Dr Situ is my regular eye doctor now after Dr Ng retired her practice.. Love their service and ease of communication. All the personnel is super nice. Highly recommend their location. read more

Haight Street Eyecare - Counter - Optometrists Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Communication. Sometimes it feels like a lost art and in Haight Street Optometry's case, it was basically non-existent. I came in last year to finally get a proper pair of glasses. I'm a writer so seeing the computer screen and being able to read words on pages is pretty important. I spent close to $500 on swanky Italian red frames and was talked into progressive lenses. I had never tried this new-fangled visual technology and was hesitant, but I figured why not. When they arrived and I picked them up, I tried them on and didn't care for them, they made me dizzy, but I was told to give it some time to adjust. I then left on a multi-month assignment to Europe later that week and struggled with them the whole time and finally gave up and just bought cheap readers. I sat on them for a bit when I returned to the states and would pull them out and try again and again, but it was no use. Progressive lenses are not for me. I made an appointment to see if there was anything that could be done or if we could switch them out for regular computer-friendly glasses, but my window of time had elapsed. Totally fine, I get it, but this is where my frustration comes in. Had they told me a solid no, I would have moved on and figured out next steps, but instead, I waited for Georgina to ask the doctor if they could do something to help me. That took 2 months and no updates. I then called again to check the status assuming they had been changed out (as she made it sound like they would do) and she had forgotten to even ask. She then apologized and said she would check with the doctor that day and get right back to me. That was April. It's now August and it wasn't until I called again today that she told me nothing could be done. Again, if it was a done deal, fine, but making me wait 6 months with this dangling carrot of flakey hope is just unprofessional. I waited 6 months for a no when i could have just ordered glasses somewhere else by now. Insurance wasn't my main concern, i just wanted the right lenses so I could do my job and see. So, I will not be returning here. Communication seems like a bare minimum and while I appreciated the gesture to help in the beginning, it was a hollow gesture at best and left a really bad impression. Nobody has time for that kind of a bs and now my eyes are worse and ai have to start this whole process over. Newp. read more

I was running out of daily contacts, and needed to get a new prescription and order, so did a quick search and found Haight Street Eyecare could see me with a quickness which I was in need of. I called to make an appointment, and was able to get one the next day. My previous eye doctor was very transactional, which I didn't appreciate. I knew that looking for a new eye doctor, who actually cares was important, and Dr. Situ provided such service. He took the time to explain to me the differences between the different daily options, and why some would work better than others for my eyes. He never tried to upsell me and lead me to make the most educated decision I could, which I really appreciated. I decided to go with the new Acuvue Max dailies, and have been really happy with them. Since they were newer for Acuvue, there was a backorder on them. That wasn't communicated to me, which a simple call and update would go a long way. I had to call after a couple weeks and ask for an update. I was leaving for a trip, and was running out of my current dailies, and they were nice enough to give me some pairs to get me through until my order arrived. There was a mishap with the rebate offered by Acuvue, as I hadn't heard anything for a couple weeks about it. So I called the office, and they contacted the provider, and sent me a link to get the rebate process. While I appreciate the promptness of that, it'd be cool if there was a follow up call/email with an update. Which is my only knock is that I think follow-up and updates can be much improved, but overall it was a comfortable eye doctor to visit and plan on continuing to use them in the future. read more

I have been going to Haight Street Eyecare (on Fillmore!) since they were on Haight Street. Dr. Chan is an amazing optometrist- so caring and patient and smart. I tell everyone to go here. He exams are thorough. His staff is friendly, helpful and kind. I am not sure what the complaints are about staff. I have experienced decades of new front office staff and they are consistently thoughtful, caring and helpful. Dr. Chan knows and cares about his patients. Please never retire, Dr. Chan! read more

