So, it turns out my boyfriend isn't the hottie I thought he was now that I can see. That's what I get for not going to see Dr. Wong a little sooner... I had a positive experience here two years ago and went back the day before yesterday. The process was quick and easy and I got some super cute glasses! I'm happy. (Greg, if you are reading this, I'm just kidding.) read more

Pros 1. appointment making is rather easy and quick, I showed up on time and was immediately being taken care o 2. the doctor is extremely nice Cons 1. as per previous reviewer stated, the doctor didn't really explain anything to me during or after the test, (my previous doctor always explained what was each of the tests for, asked me if I had any questions regarding the procedures, and always sat down with me to go through the results), doctor Wong didn't do any of that, instead, as he's walking out with me and said he's going to check on something, he went straight to take in another patient and just left me in the main area 2. the clerk/receptionist did not explain that I had to pay extra for the exam because I wear contact lenses before the exam, so when I was asked to pay whatever the amount she said so, the exam is done, am I going to refused to pay? no....... I will probably go to another doctor next year read more

I had a great experience while I was in this office, while I was being examined, while I was ordering glasses, etc. I liked all the staff, including Dr. Wong, and everything seemed hunky-dory. And then I got my glasses. And I realized that I couldn't really read while wearing them. I went back and talked to them (the front office, not Dr. Wong), and they checked out the glasses and told me that the lenses were as prescribed and sent me on my way. Well, my vision insurance will only cover lenses every 2 years, so I had to wear those crappy glasses, not able to read properly, for YEARS. It was ridiculous. Luckily, I found a different optometrist, at Berkeley Optometric Group, and they got me some glasses that actually work for me. At the time, I felt pretty resigned to the situation, but looking back on getting those wrong wrong wrong lenses, I'm a little mad. What did I pay them for? read more

Man oh man do I have a story to share with ya'll. My experience at Harlon Wong was not the experience that I had anticipated. I was in the process of researching different eye wear businesses since I was long overdue for new glasses (about 4.5 years overdue). The last place I went to was at modern eye optometry off College Ave and I was extremely pleased with the selection of frames and the speediness of my glasses. However, they were a bit on the pricey side so I decided to look for other places that were more feasible. So...my sister told me about this place and recommended I go here since her experience was well and that the glasses were quite affordable with VSP coverage. I give the staff a generous 3.5 for being friendly. However I got a little tired of hearing the same thing over and over again for the past month about why my glasses took so long to come in--my insurance. Let me rewind though, I went in at the beginning of January of this year to come in and pick out my glasses. Picking them out was a pretty easy and painless process, and the staff were helpful. After I picked out my frames, I was told the different types of lenses I could choose from and being that I am blind as a bat, I didn't want my lenses to be super thick and stick out of the frames. The lady (forgot her name so I'll just call her lady throughout this review) told me that if I went with the lenses that were the second thinnest type that it should be fine and that it wouldn't make that much of a difference if I were to go with the lenses that costed more. OK, so I listened to her suggestions and decided to go with that. The lady told me that my glasses would take no more than 2 weeks to come in. After not hearing from them for two weeks, I called in and she tells me that there was a "delay" with my insurance and the lab and that it would be in the following week. First, i was upset because I was the one who had to call in to check up on the status of my glasses and then she tells me that there was a problem with the insurance and that she had no control over how long it would take for them to come in. The following week, I get a phone call from Harlon Wong himself and he lets me know that my glasses are finally in (keep in mind that I am going on week three). So I go in to pick up my glasses and Dr, Wong checks to see if my glasses are in by going in the back. After not seeing him for ten mins (and might I add, he never returns to let me know what's going on), the lady comes to front and informs me that they are not in after all and that because she was not in the day that Dr. Wong called me, he was not supposed to call me to begin with because there was a problem with the glasses when they came in so she sent them back to the lab. She then proceeds to tell me that they will be in the following week. SO...a week goes by and I call the office and the lady informs me that there is yet another delay and that she reminds me that she has no control over my insurance and how long they take--I just got so tired of hearing that lame excuse. Anyway, she tells me that because this is taking so long that they are going to credit me the amount for the anti-glare costs which were $75.00 but they only give me a $51.00 dollar credit. Gurrrrrr! After all that, my glasses finally come in damn near a month and a half later. Absolutely ridiculous! But it gets better--after receiving my glasses, the lenses are HUGE!! They look like bifocals and are ready to pop out of the lenses. Because of this crazy process I had to go through because of my insurance (hah, my insurance) I just took the damn glasses and never wanted to come back, although I had a feeling I would return. And surely I did... A month later and one of the lenses pop out of my glasses. Well no shit of course they are going to pop out with the size of those lenses But I decided to take the lady's advice on the type of lenses I should get. Anyway to make a long story short (haha) I go back in there and insist that they give me thinner lenses as compensation for getting crappy lenses and waiting so long. While the lady was helpful, she was able to send them back to the lab and after 1 week, I got them and they were much thinner. I don't think I will be returning to Dr. Wong's office. While the staff could sympathize with my frustrations, I feel as though they took absolutely no responsibility in this process and kept blaming it on my insurance. I didn't appreciate that because I have had the same insurance and never had a problem like this.I feel as though Dr. Wong needed to compensate me in addition to my insurance compensating with a lousy credit. It is common courtesy to do that for your customers after they have been through such a crazy experience . I would seriously re-consider going to this place. You might get lucky and I hope you do, but I wouldn't risk it. read more

