First time here and everyone was welcoming. My mother needed her eye doctor to speak Japanese to explain the process. This was a perfect situation for us. He was very patient with my mother. The staff also helped my mother pick out her new glasses and she was so happy. read more

Kurata Eyecare Center - Inside waiting room - Optometrists Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Don't see Dr. Kurata unless you want to be strong armed into buying products from whatever brand he receives the most commission from. Forced me to switch brands. I suffered through a year's worth of the worst dailies I've ever used. I'm running low before I qualify for a new exam with a better optometrist, so I tried to order a different brand to get me by for the next month from elsewhere. He rejected the request and refused to verify my prescription so that I could. Greedy little man. read more

After only 2 months of having my glasses , I called them and they explained there was abbsolutley nothing they could do. They sell super cheap stuff for a super high cost. ... with no warranty. At least Kaiser does 1 year warranty no excuses. They wanted to charge me $40 for the shipping alone when I can order that online my self for less. Complete highway robbery and selfishness. As a customer for over a decade., ever since the change of location they have become ever so much more greedy. Do not come here at all costs. read more

Kurata Eyecare Center - 2 months later ... oxidized glasses - Optometrists Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Was suffering from dry/red eyes for so long and finally found a breakthrough with Dr. Kurata! I finally have that part of my life back. His staff is so tentative in regards to contacting Blink RX/Capsule for my medication and always reply in a timely manner when I message them! Just started my IPL treatments right now with him after exercising my other options. I love how Dr. Kurata doesn't push procedures on you and actually wants to exercise all options before turning to things like IPL. Located in Little Tokyo and there is parking available either on the street or ticket parking. Can't recommend him and his office enough! read more

I have been going for years and have several pairs of prescription glasses and sunglasses. I wish our eyes and bodies could regenerate, but it is what it is. I trust them for my annual check-ups; they gave good suggestions for my dry eyes and for keeping healthy overall. They're very responsive. I get luxury glasses, which hurt my pocket, but it's one of the few nice things I'll spend on. read more

They were able to fit me in for an emergency eye visit because I was having blurry vision, shadows, and flashing lights in the corner of my eye. From the phone call to walking in the front door the staff was so nice and welcoming. Dr. James Kurata was so amazing, funny, caring, and had the best "bedside manner" he answered all the questions I had with no irritation. He was very accommodating and understanding the reality of working in the tv/film industry right now when it comes to having insurance. I would recommend him to everyone I know. He is a LA native and very cultured which made me as a non-Asian feel so comfortable with him and cared for. The office is very clean, updated machines and technology than I've seen in other places. If you are DTLA or close proximity, this is where you need to be. read more

Been a patient of Dr. Kurata for years and I'm consistently satisfied with his staff and services. He accepts all sorts of insurances. His testing equipment is super modern. Highly recommend. read more

I absolutely loved coming here to get my eyes checked. Dr. Kurata is such a great optometrist--warm, friendly and absolutely easy to talk to and the staff here are very sweet as well. Personally, I specifically chose this location as it wasn't too far from home (Chinatown) but it was also around a lively area. I'm actually unsure of the parking situation and if they validate but I do know there's plenty of street parking and lots around. I personally walked over from my apartment, so this wasn't an issue for me. It's located in the heart of Little Tokyo, on the corner of a major street. There was a good amount of people around so I felt safe, and the office itself was very aesthetically pleasing and very clean. They do require their staff as well as patients to wear a mask... so upon coming in, they provided a mask for the duration of my stay there. Although I didn't get a new pair of glasses, they do have a good selection of frames all around. This was actually one of the reasons why I came to this location while I was looking at reviews on MyCigna app. As soon as I went in, I was greeted by the receptionist. Luckily, I had already filled out a virtual form they sent to my phone when I had made the appointment. So all I had to do in person is to give them ID as well as my insurance information. The staff member took me to the back to run some tests, had me sit in the waiting room for maybe less than 10 minutes, and then went back to get my eyes checked by Dr. Kurata. I really enjoyed my time with Dr. Kurata as he was a very professional, respectable individual. He was very kind and I just had an overall wonderful experience at his office. He answered all my questions with ease and I would highly recommend coming here for your prescription and for contacts which I just recently received. Thank you Dr. Kurata and team for making it easy for me to walk in and out with ease. Can't wait to see you guys again~ Best, Lina Chen read more

See all

Dr. Kurata is the best doctor! I came in for contact lens fitting and he did an extremely thorough exam. He corrected my vision to 20/20, he addressed my dryness with steps to improve it, and explained findings of my exam in detail. I highly recommend this office - staff is fast and efficient and there is a great selection of glasses to choose from. read more

Highly recommend!!!! Dr. Kurata is genuinely a great human. From beginning to end everyone was extremely patient and helpful. I feel like he actually cares about my eye health and was patient enough to explain everything to me. My eye sight has been progressively going downhill the past 5 years and he took the time to try and get to the bottom of it. I will be picking up my glasses in a few weeks but I don't have any doubts that the prescription will be perfect. I have temporary contacts on and I haven't been able to see this clearly in a long time. My partner saw Dr. Chin and said she was very nice as well. Kayla took the time to help me find my frames and was ridiculously patient when I asked her the same question 4 times in a row. Incredible customer service. read more

I've been going to Kurata for years. Always welcoming and knowledgeable. They have tons of optical options!