I got my new glasses and after having worn them a few hours I noticed I was getting severe eye strain as well as a migraine. Later that night when I was sitting down to fix dinner, I had to look down to cut vegetables and realized I could not see a single thing I was doing. That's when I noticed the bifocals. I have had bifocals for several years and the bifocals on my new glasses I had never seen before in my life. I contacted the office the following day thinking there was a mistake in the crafting of my glasses. I explained the bifocals and what was happening to the optometrist that gave them to me and their explanation was "I should not look down when cutting vegetables and I need to get used to them". I'm sorry but, I have had migraines since I was an infant and I'm not going to get used to migraines and eye strain. I spoke with other optometrists regarding this type of bifocal and this bifocal is for macular degeneration - I DO NOT have macular degeneration nor was I offered any other type of bifocal that my insurance would cover. I was willing to work with the office to correct this mistake but, I was only offered a "don't look down when cutting vegetables" and "get used to it". If they would have offered to fix the mistake, I would have paid out of pocket for progressive bifocals and been happy but, I was so angry with the gaslighting that I just ended the conversation. Thanks to this interaction - my social worker nor myself will refer anyone to this office and I will be sticking with LensCrafters - their bedside manner is much more pleasant and when they make a mistake, they own it. read more

Haight Street Eyecare - Refused to fix and was told "don't look down to cut vegetables" and get used to it" despite it being migraine triggering. Wrong bifocal type - Optometrists Near Me - San Francisco, California

Cute office in SF neighborhood. Wonderful staff and caring doctors. Great system and flow. Very attentive and hopeful of patient's current vision. Even noticed a freckle on my eyelid and took a photo of it for the records. Thank you C2, Andy, and Marianne (apologies if I misspelled your guys name). read more

Excellent care. Couldn't be happier with how they handled everything! Doctor and staff are extremely nice. read more

Love Dr. Chan! He is the best and always very through and caring. I've been going to him for over 20 years now. Trustworthy and always takes time to talk with you and explain everything, and I've had alot of questioned over the years. It's always like seeing family when I go in. I've seen the recent reviews and it saddens me that they've been negative, considering that Dr. Chan is such a staple in the neighborhood and well known for his community service. He is one of the few establishments that continuity employs the youth and young adults to mentor and teach about the eye business. To the negative reviewers, everyone makes mistakes and this type of feedback to Dr. Chan should have been done, versus stating your unhappiness on Yelp. He's always appreciative, whether being given positive or negative feedback. read more

Had a great experience getting an eye exam. The doctor explained everything he saw and what that means for me and my vision. The staff were very friendly and helpful throughout the entire process and I recommend coming in! read more

I love Dr Chan and for him, I stayed with them for years. Dr Chan is an incredible doctor. Thorough, considerate, super patient and committed to making sure I had the right eyeglasses and contacts. On the other hand, the receptionists are a total failure. They make me feel small when I ask for something. When I ask for a rush order, they won't make promises or provided any reassurances. The final straw came when the order was late and they didn't even apologize. Sorry ladies, I'm done with you and it's over. I'm changing eye care providers as of now. Hasta la vista, ladies. Dr Chan I'm sorry but you need to change your front staff. read more

I like Dr. Daniel, the staff, and the two sets of Carrera Ducati frames I bought at Haight Street Eyecare. The lenses are of poor quality, and smudges do not come off easily. Lens cloths do not work, and I am loath to walk around with a lens spray in my pocket. I returned to discuss the issue with the store, and they would not remedy the situation, even though I just dropped $1,100 on eyewear there. read more

I will miss Dr.Chan and his team! My husband and I recently moved to So Cal so we won't be seeing him anymore but not before I leave my personal review. I've been going to Dr. Chan for many years and he was the only eye doctor I trusted because I knew he genuinely cared about my health and well-being. He is the nicest guy and incredibly professional! I highly recommend this eye clinic and wish you, Dr. Chan and your staff all the best!!! Take care! read more

This review is regarding the front desk staff. I came here for at least 5 years until the woman staff were so rude, for no reason at all, I refused to return. Dr. is great though. read more

This is a huge shout out to Dr. Chan's support staff and I am expressly talking about Sharon. She's been there for quite some time and while I now live in SoCal, she always saves the day. Whether it be insurance, expediting delivery, or giving feedback on frames, Sharon is always professional, courteous and the reason why we want to support small businesses. She jumped in to a shipping difficulty and made sure I had my contacts with little to no wait. time as I was surely going to run out. Dr. Chan I hope never retires. I left my heart at Haight Street Eyecare. read more

