Dr. Kurtbay has been my optometrist for years. He is a true advocate for eye health, making sure his patients have time to ask questions. I always look forward to my annual exam because I receive consistent service and product options, including contact lenses, glasses, and shades. Many types of insurance are accepted and appointments are readily available. If you want to work with an experienced professional and his wonderful staff members who provide excellent customer service, come here! read more

I've been a customer of Dr. Kurtbay for more than a decade. Unfortunately, that's about to change. I'm not sure what happened, but he seems to be more concerned with upselling than providing good service these days. I prefer purchasing my contacts a year at a time because they're very expensive. They're about $700 for a year's supply. I still get my yearly eye exams, but when I come across 20% off sales or really good rebates on contact lenses, I jump on them. California laws states that a contact lens prescription is valid for a year. My most recent eye exam was on 11/19/16. I called Dr. Kurtbay earlier this week to order a year's supply of my daily contacts. He refused to sell me the contacts unless I came in for my yearly eye exam. I reminded him that my contact lens prescription was still good for another month. He still refused to honor my prescription unless I came in for an eye exam. As a "compromise" he offered to sell me a 3 month supply, but said I would have to come back and get my eye exam before purchasing any additional lenses. Not wanting to argue about it, I simply asked him to email me my prescription (The same one he should have given after my exam, but didn't). Do you know what this guy does? He emails me my contact prescription but adds in the note section "Up to 3 month supply only" to prevent me from getting a year supply without going back to him for an eye exam. Even though I was planning on getting an eye exam in December (when my vision insurance kicks in) it's not up to Dr. Kurtbay to force me to come in, outside of the confines of a valid prescription, of course. If my prescription had been expired, this would not have been an issue for me. State law dictates that an eye doctor may only write a prescription for less than one year if justified by your medical health. I take excellent care of my eyes, have healthy eyes, and I get an eye exam every year. Fortunately for me, my vision hasn't changed since I was 13 (more than 20 years ago). So what was his reason for adding that to my prescription. The only reason he prohibited me from getting a year's supply of contact lenses was because he wanted to make $$$ on one of his overpriced exams. It's all about the $$$ . Dr. Kurtbay did this very same thing to me last year. I'd had an eye exam in January and wanted to buy a year's supply of contacts in November before my vision insurance had expired. Even though I had two more months left in my prescription, he made me purchase a full contact lens exam. I let it slide last time, but not this time. By the way, I was able to order my contacts online, even with Dr. Kurtbay's note. They said it was pretty clear he was just trying to prevent me from buying contacts from someone else. read more

After getting screwed by dr. sandra lee. I made a call to VSP and told them that I can't see clearly with my newly prescribed glasses. I went to Dr. Kurtbay's office, and I was treated professionally. He spent nearly 30min to correct my vision. I give 5 stars for their professionalism, nice staff, and great selection of glasses. I did think the glasses were kinda expensive, but o well... dollar's low, I can't blame them. read more

Dr. Kurtbay fixed me up in a hurry. Went for a surf and got 1 grain of sand stuck under my eye lid. One of the most uncomfortable experiences of my life. I called the office and he got me in right away. Within minutes he had the sand out of my eye and had antibiotics in my eye to prevent infection. What a relief! It is a day later and my eye feels 100% better. I will definitely be back for anything eye related. Thanks!!! read more

Today I received an excellent service provided by Angela. Thank you! Alex read more