Just bought my second pair of glasses here. Florida spent relaxed time with me helping me choose frames to fit my face. She has patience and a ready smile. When unsure of a prescription I brought from another doctor, Dr Wong reexamined my eyes to assure it was correct without charge. This place is friendly, professional and I am happy to have found them. Highly recommend. read more

They get the job done, but that's pretty much it. Very basic optometrist. Dr. Wong is super friendly and sweet but did a 5 minute exam on me that felt way rushed and didn't ask me any questions about anything relevant. It seems like they're just focused on getting you your prescription info and that's it, not so much a thorough 'exam' which I'm used to. The first thing I noticed is how disheveled and run down the place is. The preliminary exam took place in what appears to be the hallway of the office which is super cramped - like office equipment and an old computer sitting in the middle of the room, and the actual eye exam machines on one side of the wall. There's crap everywhere, paint supplies stored in the bathroom, walls mid paint job, other supplies stored haphazardly around. The exam room itself is tiny, but get's the job done I suppose. Feels like a closet. Dr. Wong is genuinely nice and sincere but again, I didn't feel like we had a chance to discuss anything, like potentially getting contacts, eye problems etc. I even noted on their form when I first came in that I had weird right eye twitches developing and he didn't mention anything. I forgot to bring it up so it was just forgotten about. I kept waiting for a chance to bring something up but then he rushed me out back to the reception area where the nice guy at the front was ready to check me out. Weird :/ Frame selection is mediocre at best and they don't seem like they have any interest in actually selling any frames - not very helpful at all. I have insurance so I kinda wish I'd gone somewhere a little nicer, I just didn't realize what this place would be like. Will have to go somewhere else to find frames. Oh well. I guess there's always next year. I would give them 2 stars but Dr. Wong seemed SO nice, I have to do 3. read more

This review is long over due! I have been coming to Dr. Wong for several years now. I wear contacts. While you can get a discounted eye exam anywhere, a lot of the time it's only for eyeglasses; an exam for contact lenses usually costs significantly higher, & it's generally not covered by insurance anyway. With that said, his office offers the best deal on annual eye exams in the East Bay, perhaps to accommodate local Cal students. On a side note, they also have a pretty nice selection of eyeglass frames. I recently got conjunctivitis (pinkeye) & since I have no insurance, I was unsure where to go, especially since it was Saturday. I certainly didn't want to go & wait for hours at Highland Hospital- especially knowing that pinkeye would not be high on their priority list (which I understand- check out a documentary called "The Waiting Room" - http://www.whatruwaitingfor.com). Instead I decided to call Dr. Wong's office, and his staff was able to get me in the same day as long as I was willing to wait while he was with patients. I, of course didn't mind, and sure enough he examined me & wrote me a prescription. He really was a life saver! I appreciate his kindness, as well as that of his office staff. Thank you Dr. Wong- I will continue to be your loyal patient. :) read more

