There are several reasons Mission Bay Optometry is great. For one, I live a few minutes away. Second, they accept my Cigna insurance. Hooray for VSP! What's always nervewracking is the deciding moment whether or not you like the actual optometrist. Leading up to the appointment, scheduling was smooth, though at the time when I called, they didn't have availability for literally MONTHS. Previously I'd gone to Costco, but that was further away from me. It's crazy to think I walk by Mission Bay Optometry every day with my dog without even thinking. The waiting area is nice. Big, too. Filled with glasses along the walls and a friendly reception desk. I was seen by Dr. Christine Brischer, who is a kind, older lady that intimidated me a bit. Once I spoke with her further, it's obvious that she cares greatly about her work and her patients. She's very professional and educational, explaining every procedure and recommendation along the way. It was lucky that my roommate suggested I see an optometrist for the first time in a few years because Dr. Brischer referred me to a specialist after seeing potential retinal holes. How scary! Thankfully, it turns out, I don't have retinal holes, but I'm glad Dr. Brischer took precaution and helped me understand the implications. I wish I remembered to bring sunglasses to cover my dilated eyes. I had to walk home with my hand over my eyes... otherwise it was a positive experience, and I'll be going back so long as I live in Mission Bay. read more

I have to say that this was one of the most thorough eye appointments/exams I've ever had. It was definitely a long wait to get the appt but I'm really happy that I came here. Dr Jones did the usual eye exam and even some images of the back of my eye(?). Tbh not entirely sure but it was one of the most thorough exams I've had which I feel is great for preventative screenings. read more

Dr Jones is fantastic! He took extra time to see why my contact was not sitting correctly on my eye and gave me different samples until it was right! Highly recommend! read more

I have been coming here for a couple of years and my experience has been great. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, bill your insurance accurately, optometrist is knowledgeable and knows what she is doing. I like the neighborhood, I used to live here, now I as I moved further away I still come back to mission bay optometry. read more

I've had excellent experience at Mission Bay Optometry. The staff is very attentive to details both for their exams and for billing. It's refreshing to an office that has all the exam options spelled out, knowledgeable about insurance reimbursement, actively makes sure insurance is processed right, and takes care of the frame fitting. Very on top of their schedules too. We need more healthcare providers like this. read more

Been here twice though I've lived in Avalon across the street for over a year and a half now. The first time I went in, the concierge was courteous in informing me that a day of or drop in optometry appointment for contacts was not possible and will need to be booked a month out. Given how many people live around here and in Avalon, totally understood and left for one in Noe Valley instead. Today, I come in sick as a dog, just dressed in sweats and joggers and cannot help but feel judged by the elderly optometrist who greeted me at the front desk. I only ask for her to fix the angle of my glasses after I fell asleep and rolled onto them, she commented on how the ACTUAL brand of glasses that mine claim to be should be very durable but if they do break while the shop is fixing it, they may have to send it off. That was fine, and I'd gladly pay $75 to have my favorite lightweight glasses shipped off for thorough in-house fixing with the brand. She continued to ask me why I didn't bring the glasses back to the shop that I bought them from and I told her it was because I got them in Taiwan. She proceeded to emphasize that they should be durable and not break IF and ONLY IF they are the real brand. I'm sorry lady, but as rampant as knock offs are in Asia, if you're living in Mission Bay in San Francisco, do you really think I'd bring a $20 knock off for fixing instead of chucking them? Also FYI, they charged me $8 to fix aka bend my glasses back into shape -- It would have been free in Taiwan back in my OG shop. Damn shame I'm out of vacation days and had to settle for a stigmatizing optometrist and her shop. read more

Been a patient for almost 30 years at this point and would have to say that the service is as excellent as ever. Appointments are always prompt, on time, no waiting. I've been going so long that it is different, trying to remember the ones who I was NOT satisfied with. read more

Incredibly disappointed with the service received at Mission Bay Optometry. I called to make an appointment and was placed on a waiting list. A day later, I received a call informing me that there was a spot available at a certain date/time. I provided information and reserved the spot. I arrived for my appointment on time, only to find that no one knew what happened to my appointment. They had my information "in the system" but, as if by magic, there was no appointment to be found. I wasn't offered an apology - they offered for a doctor to see me at another time, which I declined. It was interesting that I couldn't be seen right then and there, since the office was completely empty of other patients. I declined politely and left. Everyone's time is valuable, and that includes the patient. read more