Competent, friendly, thorough UC-educated doctor to whom I have sent my friends and family for years. Over-priced frames and lenses, but pretty fair and decent prices on contacts. My issue is with unfair and apparently unlawful business practices, possibly only by a certain member of the staff. This person refused to release my medical records when I informed them that I wished to purchase frames elsewhere, which violates my right as a patient under federal law. In a time of urgency, you simply cannot count on this office. My previous review was quite high, but my recent experience makes me want to find another opthamologist. What a drag. According to American Academy of Opthamology: "It is essential to quality medical care that ophthalmologists cooperate fully, freely, and promptly in sharing copies of medical records, including progress notes, prescriptions, charts, reports, laboratory results, and technical information used to assess the patient's health condition, as well as letters, photographs, x-rays, and diagnostic imaging. Reports and letters may contain wording that prevent re-release of that information. This is particularly true of consultants' reports. (It is important to note that a physician may also keep personal notes not related to patient care that are separate and distinct from the medical record; these do not have to be released.) In most states, a physician may be subjected to severe disciplinary action, including suspension or even revocation of licensure, for a failure to comply promptly and fully with these requirements. Except for a recognized statutory reason, (e.g., an improperly executed release), an ophthalmologist should not refuse to make a patient's medical records available to the patient, the patient's legal representative, or another person upon receipt of proper authorization." Furthermore, they violated federal law by never giving me my printed prescription in the first place (they are required by the federal trade commission to do this automatically, without the patient even needing to ask). An opthamologist is required by federal law (FTC Part 456, Opthamalic Practice Rules, [reviewed most recently in 2004]) to provide the patient with one copy of the patient's eye glasses prescription automatically and immediately after the eye examination is completed, with the only possible exception being if the patient has not paid for the exam. Although state laws require release of eyeglass prescriptions upon request, these laws do not allow eye care practitioners to bypass the federal law. Furthermore, there is no record of interpreting state laws in such a way as to conflict with the federal law. This law is designed to protect consumers, allowing them to purchase eyeglasses from sellers other than their eye care practitioner, thereby increasing competition among eyeglass sellers and lowering the price of eyeglasses (indeed the prices for frames in this office are quite high). The OAA also asserts that absent the automatic release requirement, consumers may be intimidated or coerced by their eye care practicioner into not requesting their prescription (which actually happened to me here in the past come to think of it). In my case, this law further serves to protect consumers from the dangerous situation of not being able to purchase eyeglasses using their own prescription, which they paid for. After my appointment, I was never given copy of my prescription. When I went to retrieve it today, having an eye infection, I was refused because in addition to never being given to me, it was apparently never put in my file ( likely never written) . I was told that I would have to wait for the doctor to come in and write a new prescription. Did doctor Kurtbay simply not write the prescription? Did the staff loose the prescription? Does the staff deliberately not give patients prescriptions in order to push them toward buying lenses there, rather like a used car dealer rather than a medical provider? I have no idea and don't really care. I was treated rudely by the staff person, and the bottom line is that under federal law they are required to automatically release my prescription, which they never did, and as a result of this I will have to go to another doctor and have my prescription measured today (assuming that this is even possible to do accurately due to my eye infection). I've never had this problem with any of the three opthamologists I've gone to. Dr. Kurtbay is a decent doctor, but awful staff compromises the care given. $$$ for frames! Make sure to insist that they give you your prescription because you're way better off buying from somewhere like coastalcontacts. read more

I have only been to Dr. Kurtbay once, a month ago, but it was a very good experience. It was easy to get a convenient appointment, and when I arrived, I was taken into an exam room right away. Dr. Kurtbay explained things as we went along, which I appreciated. Also, he has a new machine there that allows him to take photos of the eyes and check for melanoma and other problems without having to dillate the eyes. It costs an additional $30, which isn't covered by insurance, but it was well-worth it, because I didn't have to worry about how I was going to drive home after my visit! And he showed me the pictures, which was really interesting! I didn't wind up getting my frames there, because they didn't have many red frames (what I was looking for!), but overall they had a pretty decent selection. I felt it was a good experience, so I made an appointment for my husband to get his eyes checked there, too. He had a similar experience. The nicest touch? Dr. Kurtbay's office sends you a thank you note for having chosen to visit his office. If you live in the Inner Sunset or nearby, I would definitely recommend Dr. Kurtbay. read more

Thank you, Dr Kurtbay, Veronica, and staff for helping both me and my husband recover after we both broke our glasses ! We are visiting from the Chicago area. Both of our glasses failed at the same time ! Kurtbay Optometry was able to replace my glasses, within a couple of days, and repair my husband's on the spot ! We are so grateful ! read more