Yay! I think I found my new optometrist. After moving up here, I utterly procrastinated about finding a new eye doctor. I was running out of contacts so I needed an appointment fast. I called around to many, highly rated optometrists in Berkeley/N. Oakland area but they only had appointments a month away. I highly suspect that this is because many of them have really crappy hours (e.g. closed Sundays and Mondays AND only open until 4:30 on weekdays). C'mon now! Boo on that. I was lucky enough to get squeezed in for a same day Saturday appointment with Dr. Wong. The staff was super friendly and helpful. My eye exam was comprehensive and pretty similar to other ones I have had. I did not feel rushed in any way. It started with the squiggly lines test and then the green light-black asterisk test. Super technical, huh? Those were with an assistant. Then, I saw the doctor for the actual vision test, glaucoma test and pupil dilation. I mainly needed contacts but I did try on a few frames while I was there. I was very impressed that they carried XL frames; so few places do. And, I have a wide face so most glasses squish my temples. Do NOT be discouraged by their admittedly out-of-date sign. The office is nice inside and must have been renovated since some of the earlier reviews. I was initially hesitant but I am so glad I went. read more

Found this office on yelp. Needed a new prescription for my contacts. They had a next day appointment available. They charged me $90 out the door and gave me a goodie bag of solution, a lens holder, and a trial pair of some new lenses I wanted to check out. Prior to coming I called about 10 places and this was far and away the best price out there. Everyone was super nice and competent. Without a doubt I will be going back next year when I need a new script. 5 stars! read more

I have since learned that the dilation test is the best practice to fully examine the eyes, and that the machines used by some optometrists don't catch all issues. So the star I docked should be restored! Just booked my next appointment with them! read more

I can see! I got new contacts! nah nah- nah- nah nah !!! I like this Dr. wong fellow. He nailed my prescription and did it in less than half the time as those other dudes. I was only staring into the Mayan headdress periscope thingee for 5 mins (better 1 or 2) ?? Plus, he is totally nice guy ! I ended up spend $600 bucks for 24 boxes of accuvue daily plus. Thank God for Health Savings Flex Accounts ! They take VSP and after my $120 benefit, and $400 in flex savings, I had to pony over $80. Not bad for 2 years worth of contacts! I had to take 1 star. The front office guy is real nice. Yeah he looks like he could play Sal the Enforcer from the East Village, but he's great,....the only thing is that he smells like an Old Spice commercial exploded. I guess that's better than smelling sour and musky ?? So half star for happy eyes but sad nose. Also, half star because chin rest and forehead rests on the eye equipment wasn't cleaned before using. Need an optometrist, go to Dr.Wong read more

Harlan Wong, OD 1928 Shattuck Ave Berkeley, CA 94704 b/t Hearst Ave & Berkeley Way Gourmet Ghetto, Downtown Berkeley Get Directions Phone number (510) 843-4030 Dr. Harlan Wong, Florinda, and Doug you are extremely helpful and have the patience to work with you. We have been going to them ever since Dr. Andrew Clay sold the business to Dr. Harlan Wong. They have great hours and days. If you are looking for an honest eye doctor, Dr. Harlan Wong is the one should be yours! Peace, Health, and Prosper to all ! read more

I really like Dr. Wong! He's always very nice and personable- a great story teller! They do a great job here and are always friendly. Prices are reasonable in my opinion. I have been here twice and will definitely be back for any glasses, contacts, eye exam needs. read more