I've been going here for years and finally decided to find a new optometrist, their care is good and doctor is nice but the front desk staff aren't very good and they never answer the phone, you have to play phone tag for so long it's not worth it. I had an eye exam during pandemic shut down and was never able to reschedule so found a new optometrist in South City which is easier to drive to as well since I don't want to take Muni to Mission Bay Optometry yet parking is impossible or expensive. read more

Experience with the doctor was fine. The front desk is atrocious. They rarely answer and will not return your call if you leave a message. I ordered glasses from there and was told it would be 1-2 weeks. It's not been twice that and no update and refuse to refund. Recommend finding other optometrist office. read more

Very much recommended, and here is why: I've had trouble getting good exams - 5 times in the last few years I've had an exam, had the glasses made, and found them totally wrong when I pick them up. Seriously wrong - as in "I can't see ANY of the lines on the chart while wearing them" wrong. It could my somewhat complex Rx, could be that I'm changing...but it has been a serious problem. So I needed to find a very good, experienced place where I could actually get useful results. Remembering they were near my apt in Mission Bay, I booked an appointment. Dr. Brischer was the doc I saw there, and she spent plenty of time with me, double checking measurements, using 2 different tools in some cases, to ensure my Rx was right. She never handed me off to a less experienced assistant, unlike the other places I'd been. The result is great - just picked up my new glasses today, and they are exactly what I hoped for. The rest of the staff is great, and the office is right next to Philz which I count as a bonus. While well worth the premium, the high quality results did not come cheaply, nor did they come quickly: my exam was about 2 weeks ago, and both the exam and the lenses (I used my own frames) were significantly more expensive than previous places I've worked with. So bottom line, if you have had poor results with other places and are like me and happy to pay a premium for great results, you will be very pleased with Mission Bay Optometry, and with Dr. Brischer. I'm def going to continue working with them soon for my Rx sunglasses. read more

I used to go here often because they were right down the street from my apartment. The place is nice and the people that work there are friendly. I've seen both of the Drs. there and they have always been helpful. I would give them 4 or 5 stars but they lose major points with me for a few reasons. 1- Their hours kinda stink. No weekends and closed by 5. They also apparently go on lunch break together and shut the place down during that time. If I were to schedule a weekday appointment it would most likely be during lunch hours. 2- The glasses selection is just lacking for me. They need some newer and more stylish frames. 3- Reception/price- I called to set an appointment on Monday and they were busy and told me they would call me back. They never did so I set an appointment at Urban Eyes. They got be in the same day and are closer to my new apartment anyhow. I also tried to order contacts over the phone and they couldn't tell me the price. They said they would start the order and call me back if it was over $50 with shipping. They didn't call me back that day so I assumed that they had ordered my contacts. The next day they call back and say it's $51 and I tell them it's fine and to go ahead and order. About 20 minutes later they call back and tell me that they misquoted me on shipping. It's $12 for shipping and brings my total to $57 for one box of colored contacts. I told them to cancel it and found the EXACT same box online for $38 with shipping. o.O Again, the people there have always been friendly and I like the Drs.. this isn't a "bad" place. They really should work on improving hours and reception at least. I'll be going to Urban Eyes for now. read more

Absolutely fantastic - professional and helpful from start to finish. Answered all my questions and rather than lecturing me about leaving my contacts in overnight, gave me a sheet with a highlighted paragraph on an awful disease I could get from leaving them in ^_^; Clerk girls were very helpful while I picked out new frames - very patient in letting me compare a million similar ones. They also helped calculate how to best use my insurance because I was getting glasses and contacts, so that I could get the biggest discount. I truly felt like they were on my side. Everything was shiny clean and spacious - no cramped exam rooms here! A perfect experience from beginning to end. read more

I was very pleasantly surprised with the level of friendliness and thoroughness in this exam. The doctor even showed me the results of my dialation photos, including "here's where I look to see if you might have high blood pressure or diabetes". My exam was quick, comfortable, and my insurance covered 100%. As others have said, I sure wish they had weekend or evening hours, but I can't think of one other thing I'd change. read more

