rate their satisfaction with their optometrist brands from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
The winning optometry store brand is the one that receives the highest Overall Satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall Satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
Find more information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.
The Independent Optometry Group is again the winner of Canstar Blue’s Optometry Award. It has won our top award every year since its inception, in 2018, (under the brand name Visique from 2018 to 2021) and this year, once again, The Independent Optometry Group earns a great set of ratings from its customers.
It’s the only optometrist to earn a 5-Star rating for Overall Satisfaction. Across all ratings, it earns further top scores in all categories concerning service and advice, both on a customer level and from the stores’ qualified optometrists. Of the four brands in this year’s award ratings, The Independent Optometry Group is the only one to excel across these fields.
The Independent Optometry Group is a 100% Kiwi member-owned cooperative of 71 independent optometry practices, spanning all parts of the country. As a result, Independent Optometry Group is able to deliver its customers the local knowledge and bespoke service of an independent optometrist, plus all the benefits of a large-scale cooperative.
A newcomer to our Optometry awards, Bailey Nelson places second in our ratings, earning a 4-Star for Overall Satisfaction from its customers. Notably it earns a 4-Star Rating for Value for Money, plus 4 Stars for Customer Service and Service & Advice, which is a reflection of Bailey Nelson’s commitment to delivering customer service and value. However, the optometry brand scores less well, 3-Stars, for Range of Products, which is somewhat understandable, as Bailey Nelson focuses on retailing its own range of stylish frames, rather than those of other glasses brands.
Bailey Nelson was founded in Sydney in 2012 and has grown into a global brand with stores in London, Canada and here in NZ, where it operates ten stores across the country: six in Auckland, one each in Tauranga and Wellington, plus two in the South Island, both in Christchurch. Bailey Nelson has a focus on delivering great service and fashionable eyewear products at affordable prices.
Specsavers is a brand that has a long association with great value eyewear. So it’s no surprise that in this year’s award ratings, it’s the only optometry brand to earn a top 5-Star rating for Value for Money. It also achieves top scores for its wide range of products and also the accessibility of its many stores. And although it gets a 3-Star rating for Overall Satisfaction from its customers, the optometry brand earns higher praise for its levels of service, earning 4-Stars in each field.
Founded in the UK, Specsavers is a massive force in the optometry space that boasts a worldwide network. In NZ, there are over 50 independently owned Specsavers franchises, many of which also offer audiology, providing excellent advice and service.
Specsavers offers its customers peace of mind with a two-year quality guarantee on all its frames, as well as a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Of the four optometry brands in our awards ratings, OPSM places last, with a 3-Star rating for Overall Satisfaction from its customers. It’s a rating it repeats across five of our seven ratings categories. OPSM’s highest scores come for After Sales Service and Store Accessibility – in both of these fields it earns 4-Star ratings.
OPSM has travelled far in its 80-plus years. From a single store in Sydney, it now boasts nearly 400 stores across Australia and New Zealand. OPSM has an extensive network of stores, with several locations in most New Zealand cities. OPSM also boasts an excellent contact lens subscription service that provides you with regular refills, delivered to your door, with a 25% discount off the retail price.
Not all optometry brands in the market qualify for our ratings (based on minimum survey sample size), but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth considering. Here are more brands to check out before making a purchase decision.
Founded in 1957, Matthews Eyecare is a third-generation family owned New Zealand business with 20 practices spread across the North and South Islands. Matthews Eyecare prides itself on its professional expertise and its commitment to personalised service. In addition to general eye and vision care, many Matthews Eyecare professionals offer speciality eyecare services.
Paterson Burn is one of the largest independent optometry groups in the country and boasts a history stretching back over 100 years. Based across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty, Paterson Burn is committed to providing the highest level of care to its clients. While its optometrists deliver clear vision and good eye health, its optical assistants and dispensing opticians will have you seeing and looking great.