I had an excellent experience here today. Both Dr. Wong and the man who works at the desk are personable and efficient. I had a 5pm appointment and had a prescription written 30 minutes later. My exam was thorough and only cost $80. I had been wearing the same pair of disposable contacts for 3 months, so they gave me a free new pair of contacts (my eyes feel so much better) and a free bottle of solution. I'll definitely be coming back to order contacts and get lenses put in a vintage pair of frames. I love that Dr. Wong is a huge 70s funk enthusiast. I discussed Earth Wind & Fire, astrology, and cognitive science with him, amongst many other topics. He's aces in my book. read more

This place has been in business for over 23 years, the Dr. Wong is really nice and the staff is very helpful. The prices are decent and not over priced, depending on what you are looking for I'm sure there is something for you there. They cater to people who love fashion but are on a limited budget. If you don't find what you are looking for just ask and the lady at the front desk will find what you're looking for. read more

Everyone here is very helpful and friendly. I went to another optometrist a few months before, but my prescription was clearly wrong. They got me my correct prescription, ordered new lenses for my glasses and gave me a pair of contact lenses to wear until they come in. read more

I started coming here a few years ago when I first started wearing contact lenses. I knew about this office because I so fondly remembered my mother's experience buying glasses here when I was a little girl. She dragged me along, and we both received such great attention. The staff helped my very picky mom find a good pair of frames, and they also made sure I wasn't going nuts with boredom. Florinda, I believe is her name, even bought me a bottle of nail polish, which was waiting for me when my mom picked up her glasses! Flash forward years later, and I finally needed to update my glasses. Florinda was still there and just as amazing as ever. Not only did I walk in seconds after they closed, which they really nicely ignored and let me shop around anyways, Dr. Wong and Florinda never once acted annoyed or rushed me. They directed me to a great pair of glasses that I loved, based on my preferences and needs. When I came to pick them up, I also learned that they have great relationships with the neighboring businesses, which speaks so highly of their great company culture. I'd recommend them in a heartbeat to anyone and will definitely be back. read more

Found old grandpa reading glasses from some charity store in San Diego. Authentic tortoise, beautiful, unique, and above all only $1 Loved it, but I do not need reading glasses (just yet) so I decided to transform it to a sunglasses. I tried 3 different local shops, all asking me for $100+ for non-prescription fill on the frame. (Lenscrafters and 2 other stores ) And Dr. Wong did it for the fraction of the price ($36) and sunglasses were GORGEOUS. I wasnt happy with turn around time (2weeks +) , that is the only reason for 4 stars, instead of 5 read more

I had a very pleasant experience here and am grateful for their help. I'd recommend the office to anyone.

Love this office. I always feel right at home, and never pressured. The receptionists are always friendly, and I love that Dr Wong can be seen out front picking up front desk slack when it gets busy. They're always super quick to get an appointment scheduled and my contacts only take ~2 days to arrive. They freely wrote out my contact and glasses prescription (without my asking, as i didn't know this as a thing) to allow me the freedom to order online. read more

I just got eye insurance at my current job and this place is covered by my plan. Went in here and found the place very professional. They did a topo of my eyes! Plus, Dr. Wong recommended a restaurant near my house in San Francisco. I recommend highly. read more

I switch optometrists more often than not, usually following a relocation or an unmemorable experience with the previous OD. I'm happy to say that as long as I'm the Berkeley area, I'll be going to Dr. Wong. I came in for my eye exam and popped for the special OCT test that lets the doctor see all 10 layers of your retina. Dr. Wong was efficient at the task at hand, easy to talk to, and very pleasant. The whole exam couldn't have lasted more than 20 minutes. Since I had my eyes dilated, I got to leave with a sweet pair of rollup shades. I didn't spend too much time looking, but it's mostly paid street parking around the office. read more

Like all of the other positive reviews, I thought Dr. Wong was friendly, fast, and efficient. After calling about 10-15 optometrists in the Oakland/Berkeley/El Cerrito area, hi contact lens exam was by far the cheapest (even with my astigmatism). will definitely go back again. read more