It saddens me to have write a so-so review for this office because Dr. Chan is terrific. However, after years of being a loyal patient and customer (I think 5-6 years?), I have decided to stop patronizing Haight Street Eyecare. I honestly kept returning mainly for Dr. Chan, who is friendly, professional, and actually *knows his patients.* There is a relationship there, and based on the other reviews, other people feel this way. Now, the staff on the other hand: this is where we get into choppier waters (and it seems based on these reviews and my friend who *I recommended* to them [and has not since returned] also feels this is where the problems are). I like to consider myself pretty level-headed and patient, but since there have been multiple instances now of unprofessional behavior from the staff, I cannot stick around and take it any longer. The most recent blunder from their end was regarding ordering frames. Because of COVID-19, I am trying to limit outside contact and decided to have two frames I found online to be ordered by them, so I can try them on, and then give them the business. (I've done this a few times now with them over the years.) Last month, per their suggestion over the telephone, I emailed the models over. Today, I called to follow up. They didn't see the email or the follow-up e-mail I sent several days ago. No one even bothered to follow up or in this case follow through at all. Now, I will lose my eyecare benefit for 2020 because of their lack of attention. When I expressed my disappointment, the gentleman on the phone and the optician didn't express remorse nor apologize. (I'm thinking; "Wait. Did this just really happen? They made a mistake and no apology?") The vibe was total indifference and silence. For someone who *chooses* to do business with them and has for several years: this is very disappointing. A similar matter happened a couple years ago (2018), again regarding frames. In that instance, I recall one of the staff members making a snarky remark about the frames I ordered and then when I asked for advice from a different staff member, they seemed bothered and brushed it off like "Oh yeah, that looks good" without actually engaging with me. Before that, I remember having to do the calling to follow up on the status of other orders. They didn't always call to say when things were ready for pick up or provided updates. I often felt left in the dark for weeks. I usually found out information when I called. This was not the case with previous offices I've worked with in San Francisco or in other cities I've lived in (e.g. Chicago). These are basics of "Customer Service 101" that Haight Street Eyecare hasn't nailed down. Perhaps it was once there and it went away over time?... The last disappointing element here is that even though I know their names, they always ask who I am or treat me as if I am walking through the door for the first time (again, Dr. Chan was the exception -- he was always friendly and knew who I was). To be fair, I didn't have all negative experiences with this office. But I'll put to you this way: as a consumer, when you patronize a business for years, shouldn't the business believe in reciprocity and the importance of gestures of goodwill? That doesn't really happen here. If I can count the number of times I've been disappointed, shrugged it off, and then come back only to be disappointed again... that's too many times. A few instances here and there are normal, but if there is a pattern and frequency, clearly it's time to move on and find another business to patronize. At the end of the day, the doctor-patient relationship is an important one -- and while you're there for the doctor, the support (i.e. staff) is also important to the whole operation. If the latter isn't functioning nor is delivering basic customer service, that's the patron's cue to seek better services elsewhere. read more

Dr Chan and his staff are the best. I normally have high eye pressure but no other symptoms of glaucoma. Dr Chan monitored my optic nerve every year and caught direct evidence of glaucoma starting in time to treat it. read more

I have had such great experiences with this business. I have medi-cal VSP insurance, and it's not only hard to find a provider who takes patients with this type of coverage...it is also impossible to find one that is professional and competent at every level. The staff here are really interested in customer service and experience, and are so helpful. I'm so glad I found this place. Thank you so much! read more

Very thorough- I have some congenital eye abnormalities and he took his time with me and explained everything very well. They also have covid procedures in place so I felt very safe. Did not feel rushed at all and could tell he really wanted me to be able to see as well as I could. read more

