I was hesistant coming here at first from the negative reviews I've read about the new ownership and/or staff. But I decided to come anyway because they had appointments available and I needed to spend my VSP before year's end. They must have gotten new staff (again), because my experience was excellent. Kim at the front desk was nice and helpful, Sarah the optician was patient and thorough, and Dr. Lam was super efficient in honing in on my exact prescription. I highly recommend the Peninsula Family Optometric Group. read more

I have been a patient at this practice for a long time. Although Dr Allers sold his practice, I have always received excellent care. My dissatisfaction is with their AI answering service which doesn't work properly and has to learn to get better. THere is No prompt to talk to someone and in my experience it wasn't hearing me. They were responsive to me complaint but said this is what corporate things is best. So good luck and use the word representative if you have trouble. Maybe corporate will listen to negative reviews. If not I will seek another providers. It's just not worth the hassle read more

I've been seeing Dr. Aller for over 20 years, and he's always been exceptional. Unfortunately, since the practice was sold, the experience has become absolutely abysmal. Getting in touch with a real person is nearly impossible -- and when the call does go through, someone often cuts the line immediately. I had my annual exam in March for medically necessary contact lenses. It's now the end of April, and I still have nothing. They took my payment and all my information, but there's been no follow-up. To make matters worse, I received a call last week asking me to schedule my annual eye exam -- the one I already had. I called again, got through after 3 attempts and learned that they had no record or clue about my contacts. They offered to rush-ship my lenses via 2-day shipping, which raised red flags since my lenses are made to order due to my eye condition and have always taken at least 10 days. When I asked which contacts they were referring to, they named a brand I hadn't worn in nearly 15 years! As much as I've appreciated Dr. Aller over the years, I won't be returning. This new management is completely disorganized and unreliable. Do no trust your eye care here. Be warned: STAY AWAY. read more

This practice used to be consistently excellent, but in recent years the staff has declined. I've had multiple bad experiences with them. Dr Aller is still great, but his current team is often disorganized and sometimes incompetent. In January Dr Aller gave me a new eyeglass prescription with "prism". Two months later they still hadn't ordered them, even though I called a couple of times. When the glasses finally arrived they were way off. The assistant said that I just needed to get used to them. Usually I'd comply but the glasses just felt very wrong and said I couldn't. Thankfully someone else discovered the prism was at 2.5 instead of 0.25. It took them 2 more weeks to fix them. Despite the mistakes, I continued going to this office because of Dr Aller. But this past week, I've called 3 times to make an appointment for a prescription check, so that I can get new sunglasses and computer glasses. Each time I got vmail and left a message. I still haven't heard back. I have given up and am searching for a new optometrist. Too bad because I'll miss Dr Aller. read more

My family and I have been seeing Dr. Aller and his colleague, Dr Lam for almost a decade or less. We've never ever had bad experience before but with this new ownership, it feels that we have to experience lots of phone calls such as; no return calls , can't talk to a live person or mainly too many choices that we just want our concern to be addressed. Anyway, today's visit I have decided to come in to cancel 2 appointments rather than making a phone call coz it may take forever. Also, I went early coz I know there's no patients waiting yet and I had to have my eyeglasses tighten because of loosen screws. I've been patiently waiting & then I was told can't do it unless a technician does it. I was promised to come back, since the technician is going to report by 12noon. I asked to give me a call & it was already past 3pm so I called twice and just said, I will come and pick up my eyeglasses whether it's fixed or not. I was not happy when I left the office so I told my husband let's find a different eye place who knows how to take care their patients/clients and uses VSP for insurance. You will lose clients if this goes on like this. Time to switch to other facilities. read more

Change of Staff ! Sarah M is helpful , welcoming and professional , big changed from before . Dr Elder was amazing doctor and has moved on . Dr Jenny Lam met the challenged and i'm very happy with the exam, service and lenses . read more

The service that Dr. Aller provided was always great, very thorough, informative without a doubt he knows his stuff as well as the equipment he has in the office can detect even the slight difference than other optometrists office's equipment can. No complaints in his end or what so ever. On the other hand, the front desk personnel Rose/Rosie are not so great, had issue with my insurance because they insisted on one thing and never listened to the customer. The tone they give on the phone was already unprofessional, very judgy, and slight hint of they don't want to help you today attitude. With their demeanor, it already stopped me from going to this office for over 2 years now. I don't think I ever will. I understand it's hard to get good MA or front desk staff but there has to be a certain tone that is great to use when answering phones and talking to patients. If you want great eye exam this is the place as long as you don't mind the front desk part, the can't get your insurance verification right, yet they keep sending emails regarding your due for an eye exam etc.. marketing stuff that doesn't help at all. read more