I work near the Caltran station and Mission Bay was the highest rated optician on YELP. I had 2 pairs of broken glasses and and since neither were perfect glasses to begin with I decided to try and get them fixed and a get a new pair of frames. First of all the staff was very friendly and treated me with great respect. However I was told somewhat abruptly that frame selection was by appointment only but since no other customers were there they would help me. The technician started to fix my glasses after informing me that there was a $15-$25 charge to fix them. I have never been charged a fee before and asked if the fee would go towards a purchase of new frames and was told no. This was sort of shock but since they were pleasant and conveniently located I went along with it for one pair. The Doctor actually ended up fixing my frames and he fit them nicely for me. My vision coverage wouldn't pay for new lenses till December so we agreed we should wait till then for new frames. The very next day I was coaching my son's soccer team and was hit, you guessed it, right in the glasses. I needed my glasses to be fixed again. Since it was the weekend, I went my local Optometrist " Cushing & Gan Optometry" near my home in Walnut Creek. THEY FIXED 2 pairs of my glasses FREE OF CHARGE and didn't even ask if I had an appointment.. Needless to say this changes my rating of Mission Bay. If you live near Mission Bay I would still recommend them. For me I will stick with my local Optometrist. read more

Dr. Jones is phenomenal. He really takes the time to explain the mechanics of vision deficits, rather than just going through the motions. If you're interested in the *why* of blurry eyesight and want to talk to someone who won't rush through a single part of explaining the science to you, this is the place to go. A lot of folks have talked about the front desk staff being unhelpful, but I found them totally reasonable and efficient. They weren't pushy at all about getting me to buy frames and were great about explaining next steps for getting a lens prescription filled. Overall, a (strangely) pleasant experience getting my pupils dilated and light flashed into my eyes. Would absolutely recommend. read more

This review is purely based on the customer service, because thanks to them, I didn't even get to see the optometrists. I walked over there to schedule an apt. The receptionist asked me who my insurance carrier was, I gave her my insurance card. She took down all the info from it, asked me if I wore contacts, my reply was no never. She gave me an apt for the evening. Well I came back on time for my apt, she asks me the same damn questions again, while having me sign the paperwork, which apparently was more important to her, she is telling me that unfortunately they only accept VSP. I have no clue what that is, so I asked if my insurance falls under that plan and she replied no. Well thanks for wasting my time!!! No apologies either!!! Really half the brains but compensated by twice the attitude? Go get some training so your docs don't suffer in that process...jeez! read more

This review is only for the front desk staff, as I was not able to come in for an appointment. I rescheduled 2 times but finally decided to go with someone else because of the rudeness of the front desk staff & appointments are difficult to get. Whoever answers the phone seriously needs to take a customer service class - make your voice more accommodating and cheery, not dour like you hate your job. I could sense some attitude when trying to schedule an appointment like it was such an inconvenience to place an appointment on their calendar. I also had to cancel once because I had a conflicting work meeting and asked if it was possible to cancel. Her response - "Uh, yeah that's your decision". Yes, I know it's MY decision but you should've said something like, "Yes, we can cancel, would you like to reschedule for another date?" read more

Full disclosure: Dr. Brischer is my aunt. However, my family loyalty is not what you'd call "blind." I'm also very spoiled, because my former optometrist in L.A. was, as one specialist I saw said, "The finest optometrist in the world." That said, she is an excellent doctor. I happily recommend her to anyone looking for top-quality medical care. read more

Dr. Jones is the best eye doctor I've ever had. He wanted to upgrade me to a new type of contact lens last year as the ones I was using were fairly dated. We went through 4 different brands. He didn't give up when I came back with yet another failed pair, and for a good 3 weeks, I was in and out of the office until we found a brand that works. Not only is Dr. Jones a model of persistence, he's also the nicest guy. I've never felt nervous in one of our appointments (he even has a super soothing voice) and he always takes the time to thoroughly answer any questions (no matter how silly or simple)! I would be remiss if I didn't give a shoutout to the awesome staff! My girls at the front desk are so friendly and sweet. There was one appointment when I was injured on the way to the office, and they sat with me and made sure I got home safely after my appointment. They are always very thoughtful and overall a delightful pair to see! Ever since I started coming to Dr. Jones three years ago, I adore going to get my eyes checked! Favorite checkup each year! read more

It is a pleasure coming to Mission Bay Optometry. - The staff is friendly and attentive. - Dr. Jones is cool, easy-going, yet professional. - The facility is clean and well-lit. Probably due to the large lobby windows. - Has the latest testing equipment. read more

