Amazing thorough eye exam with a great affordable arrangement of frames. The doctor is so nice as well as the staff. I highly recommend. They also take medi-cal. Very nice office super organized. read more

I went to pick up my glasses and they came back with the wrong Transition color on them. They were light blue instead of dark brown and I asked Dr. Ableson to please correct them for me I need them for the sun. He stood and yelled at me at the top of his voice in front of another patient saying it was my fault looking through them wrong!!! I have been wearing Transitions for over 20 years and they were the wrong color. I went home and called the lab and the technician told me that Dr.Ableson did not file the correct paperwork with my glasses!!! VERY UNPROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR!! I found a new optometrist that changed them very happily for me! I had to give Ableson one star to review him, he was lucky he got that! read more

I'd like to start by saying I do NOT enjoy or find pleasure in giving bad reviews. The initial time my family & I came to this office was a normal experience. Today, we go to pick up our glasses and there were quite a few issues... 1.) my husbands glass lens had a blemish & the frame was tainted (tainted meaning loose and bent) 2.) we had three glasses and only 2 (including my husbands) were ready after receiving a text stating all glasses were ready. When I asked the woman on the phone (SEEMA) she informed me it is because prisoners make the glasses... that was the extent of it and then I got HUNG UP ON. This establishment needs to hire individuals whom have better business etiquette. Medical, HMO ,PPO...it should not matter. Represent yourself & your business in a more etiquette manner. read more

This optometrist office is my favorite in OC above Costco and so many others-they really take care of their customers and the staff is always helpful. I've never had an issue with them and they really pulled through when Costco optical office made a mistake and didn't fix it. I will always go here and send all of my family and friends! Thank you Gateway Village! read more

We had a great experience at this optometry office. The front office assistants are so kind & welcoming. It's very clean & the parking is convenient. I recommend this place for your optical needs. read more

I've been seeing Dr. Abelson for years and he has done amazing work with my difficult eyes. He is always in a good mood. His staff are so helpful and polite. Anytime I have a problem with my contacts or glasses, I just call and immediately they are able to find a solution. Terrific experience...every time! read more

I'm a new patient with Dr. Abelson since my current optometrist no longer took VSP. I have to say how impressed I was from my initial call to this office. While they are a busy office, i was able to get in within a few days and everyone was extremely professional, very courteous, and Dr. Abelson was amazing. He helped me find a better daily contact for my dry eyes and even let me try out a different contact prescription when I had trouble adjusting to my new prescription. It was obvious that he genuinely cares and wants to ensure your satisfaction. He was always upbeat and answered all my questions. On one occasion his wife was in the office and she was just as personable, said they like to think of the office and clients like family, and said they will not be undersold on prices. Lastly, I have to add that Dalia in his front office is truly an asset . From my experience in person and over the phone, she was super attentive to details, very efficent, and provided an exemplary level of customer service. I will certainly have other family members use Gateway Village Optometry and strongly recommend this office. read more

Best business!!! Knowledgeable doctor and friendly staff. Always a pleasure working with them.

My family loves the care this eye md. has given us. Helped my girl since a baby correcting her vision each year. I get all Designer frames with great lenses from them and I love that the prescription glasses and contacts are done so quickly after the exam. I would't change going here for the world. Thank you to the best eye doctor in town. #besteyedoctor #southocoptometrist read more

Great eye doctor and an even better staff. Customer service is amazing every time I visit and have never had any problems. Would highly recommend!! read more

Before scheduling my appointment I did not read the reviews 'til after I scheduled it. After reading reviews I was a little scared to come, but I said to myself I would just give it a try. I came in, I had an appointment for me and my 3 daughters. I filled out the paperwork turned it in to the receptionist, and as soon as I did the doctor started calling us in. He was very patient and caring with my daughters. Made them and myself feel comfortable at all times. The two staff members he has working for him are great. Everyone is welcoming. I do not understand why some of these reviews have given this place a 1 star. I highly recommend this place. read more

My first vist for a long over due eye exam & pair of glasses.The staff was very polite & helpful. Dr. Abelson was professional/knowledgeable and has a good sense of humor. read more