I arrived just before time and as they were opening. I was greeted with a friendly smile and welcomed in. Got started with the typical new patient paperwork which I had done mostly online. Once verified I took a seat. I waited a very short time and then asked to one of the rooms to start the exam. Dr. Kurata and the other staff patiently explained the exams prior to and during. It's been a while since my last exam but definitely felt like this was my most thorough eye exam ever. I appreciated the kindness, explanations, and recommendations. Picking out glasses was painless and didn't feel like I was being oversold on anything. The place was clean and well kept. Great experience. I can't wait to pick up my glasses. I already made my appointment for next year. read more

New location. Super clean. Dr. Kurata is the best. My family has been going to him for decades. The new building has parking, which I did not know. They are closed for lunch and reopen at one pm. They are open on Saturdays and closed on Thursdays. read more

See all

Dr. Kurata has been my optometrist since I moved to LA. He always takes good care of me and we always have great conversations about random things going on in my life or his life. Very personable and relatable. He does an amazing job explaining the details of my eye health and my prescriptions are always spot on. His staff is also very friendly and very helpful. Highly recommended if you are looking for a solid optometrist! read more

I had some pebble stuck in my eye. I barely could sleep. Was able to get a same day appointment. Dr Kurata removed it. I felt AMAZING AFTERWARDS. SAVED MY LIFE. read more

AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME! Dr Kurata is the best eye doctor that I've ever been to. He was very thorough, took his time and did all the necessary tests that were needed. He even did some visual tests that I had never previously seen, which really means that he cares about his patients and the people coming in to his business. I would highly recommend coming here, I have been looking for a good optometrist for a long time. Thank you for being awesome :) read more

Wow! What a wonderful experience at Kurata Eyecare Center! All four of us went in for our eye exams today (my husband and I and our two young daughters). How awesome that the whole family can go to one doctor on the same day! Dr. Chin saw all four of us. First of all, Dr. Chin is just amazing! She was so great with our girls (this was their first time getting an eye exam). She was able to check both of them based on their age and ability. While our 4 year old can read the letter and number chart with ease, our younger one cannot, so she used other methods to check her eyes. She was so patient with them and kept them entertained throughout the exam. I was so impressed with her ability to keep their attention. She also successfully dilated their eyes without any trouble. During the kids' exams, she would tell me what she is checking for and what she sees. It was not a quick "can they see or not" exam. She quite literally checked the front and back of each eye and checked the health of their eyes in addition to their vision. From our children to my husband and I, she was able to shift gears smoothly and address all of our "adult and aging" concerns. She addressed my issues with severe dry eyes and gave me options. I have gotten eye exams since I was a child and this was the first time a doctor took the the time to explain things to me. She even showed me a picture of eyes, diagrams, and charts to explain the condition of my eyes. Again, no eye doctor has ever done that for me. She also explained everything in layman's terms, so I understood what she was telling me. I also have to add that I was impressed with how Dr. Chin could go from one of us to the next, dilate our eyes, go to the next person while our eyes dilate, and then come back to us without skipping a beat. Clearly an efficient multitasker. All in all, we were all very pleased. Dr. Chin is officially our new family eye doctor. Not only was she amazing, the entire staff was so pleasant. They were all so patient with our family of four. They gave the girls stickers and made the whole visit so pleasant. As for Covid safety, they check your temperature before you walk in, ask you to sanitize your hands, then ask you to wash your hands in the exam room, and are constantly sanitizing and wiping surface areas and display glasses. I definitely felt safe in there. I highly recommend Kurata Eyecare Center and Dr. Chin. If you have a family, bring them all in. They will take such great care of you! read more

Kurata Eyecare Center - Our daughter ready for her eye exam with Dr. Chin - Optometrists Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

Absolutely amazing staff. Very communicative, attentive and very welcoming environment. Everyone that I met while getting my eye exam from the front desk staff, to the doctors and assistance all had a great attitude, smiles and they will work with you to ensure you have what you need so you can see and drive and see safely. They gave great recommendations for glasses, eye contact and have a very nice office as well, highly recommend! read more