I've gone to optometrist all over Northern California for the last 20 something years and Dr. Jones is by far the best I have ever seen. He's diligent, efficient, and actually listens to you as a patient and wants you to leave with an understanding of your eye health- not just a bill and a prescription. I'm always in and out of there in 30 minutes or less, and he's always on time. I'd recommend him to absolutely anyone! read more

I had great experiences at this practice. Dr. Brischer is knowledgeable and very easy to work with. She was straightforward, friendly and a great listener. Most recently, I broke my glasses. I moved to the Midwest this past summer, but called the office to see if they had the same pair, since I LOVED the style. They bent over backwards to find the same frames - which had been discontinued by the manufacturer. Not only did they find the frames, but they were able to use my existing lenses in the new glasses. This whole process only took about a week - including mailing my glasses and shipping out the new ones. They had no reason to go this far for me- I'm not even a patient any more and I am the one who broke my glasses. I will be telling all of my SF friends about the office - and highly recommend checking them out. read more

Very small selection and not helpful people working at the front desks. There is no way for you to try on regular glasses with sunglass lenses. read more

Finding a new doctor in a new location is always hard. Dr. Jones, Tanya and Kelly were really amazing and helpful. I was a walk-in and did not mind waiting the 30 minutes for my eye exam. The most important part of my visit was that they accept VSP. I was not that impressed with their selection of frames but after careful consideration did find a diamond in the rough. I look forward to my next visit. read more

Tweaked my frames because I stupidly walked into a bathroom stall. That's my bad. I walked into the shop a couple of minutes before closing. Thankfully there was an optometrist on site who was graciously willing to take care of my frames. He was out in a jiffy and returned my frames as they once were in their former glory. In the back of my mind I was thinking I should probably repay his kindness by scheduling an eye exam at this establishment. But! He asked that I pay 12$ (which I guess makes sense because this is Mission Bay, mecca of the entitled tech bros) for the services rendered, which has never happened to me for a simple frame adjustment in my 20+ years of donning a pair of spectacles. I don't really mind forking over the 12 bucks, but it definitely left a bad taste in my mouth. Why would an optometrist shop (I don't think it was the optometrist who set these policies) nickel and dime over the most trivial services especially if it jeopardizes future business prospects. Come on y'all! Anyways. Now I know and hopefully now you know, dear readers. TREAD LIGHTLY, or pay 12 bucks. read more

Firstly appointments are super hard to get, a month out. The eye doctor is fine, did the basic eye exam. However, the receptionist is terrible. Be careful to check with your insurance on retinal imaging coverage. They give a consent form to sign but they wont tell you till later if you are covered or not. Generally, the eye doctor office always tells people what will cost how much but not here. Also, when was looking at frames, received no help from her. She just opened the cabinets and that's it. Dint help or advise at all. Bad customer service overall. Even the frames selection wasn't great. read more

Although Dr. Jones acted professionally, Mission Bay sends their frames to a vendor in Sac that has taken over 2 weeks to ship back. I will be heading to Playa del Carmen for the holidays without the Versace sunglasses that have my newly prescribed progressive lenses. This is absolutely unacceptable considering they are MY frames (I didn't purchase through their office which doesn't have a great selection anyway)! Their vendor also doesn't ship anywhere but their office which in these circumstances is doubly frustrating. In fairness, the office would've tried to overnight (on my dime) but since my sunglasses won't arrive to them until the Tuesday before Xmas eve, they wouldn't make it to my family's house before I leave the country. The fact that the office staff acted helpless was the worst part. I will be telling my entire company which is next door to their office not to use Mission Bay services and I hope anyone reading this yields my warning. Btw, Dr. Jones told me I have UV damage that leads to cataracts and that I absolutely need to wear sunglasses even in overcast weather. Oh...the irony! read more

Had a pleasant and thorough visit with Dr. Brischer today. She did a complete eye exam, helped me decide which contact lenses are best for my eyes and did not seem to be in a rush. She also took some extra time to explain a few conditions to me such as dark circles under the eyes, astigmatism etc. and gave me some information on these. She was very nice, patient but also knowledgeable! Would definitely recommend her. read more

The place is nice. They have updated equipment and no air shooting into your eye when the exam is done. I am new to eye insurance and thought my insurance was going to cover everything but they charge 90 dollars for a contact lens prescription and call it a professional fee. If you have VSP it takes 15 percent off of that. Dr. Jones is very nice and helped me out alot. He gets 5 stars for professionalism. The front end customer service is fine. The place is convenient for me. They have this mega fancy mirror with lighting to help you take your contacts off which i thought was nice. I am definitely a happy customer. I just wish my insurance would completely cover the cost. read more