The Peninsula family optometric group is The worst in corporate healthcare. They are expensive, unhelpful, unpleasant, unprofessional, and the customer service is horrible. This is particularly sad because they bought the Business from consummate professional, Dr Aller. Ever since that purchased approximately two years ago they're not even pretending to care about their customers even those that we're going to that location for over 20 years. Recently, I simply needed my prescription emailed to me. My exam was about six months ago. This was a time sensitive request, but they refused to email me the prescription and instead offered to mail it to me US mail, which would not be delivered in time. In the time I spoke to the representative on the phone, she could've sent me the prescription a dozen times, but refused to do so. I do not recommend these corporate clowns To handle any of your needs especially medical or vision related. Michael, from San Francisco read more

I can't say enough about this group of caring individuals that form an extraordinary team. They are friendly and efficient providing exceptional care for anything Eye related. Everyone from the gals at reception to expert care given by Doctor Thomas Aller. Great selection of glasses expertly fitted and comfortable. read more

Dr. Aller is well-known and respected for his work in research and myopia therapy, which he still practices to this day. This impressive background is why we chose him. My daughter has been seeing Dr. Aller since she was in elementary school, and under his care, her nearsightedness has become stable and improved. Thank you, Dr. Aller! read more

My husband and I just had eye exams with Dr Lam. She was great. Nice and thorough. (And I'm an optometrist too). We didn't like our last optometrist at a different practice (he seemed rushed and took shortcuts), so I'm glad we found her. We'll be coming back to her for our annual eye exams. Our 20 month old daughter was with us and the staff (Rose) was really nice and playful with her so she felt very comfortable around them. read more

Great service and convenient location with plenty of parking. Looked them up with my insurance VSP and they are a preferred location for them. Got an appointment set up with a couple days. When I got in was seen quickly after doing the required paper work. The entire staff was friendly and welcoming. The tech who did my pre test measurements was great. Saw Dr. Lam who was great. Very through, explained everything to me and was super helpful with questions I had. She made me feel very comfortable during my exam and I will gladly come back. I don't know how this place is with other insurance but if you have VSP i'd definitely recommend it. One last thing, if you get the opto scan thing for your eyes, make sure to check in on yelp so you get the scan free (a $30 charge). read more

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I have been a long time patient of Dr. Aller's since before they remodeled Tanforan mall and relocated to Kains, and are currently now at their newest location on Jenevein. They have a full booklet of records since I've been with them for over 23+ years! Dr. Aller is an incredible optometrist! At my most recent visit, I had to bring my newborn with me, since I didn't have anyone to watch her for the time being and Dr. Aller is an awesome multitasker -- doing my eye exam, rocking her and humming a lullaby (she started fussing). Thanks Dr. Aller! About my visits: They always remind me with text messages prior to my appointments (which is my preference, but you can also get a reminder call if you prefer that), so I would receive a reminder text about a week or less prior to my appointment. Since covid, they had the door locked to limit the amount of people inside, so you knock when you arrive and someone will come to the door, screen and ask covid questions as well as take your temperature. After this, they allow you in if you have no signs or symptoms. Today, the door is unlocked and they are no longer screening or taking temperatures. Once entering, I usually walk to the front desk and inform them of my appointment time and with who. They check me in, check my glasses and inform me to sit in the waiting area while I wait. If you're going there for your annual eye visit, they do a couple exams prior to seeing the dr. After that, you continue to wait while the dr finishes up with the prior patient and then sanitizes the chair between each patient. Once in the exam room, you get your eye exam done and head back to the waiting area to choose your glasses if you'd like to purchase! If you see a style, but the color isn't your preference, let the front desk staff know and they'll check on the website for you to see what other color options they have. I have recommended Dr. Aller to several people and they love him as do my ohana and I! Overall, Dr. Aller books up quick, so make sure to book in advance! The staff are super friendly, helpful, efficient, and quick! read more

