Optician in Belek and Kadriye: A Visitor's Guide to Glasses and Sunglasses

If your glasses break or your sunglasses vanish into the sea, an optician in Belek or neighbouring Kadriye is the place to start. Replacing sunglasses is simple. Prescription glasses and contact lenses work differently in Türkiye from what many visitors are used to, and knowing the rules before you walk in saves confusion.

What can an optician in Belek or Kadriye do for a visitor?

An optician in Belek or Kadriye can sell you sunglasses over the counter, supply prescription glasses and contact lenses against a prescription, and fit new lenses to a frame you already own. What an optician in Türkiye does not do is test your eyes: that is an ophthalmologist's job.

What should you do if your glasses break on holiday?

Keep every piece, find your prescription and take both to an optician.

1. Collect the frame, the lenses and any loose screws, and keep them together in a case.
2. Leave the superglue alone. It can mark the lenses and make a proper repair harder.
3. Find your prescription, whether that is a paper copy or a clear photo on your phone.
4. Switch to your spare pair if you packed one, especially before driving.
5. Show the optician the broken pair and the prescription, and ask what can be done with the frame you have.

If the pair is lost altogether, start at step 3. How long new prescription lenses take depends on the prescription and the lens type, so ask about timing at the outset.

Which sunglasses suit the Mediterranean sun?

For the sun on the Antalya coast, choose sunglasses with a UV400 label, the CE mark and a category 3 lens. UV400 means the lens blocks ultraviolet light up to 400 nanometres, which covers almost all UVA and UVB. The European and international standard for sunglasses, EN ISO 12312-1, sorts lenses into filter categories by how much visible light they let through. The details are in our article what does UV400 mean.

The category number is usually printed on the inside of one arm of the frame, next to the CE mark.

Polarised lenses are a separate feature: they filter the glare reflected off flat surfaces such as water, wet roads and car bonnets, which helps on boats and on long drives. Some LCD screens, including car dashboards, phones and cash machines, can look dark at certain angles through them. Polarisation says nothing about UV protection, so a polarised pair still needs the UV400 label.

Belek is known as Türkiye's golf centre, and a round lasts for hours, so UV protection matters on the course too.

How do you get prescription glasses in Türkiye?

In Türkiye, prescription lenses and contact lenses are supplied against a prescription from an ophthalmologist. Eye examinations are carried out by ophthalmologists, who are medical doctors. Opticians do not test eyes and do not work out your prescription. If you are used to having your eyes tested at a high-street optician, this is the main difference.

Bring your current prescription with you, or at least a clear photo of it. No promise can be made here that a prescription issued in another country will be accepted. The team at Goldeneye Optik can look at what you have and explain what is needed, and if a new prescription turns out to be necessary, it comes from an ophthalmologist.

A glasses prescription is also not a contact lens prescription, which carries extra values such as base curve and diameter.

Can you wear contact lenses in the sea or the pool?

The general advice is not to wear contact lenses in the sea, the pool or the shower. Water can carry microorganisms that may cause a serious eye infection, and for the same reason lenses and their case should not come into contact with tap water. If you notice redness, pain, blurred vision or sensitivity to light, take the lenses out and see an ophthalmologist. A spare pair of glasses means you are not stuck when the lenses have to stay out. The full rules are in our article on contact lens hygiene.

What should you pack before you travel?

Pack a spare pair of glasses and a copy of your current prescription. The full list is short:

• A spare pair of glasses, even an older one.
• A clear photo of your glasses prescription, and of your contact lens prescription if you wear lenses.
• A hard case for whenever the glasses are not on your face.
• A microfibre cloth. Rinse salt, sand and sun cream off with fresh water before you wipe, because rubbing a dry, sandy lens scratches it. More care tips are in our guide how to clean and care for glasses.

Avoid leaving glasses in a parked car in the Antalya summer, because high temperatures can damage lens coatings and frames.

Where is Goldeneye Optik and when is it open?

Goldeneye Optik is in Kadriye Mahallesi, in the Serik district of Antalya, next to the Belek tourism area. The team speaks English, German, Russian and Turkish, so you can explain the problem in your own words.

Brands in the store include Ray-Ban, Oakley, Persol, Prada, Gucci and Tom Ford; the full brand list is on the home page. The address and contact details are in the contact section.