As a broke ass college student, I used to come here for the (relatively) cheap and fast services. Last time I went, I ordered a new pair of prescription glasses. It came about two weeks later. No big deal, right? Wrong. When the package came in the mail, I was a disgustingly excited and giddy little schoolgirl. (You'd be too if the last pair of glasses you bought was during the fifth grade, thank you very much.) Oddest thing though--it felt as if I were seeing through a fishbowl every time I wore the glasses. Vision? Blurred and unfocused. When you see your flat-as-the-ground-can-be kitchen tiles literally curving up, and you find yourself unable to grab a cup of water because you missed it by three inches to the left, it's a problem. Apparently, I have an astigmatism, and the staff took the liberty of ordering "special" glasses to "treat" it without consulting me. Why didn't they bother to tell me? Don't make no damn cents. Next time, imma take me and my two dollars elsewhere. At least to a place that discusses with you your options beforehand when you have a bloody astigmatism. read more

I was able to get a same-day appointment, woo hoo! Dr. Wong and his staff were really friendly. I was in and out in a half hour. Price is really reasonable and my contacts were ready the next day. read more

What an efficient office! Having never been to an optometrist in Berkeley, I first called the highest-rated doctor on Yelp and discovered I wouldn't be able to get an appointment for 6 weeks. I'm not much for waiting, but also not particularly worried about changes in the health of my eyes, and was only seeking an updated prescription to get a new pair of glasses. I next called Dr. Wong. This was 9am; I got a 12n appointment for the same day. Wowzer. Good: - Dr. Wong's staff couldn't have been more welcoming/polite. Even though they knew I was there to get a new glasses prescription, they pressured me not one bit to look at their own selection. - Dr. Wong himself I found incredibly efficient and kind, with very natural/calm bedside demeanor. - In and out within 30 minutes. Not good: - Parking is tough in this area. UC Berkeley is mere blocks away, which means LOTSA people looking for parking, and you may need to drive around a bit, so make sure to build in that time. n.b. If you are going to the eye doctor, remember that there is always a chance you will walk away with your pupils dilated. Most of you are smart, so you'll remember this. I never do. You can decline the dilation, if you must (i.e. you have to go back to work immediately, or you drove &c). But when you get it done, you gotta be ready to take 3-4 hours off from anything involving reading/screens, and sunlight will be painful, even with sunglasses. Also remember to bring sunglasses or you'll have to walk around in those crazy cardboard numbers they give you. Also, quick note to the person who complained about frames not being sectionalized by gender -- don't blame Dr. Wong; that's just Berkeley. I went to a frame store that evening and found the same thing. read more

Nice place. They are pretty fast, straight forward, and will get you in and out fairly quickly. He seems thorough and careful, which is cool. Dr. Wong likes to talk about sports, and he'll try to get you to comment on a team for some reason. He'll answer questions about your eyes too, but really doesn't dive deep into explaining things. His front staff is also very friendly and helpful in optimizing your insurance benefits and giving you free stuff to take home. read more

Came here for the first time many, many years ago just because it was around the corner from where I lived. Fast forward to the present...I don't live in Berkeley anymore, but I still come here once a year for check-ups. Dr. Wong's super nice, appointments are easy to make, and they always call you when your contacts or glasses are ready (usually much sooner than they estimate). read more

Last Thursday (5/26/11) was my first time going and if I'm still in the area, it certainly won't be my last. ATMOSPHERE: A modest clinic, stress-free. SERVICE: Dr. Wong is very nice and professional. I went in for an eye exam and it went very smoothly and efficiently. It was $80, which is pretty good because I heard that even at Costco it's $90 and that's apparently cheap. Other places are $100+. At least, he told me that the exam was $80 over the phone. I also ordered 4 boxes of contacts so it came out to a total of $154. The delivery of the contacts was a couple days delayed because the distributor apparently got orders mixed up. I'm wearing the contacts now, and they feel just like the ones I used before, which is a good thing! (The new ones are slightly different because he didn't have the kind I wore before, but I can't tell the difference!) After reading the bad reviews from Site for Sore Eyes, I'm glad I came here. I only give it 4 stars instead of 5 because I only have the experience of one visit. read more