It was my first time to see an eye doctor in 15 years. I was very nervous. The staff here was very welcoming and courteous. My apt was set up with Dr Jennifer Chin. She was everything!!!! I informed her of some of my concerns with my eyes, and she made sure to address my needs and gave me a ton of different options that could help. She was sure to educate and walk me through every step she was doing which helped ease my nerves. She made my whole experience pleasant. I can't wait to go back for my check up next year. Thank you for being so amazing!!! read more

Kurata eye care misdiagnosed my condition. I had demodex eye mites, something most optometrists should know about, but Dr. Kurata insisted it was a problem with my oil glands. He prescribed a bunch of medications that didn't work, one of which (a steroid eye drop) likely made the condition worse, I was later told by my ophthalmologist. He also ignored me every time I said the treatments weren't working, that I still felt irritation in a particular spot on my eyelid. When I asked if I could have the balance for my appointments discharged because they'd made an error in their treatment and prolonged my condition, they said, Sorry, but I would still owe them $135 for "services" (I guess the service of misdiagnosis?). Jerks. Anyway, if you have any sort of problem with your eyes, go somewhere else. read more

I'm so grateful to Dr. Kurata. I've been wearing glasses for 26 years and he helped me get contacts, which no optometrist has ever offered to provide me before. For the first time ever, I actually had a positive experience. I was concerned about the costs and introducing this new process into my routine but he is so informative, patient, and genuinely caring. read more

Dr. Chen is a very good ophthalmologist and shows genuine concern about your eye care about your vision. I bought two pairs of glasses and the pair that weren't covered with coding coating broke in the frame they sent them back to the lab and had them repaired and no charge to me. They were very nice and they were timely with the repair of the glasses. I highly recommend Kurata Eye Care. read more

This is certainly one of those places that you hope you don't have to go. But if you do have to... go here! I am the fourth and final member of my family to need my eyes checked (and then get glasses). This office could not be any more professional, friendly, and knowledgeable. My wife and daughters all agree that Dr. Chin is wonderful. read more

Amazing customer service. The receptionist was able to get back to me about my benefits rather quickly. On top of that, when I went to pick up the prescription, they were very covid cautious. They took my temp, asked me to sanitize, and had separate pen jars for clean and used ones. read more

We've been coming here for our eye exams and glasses for 5+ years. The staff is super friendly, the doctors are personable (and remember your name), and the glasses and materials used for your lenses are of high quality. Definitely recommend if you're in the Downtown, Chinatown and Little Tokyo area. Heck, even if you live further away, I'd recommend coming to Kurata. read more

This place was so pleasing to visit. Dr. Kurata was amazing. With this pandemic going on I felt really safe there due to them being very clean with hand sanitizer around the office. I would recommend my friends & family here. Big thanks to the office for making me feel very safe. read more

I go see Doctor Chin and she is the best! She listens to your concerns if you have any and also explains everything throughly. When I went up for annual check up, she found out I have cataract! She said I can come back again after surgery and she can make me new glasses. The front staff is also super nice and i never feel nervous calling the office. Although I live 1 hour away now, I still come here and will keep coming back here! read more

Stopped by to pick up my contacts and ask for my glasses to be re-adjusted. The girl working the front desk took care of it and asked me to sign a waiver, basically stating that if anything were to happen to my glasses, they're not liable. I signed bc who would have thought they'd actually break my frames. Keep in mind, I just purchased these frames from here back in December 2021 - less than a year old. And much to my surprise, she comes back with my glasses snapped in half. I've been wearing glasses since I was in elementary school and have never once had my glasses actually break/damaged from adjustments. But, she proceeds to tell me they're still under warranty, we can replace them free of charge. I'm like yeah okay cool no worries, I'll come back in a week. Of course when I get home, I get a message letting me know she "forgot" to tell me about the shipping and handling fee - a whopping $40 - to ship my broken frames back and re-ship the new frames. Safe to say, I will not be re-visiting as this just left a horrible impression. However, giving three stars bc the doctor is actually very kind and knowledgeable. Selection wise - there's not too much. I'll probably go somewhere in ktown. read more

Dr. Kurata is outstanding , 6 stars! I've been a patient for only a few years and he's educated me about my vision better than anybody has ever. Very patient and thorough and above all listens to your needs. His friendly staff is well briefed and qualified, their email and text system is tops, and the best selections of eye frames that I've ever seen! A great office to visit! Sincerely, Alan U read more

I highly recommend this place. Been going here since 2009. Always great to see Dr. Kurata. I get a comprehensive eye exam from him every time and feel like my eye health is in good hands. Always a pleasant experience coming here. A+ to the entire staff! They're always friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. Keep up the good work Kurata Eyecare Center! read more