I went there on the afternoon of the last day of the year. I was waiting for someone to meet me for lunch and noticed their eye glass frame selection.I browsed for about 10 minutes and even though I was the only one in there was never approached or acknowledged. DId note that all the eye glass frames are under lock and key. Found I pair I wanted to try on and asked the lady reading a book for help. Once she found the right key she took them out and locked the case and went back to her book. Went through this process 5 times. Left to meet friend for lunch and went back with him to see eye frame I had picked out. Again no one acknowledged us and I had to ask for assistance. A gentlemen coming out of the back came over and helped. I think he was the doctor. As I did not have my prescription I ask them to keep them on hold till the first business day of the new year. I chalked up the lack of service to being New Year Eve. Returning Monday the lady at the desk and another person there could not find the glasses on hold for me. Took about 10 minutes of looking. Sat down with a young lady to have the order for the glasses written up. The entire time I was there I was subjected to the second person there have a rather Loud personal conversation with another lady. The person helping me kept having to ask the other person what the charges for the different types of glass and treatments were. Kept quoting full retail prices for the discounted frames. Finally got the order written and paid a 50% deposit. I assumed it was either on the job training or her first day on the job. When I got home there was a message from her stating that she had again not charged me correctly for the glasses. I called back and stated I thought this was unacceptable after all and having paid a deposit. I asked her to cancel the entire order and to have the owner please call me. I also called for two additional days and left word for the Doctor Kurtbay to call me as I wanted to discuss my experience at his business. Calls were never returned. So, I would recommend going to another oprometry read more

I had the worst service here. I went for a general eye check up and everything went fine till I saw the opthalmologist. I specifically said I was here to get prescription for my spectacles and my contact lens was okay. Dr. Kurtbay asked me to try out a sample Of lens and I said okay, let me try. And they charged me $90 saying that they provided contact lens fitting service for me, which I haven't asked for and had no idea that I was provided that service. When I told them they haven't asked me before providing the service, they said they can't revoke it because they already provided it. They just gave me one pair of contact lens and charged $80 for it. Very bad way to steal money from ppl. And on top of it, the prescription they gave me was a year old. I don't think I can use their prescription. Such a bad way to piss off ppl and boy they did a good job with that. I would never recommended it. read more

I had Lasik 10 years ago and my vision is now waning. So I haven't even seen an eye doctor in that long. But Dr. Kurtbay is pleasant and knowledgeable and quick. I would say his prices are higher than those that I researched BUT A Site For Sore Eyes was getting not so nice reviews and I just don't know if I want to trust a chain for my eyes. I went to the best surgeon and I'm not going to have qualms about spending $40 more for a good exam. read more

I would avoid this place. My husband was charged over 197 dollars for an eye exam that should have been 10 dollars for a vsp copay and $39 dollars so that he did not have to have his eyes dilated (he was aware of these two costs up front). This business does not appear to be forthcoming with the billing amounts. He was charged an additional $60 dollar fee for a contact lens service (which he never requested and was never informed about). I called the office to complain about them not being forthcoming about the charges. The lady on the phone was rude and proceeded to tell me I had a bad attitude. She was so defensive that it was obvious that this billing practice is likely routine. She certainly scores a zero for professionalism. This business is unprofessional and is not forthcoming about the fees charged for an eye exam upfront. Avoid unless you like getting bills that you were never informed about. The response of the lady at this business made it apparent to me that this is likely a routine practice that this business participates in. This is not the only review like this on-line. As a result, I cancelled my upcoming eye exam. Beware! read more

I had a great experience at Dr. Kurtbay's office. He was very friendly, clear, relatable and patient. The office staff was also helpful, especially in taking the time to call Costco for a price comparison and price match my contact lenses, and taking the time to help me better understand my unique form of insurance through my employer. thank you! read more

A brief note to say if you're looking for an optometrist - here's one worth going to. Nice guy, UC Berkeley grad, friendly staff.

Being someone with terrible eyes and a long history of optometrists, I have never been more happy than I am with Dr. Kurtbay. He keeps abreast of latest developments and doesn't overrreact. His staff is professional and it is easy to schedule appointments. He takes time to answer questions and conduct a thorough exam. read more

I couldn't recommend Dr. Kurtbay more... fantastic service even on saturdays, good selection of frames, and most importantly, he is an excellent doctor. read more

So I wake up one Saturday morning with my eye really red and its kind of hurting. It's 8:45am and I know I need a doctor asap because I have to be at work at 9:30am. I go to the pharmacy thinking they can give me some eye drops and I can go to work, of course they are closed. Then I look across the street and I see Dr. Kurtbay's office. Oh my gosh they are about to open in a couple minutes! They open at 9am on a Saturday!! I was so lucky and they attended to me as soon as I walked in. He saw my eye and automatically knew something was wrong. I was so impressed by his machines!! He showed me the inside of my eye and showed me that I had a corneal ulcer. I was able to see how close it was to my pupil and how large it was. He gave me antibiotics and was so wonderful!! I went back for a check up two weeks later and didn't charge me for the exam but the next time went he did charge me $35. :/ I've never had an eye doctor look at my eye so thoroughly before. The only thing is he doesn't accept my eye insurance but I still plan on sticking with him because he knows about my corneal ulcer and I only trust him now with my eyes. You pay a little more but you get a great doctor and a great exam! read more