Hooray for a professional, flexible, knowledgeable optometrist!! My last experience at a place that starts with an S and ends with Ite For Sore Eyes was awful so I decided to give Dr. Wong a try. My eye exam was thorough. He let me take my time to make sure I got the right prescription. Then the contact test - my last set (from the "other" place) was uncomfortable to say the least. I tried 4 different pairs at Dr. Wong's and finally found a couple that were reasonable. They gave me LOADS (I'm talking like a month's worth, including the expensive single-use ones) of sample contacts to take home while waiting for the order to come in. Through the process I also ended up with 3 free bottles of trial-size solution and extra contact cases. They have a nice selection of frames at reasonable prices. My insurance covered it, but I got some funky DKNY frames that were marked $180. Anti glare coating was an extra $75 (bummer my insurance didn't cover it). There was a little mixup on which contacts to order, so it took another couple weeks to come in. However I had plenty of trial contacts to hold me over. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. They even let me wait to pay my copays until everything came in and I was satisfied with my purchases! read more

He's a great eye doctor--efficient, thorough, funny, and services are a great value! He's never tried to sell me something I don't need, and mostly I'm just there for routine check-ups, though he was also able to diagnose a strange but mild eye infection I got triggered from contact use years ago. No reason to ever look for a new eye doc. I'm very happy here. read more

The staff is SO kind-- best optometrist I've ever been to! Dr. Wong and his whole staff are helpful, friendly, and quick. I've needed contact replacements and they always hook me up with some extras before my shipment arrives. read more

I've been seeing Dr. Wong for a few years now, after my spouse had a great experience with this office. I've had great experiences as well. Exams are thorough, and I feel confident that they keep up with current guidelines and equipment. The selection of frames is nice, and you get your glasses fast. What's more, the front office staff (hi, Florinda) work hard to save you money. If your glasses are still under warranty, they are happy to send them for repair without charge. I've been surprised to get extra life out of glasses I expected to discard as a result. read more

Great Place, Quick and friendly service. Been coming here for over 5 years now. Staff is great and Dr.Wong takes a genuine interest in all his clients. When I place an order for contacts (havent recently though) the staff usually gets back to me asap. read more

I've been going here for several years. Dr. Wong does a great job, and the staff is extremely helpful dealing with insurance issues, fixing things that break, etc. A slight negative is that their assortment of frames is rather limited. read more

These guys are amazing, caring efficient and on your side. I do not have insurance working in the service industry and Dr. Wong and his crew accommodated my situation as best they could with me in mind and not their pocket book. I will always return here as long as I am in the bay. read more

Dr. Wong and his office are excellent. I went in for an eye exam and got fitted for some glasses and they were very nice and explained everything to me in detail. A little less than a year later I got a scratch on my glasses and they really took care of me with their warranty. They treat people really well and I will continue to recommend friends and family to them as they really helped me out. read more

I have been going to Dr. Wong since he took over the practice. I changed eye doctors because I found my previous Dr. did not wash her hands before examining my eyes- so I gave Dr. Wong a shot. Not only did I find that he is very sanitary and he and his staff are professionals, and the service is great- Dr. Wong is also a hottie! Over the years I have experienced an order of mine being delayed, but WTH peeps!? Sometimes things happens- doesn't make that business bad. All in all this is the place to go for good service, great selection of glasses, and the best kind of people in the business! read more

Dr Huang is really nice. He employs some receptionists though that are not very friendly. I couldn't see my phone well when I was trying to ask about what my insurance covered and he kept telling me incorrect information. He was also not helpful in helping discern between things I could do with and without -- and I paid $100 more for lenses than I should have. The lady receptionist is also quite kurt -- I needed my glasses in a week and instead of following up to see where my glasses were (I knew they'd take a while, I just wanted to know how far along -- because I can't see well), she told me it would be a week and hung up. If you need eye care, he's pretty nice and professional. If you need glasses though and have to deal with his employees, go elsewhere. read more

Quick, great selection. I have a super small pea head and have trouble finding frames that fit that aren't from the children's department. Wong had several options for me. Glasses came earlier than expected too. Yay! read more