LATE Post: I agree totally with these comments: Wish I would have seen them before: "Nov 6,…read more2024 Customer service needs some serious improvements especially in the post sale phase. ...." They are very attentive in the beginning but no so much post sale after you've given them your money.

This is probably an unfair review, or maybe it isn't...you decide…read more My husband and I came here through word-of-mouth from my husband's coworkers who have the same eye care insurance. Booking the appointment was fine. Minor point, they don't run like clockwork, even though the name is "eyework". It says eye not clock. You should check their lunch hour and decide if you want to be standing in the cold or not while waiting for their lunch over to end. What is cold anyway in the Bay Area? This isn't Colorado. In Colorado, they would open the doors earlier to let people in from the snow. Doctor was fine. My vision went from -8 to -10 in two years. I'm thinking I may need to start learning braille. (Spoilers, no I didn't go get a second opinion.) We picked out frames. I am mightily blessed with a wide face and a flat nose, as in I don't have strong nose bridge. The workers reassured me that lots of customers have my style of face. Great. I picked out a pair by Oliver People and paid $800-1000 for my frames. This is San Mateo, right? People love chucking money at the sky. For me, it's because it was one of two pairs designed for women* they had available that would fit my face. Did I choose the more expensive pair? Sure I did, because I thought it would be more comfortable and I liked the color. This is the worst pair of eyeglasses I have ever owned. And by this point, I've owned probably 25-30 pairs of eyeglasses. The titanium is nice and light, so yes, it is more comfortable; I don't have any pain at the temple or behind the ear lobe. But that's because the glasses is touching my skull in 4 spots - the two nose pads and two tiny spots somewhere on my ear. The frames aren't touching anywhere along my temple. Does this sound great? Maybe, until you realize there ain't nothing holding up this pair glasses. No friction, at all. Stupid, stupid design. I've got bad vision. (I want you to know, I am censoring a lot of curse words to keep this family-friendly). So the lens is heavier. What does this mean? Well, that requires a knowledge of gravity. You don't even need college-level knowledge of gravity. The weight of my lenses pulls the glasses down. If I were to look down at something, say a book, or maybe I'm painting something, maybe I'm tying my shoe. My glasses fall off my face. I was literally in the middle of painting something and I got so frustrated I stopped in the middle to write this review. When I turn my head sideways, and the glasses fall off sideways, the eye pads poke my eyeball. STUPID. And my husband likes to point out, "That's $1000 for you". Also, adjusting the titanium is STUPID. It's "fragile" so they can't actually adjust it (even though the girl who helped me with the frames said they could). The eye pads are adjustable...except here is another STUPID thing. The glasses weren't adjusted when I picked them out. The girl marked the lens which is information used by the company making the lens to match it with my prescription. Well...they adjust the glasses afterwards, so the mark is off now. STUPID. So my vision isn't improved while driving. I've noticed that I have a harder time driving with these new glasses. It's fine though, since I mostly drive in areas I'm familiar with; I don't need to read signs so much. Maybe I'm wrong, but I can see the same with my old pair if not better. And my prescription on that pair is -8. To their credit, they were helpful in doing what they could with the glasses. But there's only so much they can do. So here my main issues 1. The glasses weren't adjusted prior to marking the lens. 2. Likely inexperience with high prescriptions, low nose bridge, wide face, etc. Pros: The staff are friendly, it was easy to book an appointment. Verdict: I'm going to go back to my old doctor, even if it means paying toll and driving 45 minutes one way for an appointment and then again when I pick up my glasses/contacts. *Women glasses: they're as stupid as women's clothing: Overpriced and not functional, or sometimes worse, they give the impression of being functional, but sometimes those pockets or drawstrings are just for show. In the future, I'm going to pick out men's glasses. They're more affordable, no fuss or frills, and they're also wider. But do the people who make this profession think about telling the customer that? Either they don't know...or they want your money. Go ahead San Mateo, throw more money into the sky. That's how you got rich, right? By spending and spending.