I went to this store to shop for sunglasses..they have a decent selection of Maui Jim sunglasses. I knew what I wanted to try on so I asked if they have a certain style of maui jim sunglasses. The girl acted like I was there to take away her first born as she hesitantly opened up the maui jim sunglass display. She then proceeded to shut and lock with a key the display only allowing one pair out at a time. There wasn't a sole in the store except me. I straight out told her I wanted only to try on the super thin glass lenses and she said she didn't know which ones were which. She continued to refuse me access to try on any sunglasses..yeah..i know,, maui jim are super expensive and I had no intention of trying on every pair but after about a couple of minutes where she told me to go home and get the style number off the internet, I asked if she could just show me some sunglasses for bejeezzusss sake....then she went over to the older woman behind a desk and they had a discussion as if I was about to rob the store...serious? guess what? ..Pacific Rim in West Portal area are totally cool about trying on sunglasses and telling you how they look... I won't step foot in this store again based on their treatment of me. Unbelievable! read more

He's great. He is kind, charming, professional and he smells great and for someone who's gonna be up in your face, literally for half an hour that is an important quality. I have recommended him to many of my friends and they all go to him now and love him as well. read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! everyone is super friendly. Appointments are on time. The doctors are great! The staff is so well mannered. They are my neighborhood store and I am so lucky! great variety of glasses and contacts to choose from. I finally found a pair of contacts that don't hurt! wonderful!! today i went in to buy more contacts and they were sold out so they gave me some free samples to tide me over. Now that is awesome! read more

Dr Kurtbay is a thoughtful, critical-thinking who's fun to talk to and can properly examine your eyes and recommend the vision-correction for your needs. I've never had an optometrist that's so good at explaining the exams and the pros and cons of different types of glasses lenses. And he was very thorough with checking for fit and comfort for contact lens fitting. His staff were also very helpful with listening to my specifications for glasses and made great recommendations for me. I can't believe that I've been missing out on this high level of service to help me take care of my vision. I've been disappointed a few times in past with other businesses with finding the right pair of glasses. It seems like I'm in good hands now! read more

I had an overall positive experience here. Dr. K was thorough in his eye exam, and the front desk staff was very helpful in coordinating my order for a year's worth of contact lenses. read more

I went in to browse for a pair of glasses at Dr. Kurtbay Optometry. I was happy to find a really great selection of glasses, all in a reasonable price range. Ron was extremely helpful in picking out a pair. I would usually select a few pairs and bring a friend for a second opinion, but Ron helped me be decisive. He was honest about what looked good and what didn't look good. I was able to pick out a pair that I liked pretty quickly. The glasses were ready in a couple of days, and I am really happy with the pair I chose. read more

I was originally planning to see Dr. Kurtbay for my yearly check up, on a friend's recommendation. He was unavailable, so I saw Dr. Doris Chang instead. She was great and very personable.The support staff was nice as well. Definitely will be back. read more

I've been going to Dr Kurtbay for 15 years. He and his staff are trusted professionals. They have always given me great service. I have moved away but might still see Dr Kurtbay when I am in town. read more

Quirky guy who walks in and walks out--no goodbyes and no hellos. Not to be taking as being rude, it's just his style. I was impressed by the selection of Hawaiian style Island reggae and felt like grabbing a cup o' joe down the street and hanging out in one of the optometrist chairs.Nevertheless, Dr. Kurtbay is great! Conveniently located on 9th & Irving--not only are they open on Saturday but they're easily accessible off the N Judah line. Dr. Kurtbay gets really into the science of the eye and informs you like no other--I ended up getting a retinal exam ($33) which quelled my emotions of my retina detaching (my left eye has been hurting because i haven't updated my prescription in about 8 years). All is good in the 'hood with Dr. Kurtbay. One of their reps was very observant about the style of frames I wanted and always had an answer for everything. I left there with a peace of mind that I'm not going blind and that I'll be getting a new pair of specs in a few days. read more