If I could give them 0 stars I would. I have had the worst experience here. I had an eye exam scheduled, the doctor showed up late, and then said I needed specific contacts that they sell instead of the other brand that I was using for over 5 years. I tried them and did not like them at all. When I went back to get just my prescription they would not provide me my prescription without the exact brand name on it. The first thing out of their mouth, how much are they at the other place? Excuse me, it has nothing to do with price and I told them that. I like the other brand I was using for 5 years. They basically hold your prescription hostage because they want you to buy from them. DO NOT go here if you ever want freedom to use your prescription where you want. read more

Amazing service, and great prices. I went to 4 different eye doctors who could not make me see. Dr. Abelson was the first that was able to correctly diagnose me and give me the right glasses. I am able to see perfectly now like no other eye doctor was able to do. Never going anywhere else. read more

I spent over $500 on two pairs of prescription glasses. Very limited selection of frames so we used my current frames on one pair. The transition lens are in my old frames and are great. The more expensive reading glasses make my eyes water, the focus is horrible and my $30 readers work way better. HUGE waste of money on the glasses for reading but the transition lenses for driving are great. It's a 50/50 split positive and negative. read more

Worst customer service, No ethics, no idea how to run a business, and they charge twice as much. It had been a couple of years since I had an eye exam, and I was uncomfortable with my glasses, specially driving at nights. Being new to this area, just walked in to this place after having lunch at a restaurant next door, I was the only one in the store, so didn't have to wait, I had an eye exam. I paid for the exam and was quoted over $500 for a prescription glass including a frame that I picked out. I asked for a breakdown and thought that the price they wanted to charge for just the lenses ($350) was just too high. I told the lady up front to give me a copy of my prescription and that I would have to think about it. I shopped around and found another store that I could order new glasses with the same exact lenses that they wanted to charge me $350 for less than half the cost. So I ordered the glasses with the prescription given from this Dr. My glasses arrived and the prescription just didn't feel right, but since I knew it would take some time to get use to it, I waited a few weeks. Well, I was still not comfortable with the new prescription, so I came back to the Dr and asked him to recheck my eyes and make sure that the prescription he prescribed was correct. After the examination was completed he looked at my record and asked to see my new glasses, he checked the lenses that the other place had ordered and blamed it on the lenses, and he said that they were not the same as he had prescribed. At this point I'm furious since now it is over 3 months I'm having problems, I asked if he was sure? He replied yes. I asked what will it take to fix this problem, he said that I would have to buy the lenses from him for $278 and that since my frames were brand new he could use my frames, being frustrated I agreed and paid him $278 in advance. I was told that he would have the lenses in 7 to 10 days. I went back after 2 weeks since no one called to give me update, found out that the lenses were in but they just didn't notify me. I left my frames with them so they can install the new lenses on my frame. I picked up my glasses the next day and driving back home that evening had the same watery eyes with my new lenses. Again, I decided to give it time to see if my eyes would get use to them. A couple of weeks later I picked up my glasses to live the house the right side lens fell out and on to the carpet, I picked up the lens and the frame and went back to the store, well, as usual the Dr was not there, his they're only 3 or 4 days out of the week, the lady in the front said no problem, I'll put in a new screw and fix it for you but you will have to come back to see the Dr another day. I waited for her to go to the back of the store and fix my glasses. She took a good 20 min and came back with a silver color screw which didn't match the original, nor the screw on the other side, it was also allot longer screw and sticking out of the frame, I saw this, and immediately said this is not the right screw, she apologized and said that she tried to cut it down, and that was the best she could do. I left the store and as I walked into my office an hour later, the left side lens popped out of the frame and fell on to the concrete floor putting a huge scratch right in the center of the lens. I was so mad at this point, I knew she probably had taken the other screw out to find a match and had left it loose. I picked up the lens and the following morning went back in to the store. This time I'm told that the Dr is with a patient and that he would come out & talk to me as soon as his done with the other patient. I sit and wait almost 20 min, I asked the lady to go back and see how long he would be, since that was my lunch break and I was running out of time, well she comes back telling me that the Dr said that there was nothing that could be done and that he could order new lenses for a reduced price of $200. I told her, that I wasn't paying him again and it wasn't my fault that he had incompetent employees that couldn't tighten a screw. To make a long story short, the Dr. never came out to see or talk to me. I don't blame him, how do you handle stupidity, and what could he possibly tell me to try and get more money from me. They never took care of it. Look at the picture of the screw that was used. P.s. I ordered the same lenses from glassesusa.com for $140 less than 1/2 the cost. Don't waste your time and money with this place. read more

