So I haven't been to the opticians in years as my vision has always been perfectly ok, but lately it has been absolutely shit and I think I may need to see an optician and probably get glasses.

Are all opticians pretty much the same or is there one I should definitely go to above the rest? Are glasses expensive? Which glasses are good? Is there any point getting a designer pair or will a £30 specsavers own-brand do the job just as well? Is the whole process a costly, bureaucratic nightmare of Kafka proportions or a relative doddle? I am worried.