Our issues were addressed to our satisfaction. Thank you Office manager and Dr Aller. But this shouldn't have happened in the first place, and taken a long time. I now recommend this business. read more

Since my previous review I have been back Dr Aller's office a number of times for myself - 2 eye tests & change of glasses. The staff have been excellent each and every time. My original glasses from here ended up being a little too strong and after 2 weeks my eyes still hadn't adjusted so I had to return them for a lower prescription and it was sorted for me no questions asked. The recent 1 star review surprises me as it outlines a similar issue with eye wear as I have mentioned above and the staff were nothing but friendly and helpful. I also think the number of 5 star reviews previous speaks for itself. Professional, friendly staff in a nice clean bright office. I don't think you could find any better. read more

Peninsula Family Optometric Group - Nice interior - Optometrists Near Me - San Bruno, California

This is not an indictment of the quality of care they provide. Just my experience trying to schedule and go through an exam. TLDR: They seem nice, but lost my appointment. I was upset, there are many optometrists in the area, I will not be back. Thursday, January 21st - I try to message the office using the contact form on their website. This was/is still broken. No problem, technology breaks sometimes. 2:06PM I call, no answer, so I left a message. Saturday, January 23rd - 11:09AM The office returns my call. I ask to schedule an appointment February 1st at 6pm. I'm informed that they don't have appointments available on the 1st around that time, but that February 3rd was available, the last appointment is 5:30pm. I confirm, and think I'm set. Wednesday, February 3rd - I arrive a few minutes before 5:30pm. The person who greeted me was kind. She took my temperature and asked me some COVID screening questions before inviting me in. She informed me that she had no record of me, and that they didn't have the availability to see me that day. She offered a Friday appointment to me, but given my initial bad experience as a new patient and time wasted I thought I'd try my luck elsewhere. It seems the vast majority of people have had positive experiences, so bad luck on my part. c'est la vie read more

Dr. Aller is not only innovative, but has the most advanced technology, and invests his time towards clinical trials. Dr. Aller is the most knowledgeable and most passionate Optometrist that I have worked with. It is a huge reason why I have been going to him for years. What I appreciate most with Dr. Aller is his continual effort to make sure that his patients are satisfied and well taken care of. I have always had issues with my vision. Noting my astigmatism and high prescription, he always spends the extra time to ensure that my prescription is what I am the most comfortable with. I never feel rushed and his front staff is super accommodating. If you are considering a new optometrist, come here, you will not be disappointed. read more

For many years, I've always gone to Dr. Aller's office for my eyes. This time was special and urgent. I just had an eye cataract surgery on one eye. I still needed to use my eyeglasses to move around and I had to take out one lens from my eyeglasses and leave the other one on. This improved my vision imbalance a little bit but I needed something much better and fast. Thank goodness, Lily (my first time to see her) was there to help! I handed her my temporary lens prescription for my cataract eye, she listened attentively and assessed my situation, checked my insurance coverage, and gave me all the necessary information. I felt relieved that this wonderful young woman was locked in on helping me and she knew exactly what to do. Her professionalism, work knowledge, and pleasant demeanor had a totally calming effect on (the frantic) me. A week earlier than was expected, I had my new glasses! Happily surprised, I wondered how that happened. Well, she wrote down "rush" on the order. With all the correct and complete information that she must have sent on that order, and with the "rush" situation that she knew that I was in, everything worked to perfection. Those, plus taking the time to look around to see if my glasses were ready, that's what I call taking the extra step, a service that's well above and beyond. I came out of their office into a new, bright, clear, and beautiful world! Dr. Aller, through you, I want to thank all your wonderful staff for their great customer service. Lily's, I will remember the most... impressive, more than 5 stars! Thank you, Lily. read more

Front office is not friendly. Front office does not help as much as they should or listen to the Customers needs.