Easy to get to on MUNI and very fast service. All state of the art equipment. Eyeglass selection was typical - so I ended up buying frames elsewhere, but very happy with exam and service. read more

I love Dr. Brischer. She helped me figure out why my contacts have been blurry for most of the time while I'm wearing them. It's because my pupils are slightly larger than other people and contacts have prescription in them in the middle part where it covers 95% of other people's pupils. A small area of my pupils sit outside of that area, hence being able to see but having a blur around my vision. Dr. Brischer let me try out many different types of contact lenses throughout a few weeks to see if any of them will fit my eyes better. Even though it turned out that my original contacts were still my best fit, I appreciated the in depth evaluation Dr. Brischer gave me. At least now I have the peace of mind knowing what the problem is (I'm not going blind, yay!). I've had optometrists in the past who never caught this problem, and got my prescription wrong multiple times. Even though Mission Bay Optometry is a bit (a lot maybe) more expensive than my former optometrist, I think it's totally worth it. There hours DO kind of suck...but if you work around here, it's not a problem. Con is, their glasses selection is weak. Especially if you are a hip young yuppy, or hippy, there aren't many cool frames to choose from. read more

Best optometrist I have ever been to. I highly recommend him to anyone in all of San Francisco

I've been seeing Dr. Brischer here since July 2010 and I've been very satisfied. I got a thorough intial exam, and all my tests were performed by Dr. Brischer herself, who explained everything in a clear and professional manner. I have pretty bad myopia on top of high astigmatism, so finding the right pair of soft toric lenses has always been difficult for me. It took 4 or 5 visits just to fine-tune my prescription, but I blame that on my eyes. Now I finally have contacts that I can both see and wear comfortably for a prolonged period of time. The only downside is that they aren't open weekends nor do they have a weekday with extended evening hours, so I always have to cut out of work a little early to catch an appointment before they close at 5pm. However, appointments are hassle-free to schedule, wait time is minimal, and I'm in and out of the exam room quickly without being rushed, so this would be a great office to go to if you work nearby. Also, the selection of glasses frames here is kind of limited, but I still found exactly what I wanted. read more

I live on Berry Street and I have a mobility impairment problem. Today May 8, 2012 I felt good enough to walk to Walgreens at 4th and Townsend. I saw Mission Bay Optometry and stopped in to ask if I could have my glasses adjusted as they seem to be pinching one side of my nose. I have never been refused this request even if I did not buy the glasses from the optometrist HOWEVER I WAS REFUSED this simple request at Mission Bay Optometry. Granted I did not purchase my glasses from them but as I said I have never been refused an adjustment at any optometry office in San Francisco when I needed an adjustment regardless of where the glasses had been purchased. The clerk was very snotty and I can assure you all that I WILL NEVER purchase glasses from this store and my current pair cost me $783.00. Mission Bay Optometry belongs in the bay and I hope it goes under. You are not a good neighbor and you should teach your clerk some customer relations skills. Me thinks not! read more

I'm one of those people who absolutely hates to go to the eye doctor and dentist. Dr. Brischer is so great though that I actually don't mind going in for my annual exam. She's very thorough but still quick, and she's very good at explaining things to me when my curious mind has a question. She really tries to develop relationships with her clients as well, which I can appreciate, and she's always very pleasant. As I had to purchase new glasses on my last visit, I can say that the options are a little limited, but she has very stylish and contemporary styles. It only took me about 5 minutes to pick out my new Kate Spades. read more

First time visiting this place, and won't be my last. Dr. Brischer is wonderful! She was so friendly and welcoming, and answered every question I had. The exam was thorough and everything was explained to me clearly. The staff is also very pleasant and helpful. I definitely recommend Mission Bay Optometry! read more

Very happy with my first time visit. The exam was very thorough, the staff were very helpful and pleasant.

Watch out! You must specifically get the costs breakdown ahead of time to make sure you're not getting screwed. I only wanted my glasses Rx checked but they did and charged for a contact exam too that I would have said no to had I known the high additional cost. They're also gonna try to upsell you at every chance without telling you the real price until after. The doctor was nice, though. read more

Very condescending front desk staff. Would not recommend based on customer service alone. Walked out of my scheduled appointment, before being seen, as the front desk woman was very critical and not friendly while discussing my insurance questions with me. read more