Gateway Village Optometry - Optometrists Near Me - San Clemente, California

Worst experience ever! The receptionist here is so unprofessional and rude! Shocking that this place is even in business. What a rip off too! I was totally overcharged. He gave me a the wrong perscription for my eyes too, and I could barely see! The doctor, is very nice, but I don't trust him. He'd say I don't know why you're having trouble, you're seeing 20/20. I think I'd know if I was seeing 20/20 or not, because I'd actually be able to see!!! LOL. Everytime I went back, the receptionist gave me attitude. I went to Seside Eyecare instead, and wow, what a world of difference. I got a completely new perscription and can actually see now! Also, the girls in the office are the nicest ever too! Go there instead. read more

Life Savers!!! I lost my daughters replacement glasses... her original doctors office REFUSED to give me her pupillary distance measurements... they didn't want me purchasing glasses else where and claimed they didn't have her information. But Gateway Village saw us as a walk in, charged us nothing, and offered to help us with getting the replacements. I will defiantely be sharing their buisness cards with the school, as well as purchasing my daughters glasses from here from now on. Professional, quick working, thoughful, helpful staff and doctor. Thank you all!!! read more

This is one of the best -friendly staff -excellent Dr. Abelson. Helped two teenagers needing glasses with picky taste find frames they liked -correct their vision in a friendly manner. read more

I saw Dr Albelson three times over the course of 1 1/2 years as my vision got progressively worse. He diagnosed me as having a condition called kerataconus, a condition which he told me cannot be corrected. He claimed that he was an expert on this particular condition. After a year and a half, I finally decided to go to an ophthalmologist to get a second opinion. I was told I didn't have kerataconus at all. Instead I have cataracts, which should have been easily diagnosed by an optometrist's examination. Dr Abelson may be able to handle simple prescriptions, but I would not recommend going to him if you have anything more complex going on with your eyes. read more

Visited Gateway for the first time for eye exam/frames/lenses. Dr. Abelson conducted a thorough and informative/educational exam- having been a pediatric specialist he was able to explain the developmental/progressive issues I had been facing. His staff was wonderful with the frames and lenses (well within my budget). I would highly recommend this business for rx glasses/sunglasses and families... read more

It's so funny to read these nasty reviews because I've been going to Dr. Abelson for years and have had nothing but good experiences. Cheryl, the office manager, is a trooper and goes out of her way to make sure you are happy and taken care of. The practice has grown so much over these past few years and Cheryl handles it all with dignity and professionalism. If I had one suggestion for Dr. Abelson it would be that he needs to hire a full-time receptionist to give Cheryl a little more support! But I have nothing but good things to say about that office. I have referred many of my friends to them and take my entire family to Dr. Abelson and wouldn't have it any other way! read more

Awesome experience. The Doc is top notch, and the staff is friendly and professional. My glasses arrived quickly.

We have been going here for 3 years and love this office. Dr. Abelson is great, very good with my young children. Cheryl the office manager has always gone above and beyond to provide us with excellent service and everything we need. Glasses always come back fast and it is easy to get appointments at the times I need. I would recommend this office. read more

I can't say enough about how wonderful Dr. Ableson and his staff are. Professional and very caring at the same time. I will never have my family go to anyone else for our eye care needs. They always fit us in and the Dr. is excellent with my children, who just love him. He puts rush orders on lenses for us and is so reasonably priced. DR. Ableson Is the Optometrist to see if you live in and around the OC. A+ read more

It's too bad the other reviewers had a bad experience at Gateway Village Optometry. Mine was the complete opposite. I called for an appointment because my daughter had lost her glasses prior to the Christmas Break. They got her in that same afternoon, did a quick but thorough exam, and put a "hot rush" on her lens order so that they were back the next day. A new pair of glasses in less than 24 hours!!! The staff was friendly and helpful. read more

Nothing but love for Dr. Abelson and his assistant Cheryl! They have been taking care of my eyes for (3) years and always go out of their way to help me! read more