I was really freaked out about getting my eyes examined for the first time--I'm super squeamish and don't like to think about having a body at all. Hearing the word "blood" or "macula" kind of bothers me. However, Dr. Kurata put me at ease, and was patient with my flinch-y nervousness. I feel this was a good introduction to the world of glasses wearing--it's not a death sentence, it's a new accessory. And they have Starbursts, including the best flavor (pink). Anyway, I'm excited to be able to read street-signs, and would recommend Dr. Kurata for nervous, first-time eye visitors. read more

I've been going to this office for the past 5 years. I've seen both Dr. Kurata and Dr. Chin and I think they are both fantastic optometrists. They carry a wide selection of frames and if you don't have a protruding bridge on your nose, they definitely carry frames that will fit your face! read more

I've been coming here for three years and have nothing but good things to say. All the staff and optometrists are super personable and helpful, prices are reasonable for LA, they're quick, no long wait times, and all of the glasses I've gotten here have been really good quality and I haven't had any issues with them, not even scratches on the lens. Highly recommend. read more

Absolutely worst service ever. Normally getting lenses placed for a pair of frames is something I never have to worry about. Unlike visiting a mechanic or a dentist where I've needed extensive referrals and research, the optometrist is usually an easy going affair... until now! This optometrist failed on these two specific accounts: 1. I gave them a pair of practically new frames where the arms were straight. They came back bent at a 15 degree angle outwards, and they refused to take responsibility or investigate the cause. (They offered no compensation for this.) 2. I gave them another pair of lens to have polycarbonate lenses placed in them, and upon their return the glasses made me dizzy. I took them back and they said that sometimes there are aberrations in polycarbonate lenses. It would seem obvious to me that if there are any disclaimers to be made about getting a product, that it should be warned *ahead* of the order execution. (They offered compensation to replace them with plastic lenses, which I refused for fear of further incompetence and damage to my frames.) I always forgive a vendor/store if they recognize and acknowledge that a product/service they sell is unexpectedly flawed. But this optometrist did not take responsibility for their work on two accounts. UPDATE(!): After going to another optometrist to get new lenses placed, I found out that Kurata Eyecare Center had placed the wrong prescription in my lenses! Specifically they got the pupil distance completely off! I completely understand that businesses can have their bad days. But they let me walk out the store *twice* with inaccurate prescriptions, after making inquiries about possible faulty lenses. For this reason alone, I strongly advise that you go somewhere else for your own health! read more

My sister and I both come here. I ordered contact lenses through Chris by sending the prescription via email. Kurata Eyecare Center is very personable. The staff kept me informed as to when I can expect the lenses, and one of the employees contacted me that same day when they arrived. Normally, I would have to do all the work of calling to see if it was ordered and if it was ready for pick up. Customer service here is exceptional. read more

For about 5 years, James Kurata was my optometrist. He still would be if I wasn't in SF instead of LA. My experiences have been the exact opposite of Muck P's. I have to say that James is a friendly, comforting and efficient optometrist. My exams, purchases, repairs and assistance have all been excellent experiences! read more

Have been to countless eye doctors and after my first visit with Dr. Kurata, I cannot go anywhere else. The doctor and staffs really care and is passionate about their job. They have gone above and beyond to take care of me. Thank you so much for taking care of me and my eyes :) read more

Thank you everyone at Kurata. It was one of the nicest doctor visits I've ever had. read more

I'm in LOVE! hope this doesn't sound weird, but a good...i take that back...GREAT medical health professional is absolutely hard to find! I LOVE MY OPTOMITRIST! It takes many trails and errors to find a solid health professional and let's face it it's a big hassle to hop around from one professional to another. WELL if its a optometrist that you seek, let me make it easy for you...Dr. CHIN is the one. She's so compassionate and empathetic that you take notice of her warm disposition right from the get-go! This was the part that sealed the deal for me, after my exam i went to the waiting room to peruse glasses and she actually came outside to check on me and give me her opinion on how the frames looked and her recommendations. Abolutely pleased! read more

I have been blessed with 3 great optometrists over the last 20 plus years, and Dr. Kurata is the second of the three. The optometrist I had been going to closed the office I had been going to (due to renovation of the shopping center), and the new location was too inconvenient for me. Kurata Eyecare Center was only a couple of blocks away from my office and the convenience was just the start of my satisfaction. I could go for my exam after work, and pick up my contacts during lunch hour. Not only that, the office is right in front of a DASH bus stop, and I could ride that into the financial district of downtown LA to catch my train. But convenience itself wouldn't warrant five stars. the entire office, from the front office staff to the doctor are great. Efficient, thorough and friendly. I moved away and unfortuntately, and downtown LA is far away enough for me to continue going. Fortunately, I've found another great optometrist - but if I hadn't, I'd still be going. read more