Sharon front desk lady is extremely rude! When buying contact lenses she gave me big different in prices between Dailies Total and My Day. It was $300 different after the insurance for a whole year. I have old Dailies Total which will run out of date in April so I asked for exchange and I gave back full box 90 contact lenses and told her I want the same. I live far from the place and went all the way just to pick it up and when I came she gave me another type which is cheaper (the My Day type) , but without asking me first and assume the "MyDay" contact lenses which I changed to because of the cheaper price was the one I need to use for now. I've told her my story that I asked Dr Chan and had agreement with Dr Chan to help me to find a cheaper option because my life economy situation right now and NOT because of my vision problem why I changed to different type of contact lenses and she knew the problem. But instead saying that it was a mistake or sorry this, Sharon said out loud that she doesn't understand me ( my English ) and asked the other Co worker if they understand me ??? Whatta heck is this, directly insulting?! My English might not be perfect but she is perfectly clear what's going on!!! And then told me that Dailies Total and My day contact lenses cost the same, so does it mean the price different when I bought the contact lenses was fraud price??? Not only that but I have full cover from my insurance and it's including Dilated eye exam. I have nobody here in SF to go with me to complete the process, but I saw they bill my insurance that I have completed??? I asked Sharon why do you bill my insurance for something I haven't complete ? She said: oh it's free. If it's free why you billing the insurance for something I haven't done it all for??? Is this how insurance works for shop and places here in US is to rip off people's insurance? Dr Chan is good but the way the front desk Sharon is...ignorant rude twisted things and dishonest with customer like this is unacceptable! To be faithful customer to Dr Chan but Sharon the main front desk lady treating you like a fool! This is incredible insulting to be customer here! read more

My wife an I have been seeing Dr. Chan for 8 years, and I would recommend him to anyone seeing eye care. Further, his staff have all been working there for years and know their way around billing insurance. And are nice to chat with! No, their eyeware store is no Costco or For Eyes. They only stock premium high-end eyeware. If you're on a budget and have no insurance, then just get your exam from Dr. Chan and buy your glasses somewhere on sale. If you have VSP, though, take advantage of having staff who will actually tell you how you look and the merits of particular brands and materials. Note that they are in the Fillmore now, near Japantown. They used to be at Haight & Belvedere, but commercial property speculators forced them out. read more

I cannot believe I'm doing this this really sucks. I have been coming here for years and always had good service but the last 2 visits have been low quality service. today I had an appointment which I was tardy to by 8minutes to my 10am slot. I was checked in and waiting for the doctor when the next (10:15) customer walks in. somehow I get snubbed and the doctor proceeds to take the next payient before I when I had the earlier appointment, and they didn't even let me know, disregarding MY time. I asked the front desk "wasn't I next?" and that I had to leave by 11am for my next appointment and they said the doctor chose to take the next client because I was late. thats bs, even with my tardiness I was there ready when he opened the door and came out for the next patient. I find it unprofessional and disrespectful to your patients time. what's the point of offering your patients a grace period for tardiness if you going to deliberately skip them. it gives air of racism ass your all Asian , took the Asian lady instead of the Latina that was actually next. read more

Had a great experience getting new glasses and contacts. Dr Chan is extremely thorough and knowledgeable. Front staff were very patient with my million questions. As a healthcare professional and now a happy patient, I highly recommend this place! 5 stars! read more

Dr. Chan was awesome!! Really miss having him as my eye doctor. Dr. Situ took over my care this last year and I have not had a good experience at all, after many visits this year. While he tries to have a good bedside manner by being friendly, when it comes to explaining what I need to know about my eyesight, that part needs work. I am newer to wearing glasses and went in multiple times due to issues with the prescription not working. When coming back in for follow ups I was told that I should be thanking him and that he already had a plan B set up, in case what he did didn't work (he never told me that I had options at my previous visit). I was also told that he changed my life when he set me up with contact lenses. I was not given any options other than paying for a full year of contacts. The contacts I got were very expensive and are not comfortable, and I can't get a refund. The office staff became rude once they saw me coming back in multiple times, instead of being compassionate to someone that is struggling with being able to see well. Part of this is my fault bc I am new to seeing the eye doctor and don't know how to play the eye doctor game yet. Once I have enough money and my insurance resets in January, I am going to a new eye doctor. . lessons learned that I will not let the new doctor talk me into paying for something really expensive without knowing my options and I will confirm the exchange/return policy (find it in writing) before buying any new glasses or contacts. read more

Dr. Chan is my newly minted eye doctor. Not to say he's a new doctor, more so that I'm a new patient for him. I had to have my annual eye exam done and he's in the neighborhood with a high star average - why wouldn't I choose to see him? The office is fairly small, but overly friendly. From the girl who checked me in to Dr. Chan himself to the guy who fit my glasses and took my payment everyone I interacted with was nothing less than pleasant. Plus they were able to get me in to my appointment rather quickly and my whole time in the office was more than reasonable. What more could you want for eye care? read more