I mean, the reviews speak for themselves. This is truly the kindest, and the BEST optometrist I…read morehave ever been to. Doctor Lin has seen me for same day emergencies and for routine checkups and is always patient, respectful and kind. She'll always be sure to explain things in a way that make you feel at ease. Justin & Alex are equally as great! The vibes they put off are welcoming and open. Not to mention the sweet nostalgic tunes that are played on the record player to soothe the soul. (vinyl over digital, ftw) I actually live hours away from this location now, but will still continue to come back here for checkups and repairs because this team is truly a one of a kind. THANK YOU!

Been coming here for over ten years, the best customer service and good prices for name brand…read moreeyewear. Eye exams are a great price with or without insurance. They have great frames and stay accustom to the newest technologies available.

EDIT: update from 2 to 5 stars -- Alicia called me back and really helped me with my questions…read morestep-by-step. I was very impressed with the follow-up, patience, and helpfulness. Turns out they did have some samples in my prescription in stock! I'm glad they helped me out this time. S/o to the girls at the front desk! Generally I've had a solid experience when working with folks here (my file was transferred over from another office in the past) but just had an awkward phone call with one of the staff. I asked a few questions I was concerned about and got some answers, asked if they had my prescription in stock (which they didn't, which is fine), but after that it was followed up with awkward silences after asking if there are any options I could explore, to the point that I wasn't sure if they were still on the phone. I heard typing in the background so I wasn't sure if they were looking into it for me, but looking back I think he had mentally moved on from the conversation. I asked to see if someone else could help me -- but was met with "everyone else is busy". He asked for my info, and I asked "will I get a callback regardless or only if there's a solution", and the way he answered seemed like I probably wouldn't get a callback. Like some empathy or "we can't help you, but you can explore these options (samples, boxes or brands they do have in stock, etc)" to provide direction . Idk if Benjamin was just having a bad day, but I felt like a burden and an annoyance for asking questions and didn't really have the empathy nor the time to want to help me problem solve.

Came over as new patients about few years ago. Recently, my kids/adult (being more hands off and…read morelet them conduct their own visits. I found in both (separate days) instances , they had done a optic scan vs a pupil dilation (covered by insurance). One signed a consent, one did not. Both were not aware there was an extra charge. The 2nd time around, I decided to point it out, and they had no problem with not charging, but it is the principle and I want to be able to trust my doctor best interest in me (financially as well) vs making a quick dime on these sneaky charges. With the first visit/kid, I let it go). 2nd visit, I had to speak up... probably going to be looking for a new optometry place...

Clear Optometry is an easy recommendation if you care about frames and want real guidance, not a…read moresales pitch. Calvin was super helpful and clearly knows his stuff. He steered me away from a frame that another shop had recommended. In hindsight, that frame would have looked terrible on me, and I'm glad he said so. He also pointed me to the right lens density for my prescription, which made a big difference in what was actually practical to wear. On top of that, the shop carries styles you do not see at most other optical stores. If you want something unique and you want someone honest to help you pick it, this is the place.

Thanks to Calvin for fixing my glasses when I walked in with no appointment. He was very efficient…read moreand friendly.

I just dropped in this morning at about 11:20 AM. Ray was able to get my Gucci sunglasses right on…read moremy face. I have been keeping my sunglasses in the drawer cause they would always fall off my face just being outside. Well, it's about to be summer and I'm gonna be out and about. Ray made sure I could shake my head and look down and dance without them falling off. Thank you, Ray for your care and easy quick easy fix on my sunglasses! They also have some cute shades in the store!

I came for help getting a broken/stripped screw out of my glasses. It was really stuck, but the…read moretechnician was able to remove it and replace it with a new screw in 30 minutes! They offered me water while I wait, and the technician also removed a screw's excess length to make the glasses symmetric. Excellent service, and thank you!

Second the other comments about the rudest front desk. She didn't not listen and completely ignored…read moreme trying to explain the situation. This place does not deserve my business.

The rudest ffomt desk person who set the totally negative tone. She has no concept of welcoming a…read morenew patient and explaining services. she asked me what kind of glasses I wanted and I said I did not know, I would rely on skill of optometrist to recommend based on Dr Prescription. She raised her voice in derision... "No! You choose."! When I said I did not know she kept pushing that isn't their problem. I said I wanted to speak to optician first. She said I had to commit first. totally unprofessional demeaning experience. I was visibly shaken by the receptionist screaming at me. when I met with optician Diane she was calm explaining pricing but was not knowledgeable about lens options. I could not in good conscious endure giving these people one more minute of my time. I advised optician I was extremely uncomfortable. She said she understood. I walked out and will not be returning.