Like other healthcare providers, optometrists provide an essential service. And if you wear glasses, regular optometrist appointments are a must to ensure your vision remains 20/20.
As with all private healthcare, cost is a big factor, and over a quarter (26%) of those in our awards survey say that Value for Money is their biggest concern when rating their choice of optometrist.
However, it’s professional service and advice, that offered only by a professional optometrist, that is the most important factor for optometry consumers: 28% of the 1666 New Zealanders in this year’s survey cite professional service and advice as the most important factor when it comes to rating great satisfaction with their choice of optometrist.
Coming in third, general Customer Service is rated No.1 by just under a quarter of respondents (24%). This is the type of regular customer service you’d expect from any retail outlet: prompt, courteous service from attentive staff.
If you’re wondering what’s important when choosing the right optometrist for your needs, here’s the full rundown of what the consumers in our survey say are the main points they consider when rating their optometry choices.
The name says it all: a square face is essentially angular. This includes strong features and a prominent jawline. If you’ve a square-shaped face, you should appreciate your sought-after model-like jaw line. However, glasses can often make features look too prominent, so the key is to soften harsh features. For angular features, glasses with strong curves and neutral colours work well, so cat-eye, round or oval frames may be your best options! Also, to make the face look slimmer, a wider frame could be a good choice.
If you’ve a broad forehead, high cheekbones and a narrow, pointed chin, then your face shape is categorised as heart-shaped. Because heart-shaped faces tend to have a wide forehead, it’s best to opt for glasses that have a wider frame than your forehead, so not to emphasise it. Of course, there’s certainly nothing wrong with a wide forehead, but glasses can distort facial features and, in this instance, those features can look out of proportion. Light coloured glasses can help soften your features, too.
If you’ve a round face, you’ll have a rounded chin with equally proportioned features, along with a wide forehead and full cheeks. The aim here is to wear strongly detailed glasses to create contrast and make features appear sharper. You may want to opt for coloured, detailed or patterned glasses, as they’ll make your face look longer and thinner. The shape of the glasses will also create the same effect; the key is to choose a frame that’s wider, rather than taller.
Also consider the style of bridge, as it can make a big difference to your overall appearance. When choosing glasses for a round face, aim for a thin or clear bridge to make your eyes seem wider apart.
An oval shaped face is very balanced in terms of proportional features, except your chin is narrower than your forehead and you’re blessed with high cheekbones! You’ll know if you have an oval-shaped face because everything is very balanced. With this comes ease in choosing glasses. But don’t opt for over-sized glasses that are too big, as you’ll distract from this balance. Instead, pick frames only a tad bigger! Detail usually pairs well with high cheek bones.
This report was written by Canstar’s Editor, Bruce Pitchers. Bruce has three decades’ experience as a journalist and has worked for major media companies in the UK and Australasia, including ACP, Bauer Media Group, Fairfax, Pacific Magazines, News Corp and TVNZ. Prior to Canstar, he worked as a freelancer, including for The Australian Financial Review, the NZ Financial Markets Authority, and for real estate companies on both sides of the Tasman.
Have more than one pair of glasses: 48%
Delay visits to the optometrists due to cost: 35%
Poor eyesight runs in my family: 34%
Good eyesight is critical for my job: 28%
Have annual eye tests: 28%
Prefer cheaper outlets to boutique optometrists: 28%
Suffer eye strain through overuse of technology: 22%
Have considered laser eye surgery: 18%
Glasses are a part of look: 18%
Have glasses but hardly wear them: 12%
Brand of glasses I wear is important: 10%
Glasses or contacts |
% |
Glasses |
80% |
Contact lenses |
6% |
Combination of both |
14% |
Yearly average spend |
$ |
Glasses |
$459 |
Contact lenses |
$316 |
Canstar Blue surveyed 5087 New Zealand consumers across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from respondents who had used a national chain of optometry stores within the past three years. In this case, 1666 New Zealanders. Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criterion.
The past winners from Canstar Blue’s Optometry ratings:
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