It's been 2 years that I'm going to this place. And I will continue going to Dr. Chan forever. Dr Chan is amazing, he's great at his profession, and his personality makes the experience even more pleasant. He's so patient, kind and he always smiles. I can't express enough how great he is. He patiently spend time for adjusting my contact lenses prescription. Even though I was so picky for the colors he never got irritated by it. The staff are so polite and sweet too. I just feel so comfortable to go there every time. I felt the duty to write this review to say thank you to Dr Chan and his staff. Great great great job. read more

The idea of a family doctor may seem lost these days in a world of HMO's, PPO's and health care plans. Dr. Chan and his amazing staff work hard to change that - at least for your eyes... I've been seeing Dr. Chan since 1997 and he's been there for me through multiple pairs of glasses, a zillion contact lenses and a partially detached retina. His practice continually strives to upgrade its diagnostic tools and carries the latest brands of stylish frames and contact lenses. His professional staff is laid back and extremely friendly - even when they're puffing air in your eye for a pressure test. They also provide an objective viewpoint on whether those new Prada frames fit your bridge or make you look like a poser. You may be curious about why it's called Haight Street Eyecare even though it's located on Fillmore. Originally it was on Haight until Dr. Chan and the other businesses in the building were forced out by unreasonable rent increases. read more

Dr. Chan and the staff are incredibly helpful and very friendly. If you need any vision work done, I'd highly recommend seeing them.

Don't bother, unless you enjoy the pain of paying $70 for every visit including paying for a contact lens fitting for an old prescription! I ended up spending $500 for one pair of contact lenses! He originally said that the examination would cost $140. What a JOKE! Dr. Chan has such a huge payroll and high expenses for his new offices that he purchased about 4 years ago. I suggest you get your prescription from UC Berkeley's School of Optometry and get the prescription filled from an optometrist that your friend recommends. ************** Yes,NICE businessman that needs to make payroll and high rent. Charging $500 for one pair of contact lenses is OUTRAGEOUS and really not what I was originally quoted by this BUSINESSMAN. BEWARE!!!!!!! Nice man, of course, as the mickey is slipped onto your credit card charges. read more

My eyesight is best described as "a medical oddity." I wore an eyepatch as a kid even, yarrrgh. I've been seeing eye doctors for decades. So understand me when I tell you that Dr Chan's Haight Street Eyecare is the absolute best optometrist I've ever been to. Everyone in the office consistently gives me great care, and Dr Chan's super-nice and professional. (He once went so far as to personally deliver glasses to me before I left the country for a month. Your mileage may vary.) I can't recommend them enough. Seriously: if Haight Street Eyecare was a restaurant, I'd eat there every week. read more

From the very first call to make an appointment these people were great. I got an appointment an hour later, (not a week later like most.) As soon as I walked in (early) Dr. Chan met me and put me in the eyeball chair. No waiting, no snarky counter personnell and the office is bright and cheery and next door to Extreme Pizza so there is the occasional pepperoni scent wafting down the sidewalk which is nice. They have a little yard out front so I could tie up my dog and she could people watch during my visit. Dr. Chan talked to me like an old friend, I'm always stunned when I meet medical people with social skills, seems about as rare as a rare strand of leukemia. Anyways, poke, poke, blink, blink and I was done, and I got to leave with the most dialated pupils I have ever seen. Unfortunately it was daytime because I bet I would have been able to see in the dark. Dr. Chan emailed me pictures of my eyes and they were waiting for me when I got home. Big veiny closeups- so cool I might post them here. I would give 5 stars but I spent a fortune here since I got both glasses and contacts in one go and that always takes the shine off things. Now I have to sell a kidney to pay for my eyes... any takers? read more

Haight Street Eyecare - I got my eye on you... - Optometrists Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great eye doctor. Nice Staff. If you are looking for an eye doctor near Japan town and lower Fillmore Street, I highly recommend coming here. read more