Stopped in to find sunglasses that fit my face, I'd been having a heck of a time getting petite…read moreones given I usually had worn children's frames for eyeglasses. The inside is a compact store, housing many frames for rx lenses as well as ready to be worn sunglasses. I was lucky enough to have the owner/shopkeeper, Randa, help me. She pulled tons and tons of frames for me to try. Ultimately I did find one and she offered to hold them for me for up to a week with one courtesy call. They were fully rimmed and I elsewhere found a pair and brand that worked better. Randa was super kind and helpful, what I especially appreciated is her down to earth vibe and attitude. It's conveniently located in downtown SM and parking can be tough, especially during peak hours. They bill themselves as 'reasonably priced,' and though I'm not sure if that's the case, the customer service I got here was outstanding and the selection was vast. I guess they do offer more reasonably priced ones compared to super expensive designer frames. We did have a bit of confusion and misunderstanding about my wanting only polarized sunglasses, and her showing me three frames, which upon her checking more closely, finding that they were not polarized. But I did appreciate her honesty and checking for me.

I highly recommend Just For Optical in downtown San Mateo. They carry a wide variety of styles and…read morebrands of glasses at reasonable prices. I have been a customer since 2019 and Randa, the owner, has helped me find glasses that I like and also fit me well. Randa is always patient while I make my selection and I never feel pressured into a purchase. She is also available on a drop-by basis for minor repairs (such as nose pads) or adjustments. Overall, great service!

Dr. Wong is old school, but definitely knows what he is doing. When I got my computer and reading…read moreglasses and tested them out they were the perfect focus for my computer and phone. It was like my eyes took a breath and relaxed... Amazing feeling!

Extremely overpriced eyeglasses very small selection. But had to go there because they were on my…read moreinsurance. They were very rude. I left and went to a store several miles away for better selection and better pricing.

I've been wearing glasses for nearly 8 years now and while I've always had frames that worked I had…read morenever truly loved the practice(s) I had tried out... until Ideal Eyes. This female-ran business really has it all--the staff is kind and knowledgeable, the place is clean and well decorated, and Dr. Surh is a master of her craft. Not only was she able to quickly get my prescription updated (and answer any and all questions about my eye health), she was equally great at helping me ease my way into contact lenses. Past optometrists have been reluctant to get me onto contacts because of my astigmatism, but Dr. Surh was flexible and gave me plenty of options (with follow-ups) until I found the perfect lenses. Overall, a great and painless place to keep your eye health in check. And while I haven't purchased frames from them directly I can attest to their wide and stylish selection. So happy to have found this gem!

UPDATE: After all that, I decided I'd had enough and told them I was moving on to another provider…read more You'd think that would be the end of the story. It was not. When I booked with the new place, I was informed my exam wouldn't be covered by insurance -- because my old provider had submitted a pre-authorization request and never cancelled it. The new office couldn't clear it themselves; only the original provider could release it. So, one more email, back into the void. I asked them directly: did your office request a pre-authorization on my behalf? They didn't actually admit to that -- instead they just said they'd cleared it, so the new office should be able to pull it now. Should. Great. Let's recap: I never had a confirmed appointment with them, by their own account, and yet somehow they'd found the time to file paperwork with my insurance company that then sat there blocking me from being seen anywhere else. No apology for that part. Almost impressive, honestly, in a "how did you manage to mess up two entirely separate processes in service of one appointment" kind of way. It also took one final round-trip with them before I could actually move on -- fitting, since the whole saga has had the vibes of a messy college breakup: the drawn-out final logistics, the ex who's still holding onto your hoodie. Small detail while I'm here: their emails are often signed "Thanks, Ideal Eyes Team," versus the name of a human. After enough of these exchanges, you start to wonder if there's a person back there at all, or just a very polite AI fielding damage control. On the bright side: I went to the new provider yesterday, and it was like stepping into a different world entirely. Professional, communicative, and nobody made me forward an email to prove anything. Fingers crossed it stays that way.