Me n my mommy been going to Dr. Chan a long long time (we miss him being on Haight) ... Love him, he's a good guy. And the staff that he has here now are top notch people. They are funny, personable, friendly and not fake. They are patient while I take forever to pick out my glasses and they keep it real when you try on the wrong pair. They are very conscientious also; they always remember to call me to confirm appointments and send a cute reminder card. Maybe that's status quo, but I appreciate it. I'm cheap as hell and my insurance is so/so, but still I don't break an arm and a leg when I have to get new glasses. Actually, I'm lying, I send my bill to my mama. But my mommy is frugal plus she only does business with the best and she won't go anywhere else! So, fair pricing AND good service. Oh and they have a great selection. They have cute frames, funky frames, nerd glasses, bad ass prescription sunglasses, etc. I got some Cynthia Rowley cat eyes. Kinda over them now, but last year they were hottt. read more

As a four-eyed person, the annual eye check-up is a big deal. "Did my eyes get worse?", "Will my glasses get thicker?" So you need an optometrist who is calm, confident, experienced, honest and most of all, a nice guy. Ten years ago I found him, Dr. Chan. Since then every trip to the office has been like a yearly visit to see your favorite uncle. Dr. Chan is a patient man and knows his way around the eyeball. read more

I too have been going to see Dr. Chan for many years. He is a great guy and very gentle. He is honest and straight forward. The staff is great because they know you and your records. They also have a great selection on frames! I love getting new frames. I have sent a bunch of friends to see Dr. Chan and they all come back happy with him. read more

I was diagnosed with quite a serious eye infection and thank goodness Dr. Chan had availability last minute. His entire team works with a lot of care and kindness towards their patients - the second I walked in the door, I felt welcome. Dr. Chan took his time with me to explain what exactly was occurring in my eye and made a follow-up appointment for me a week later. He continued to see me for the next few weeks and I felt in good hands with his care. Thank you, Doctor Chan for making me feel at home during a stressful time! read more

After my wonderful experience with Dr. Chan I felt compelled to write a review. I recently moved to SF and needed to buy more contact lenses. I had no problems scheduling a time for a contact lens exam and they got me in within a week or two. Dr. Chan was extremely thorough during the exam, explaining everything he was doing. He ended up lowering the power of my contact lenses and gave me a pair to wear for a week as a trial before I committed to purchasing them. I went in for a second appointment to confirm my prescription as well as dilating my eyes for no extra charge beyond the contact lens exam fee. He also took digital retinal pictures as part of the exam at no extra charge. I highly recommend Dr. Chan to anyone who lives in the city. read more

This is a really efficient eyeglass shop. Dr. Hong really nailed my prescriptions. And I particularly want to recommend the assistant Jackie, she is definitely five stars in terms of thoroughness and knowledge of eye wear. read more

I have been going to Dr. Chan since 1994 when he was really on Haight Street. I was in his office the day OJ as acquitted, testing my first contact lens. Why do I stay: 1. The staff is knowledgeable / well trained 2. Accommodating 3. Customer - focused 4. Always discusses the problem and offers a solution 5. Convenient off Muni / also plenty of parking. Need an eye doctor - Dr. Chan is your man. read more

Dr. Chan is a great optometrist. He's friendly, professional, detail oriented, and takes the time to explain everything that's going on. The front desk is friendly and helpful. When I moved to another city & asked to get my charts sent over to the new doctor, he helped get the charts sent over right away. Highly recommended! read more

I HIGHLY recommend Dr. Terrance Chan. He's the best optometrist in San Francisco! He and his staff are professional yet friendly. The office has a great selection of designer glasses and sunglasses too! I wear contacts as well and must comment that his pricing for contact lenses lower than "1800contacts". (Even if your insurance doesn't cover contact lenses it's still cheaper than online.) Here's a random perk..... Dr. Chan's office is located a couple of blocks from Japan Center. So if you get your eyes dilated for examination and you don't want to drive right away you can go catch a movie at the new Sundance Kabuki Theater or just walk around Japantown. So.... If you're one of those people who can't really see the TV clearly. Your sight is just slightly blurry but you just deal with it b/c you think it's not that bad since you can see the car in front of you when you drive. Or maybe just looking for an eye doctor... I highly recommend a visit to Dr. Chan. He'll take care of you as well as his efficient & friendly staff! read more