Dr. Aller is great. His contact lenses prescriptions have made a huge difference in my life and for that I am thankful. I often have trouble contacting the front office. They rarely answer the phone and they rarely call back when you leave a message. It seems I have to drive 10 miles to place an order for contact lenses in person because I just have not been able to get anyone from the front office on the phone with me. This shouldn't involve me having to drive there every time I need contacts. read more

Dr. Aller is great - very friendly and knowledgeable. It's always very easy to make an appointment, and the front desk staff is extremely helpful. They even helped me pick out new frames that best fit my face. Highly recommend Dr. Aller's office! read more

I have been here twice now. I like Dr. Aller. He's very thorough and meets my needs. His equipment for eye testing is top choice. His staff are friendly. I dropped one star simply, because of one gripe, maybe two; the choice of frames are not good. He needs a better selection. A lot of the frames are very old fashioned and/or outdated, like really 80's! I find myself looking at other places for frames. I would rather get my eyes tested and purchase frames at the same location. It would also be helpful if the staff, even though helpful and very nice would help offer up some assistance in trying to help the customer choose a frame. In fairness, Covid protocols might have something to do with this. It's minor, but service and choice of goods are everything! If you just want your eyes tested, great place and thorough examination. If you looking for cool and more modern frames, meh. I will still come here, but please, upgrade your frames! read more

Staff was VERY nice and friendly. Dr. Jenny Lam was extremely through and friendly as well. We did a lot of research to find an new optometrist (moved from Colorado) that could help with my wife's dry eye condition and had the selection of frames we like. It was well worth the 20 minute drive to find our new optometrist! read more

You know what? I have been wearing glasses along time and I have never had such a thorough eye exam in my life as the one during my visit with Dr Aller. I always felt fine vision wise with my glasses and my old optometrist before, but when I put on my new glasses for the first time- I was like "wow I can see so well" it really was amazing. Dr Aller really takes time to answer any questions and like I said the exam itself is very comprehensive. Kinda makes me feel my old eye doc was winging it. Busy practice but the girls at front desk keep things running smoothly. Great selection of frames as well. read more

I was in an out in less than 40 minutes. They are fast, efficient and inexpensive. I will be going back not that I'm spending more time in front of the pc read more

Dr. Aller is dope. He takes his time during the eye exam and the appointment doesn't feel rushed at all. I went for a regular exam and also to see if I was a candidate for Lasik. He does pre-screenings and has a partnership with a Lasik surgeon (although I can't remember the name). Ordering contacts through his office with VSP was a breeze. He also has this fancy retina scanning machine (not VSP covered, but I got a discount from finding him through Yelp) that you can opt to do instead of dilation. Parking is a little tough in the immediate area, but if you drive a block or two away into the residential neighborhood you'll find it just fine. Mustache was nowhere to be found during my office visit. You've been warned. read more

I had a really great first experience here. They were all very friendly and helpful. Dr. Aller is very nice and surprisingly funny. The office was clean and well stocked with hand sanitizer, they sterilized the frames after people tried them on. (Covid-19 precautions) They had cool styles to choose from and priced fairly. I felt very comfortable there and will def return. read more

This is a wonderful office. Both doctors are kind and resourceful. Covid regulations are well followed. I dislike getting my eye check ups but the staff here is kind and makes it a breeze read more

Dr Aller has a very good business, Myself and my wife have gone there for the past 8 year or more. The staff is well trained , they have a good selection. I would recommend this establishment to anyone. read more

Dr. Aller saw me for what I thought was an emergency when my daughter accidentally poked me in the eye with the sharp, metal end of an object. He responded to my weekend email within an hour, confirmed my status as an insured patient, and squeezed me into his schedule as soon as he could. I received excellent care with a thorough eye exam, and received an antibiotic prescription that I could retrieve within hours. He was reassuring about my recovery, estimating a timetable that turned out to be correct. He also diligently scheduled a follow-up meeting -- in his jam-packed schedule. This level of patient care is truly unparalleled and I'm happy to add another glowing Yelp review to his business. read more

I saw Dr.Lam and she was wonderful!!! She was very thorough during my eye exam and explains everything she is doing to you. She also calls you back in a timely manner if you have any questions. The office staff is very pleasant and helpful. Very happy with this office and I would highly recommend it to anyone. Judy DeLuca read more

This was my first visit, and I was very pleased. Dr. Lam was nice, listened to my concerns and explained great options. She was very thorough with the exam, as was her technician Dianne. The other staff was also friendly. They have the latest exam equipment, including dry eye treatment options. (It's why I picked them.) I highly recommend this practice. read more

All of the good reviews are correct. My daughter moved to the area to go to school. She needed glasses so I searched for a Dr. online. I selected Dr Aller because of the outstanding reviews. I emailed to ask if I could pay by phone since I'm out of state, then called for appointment. The help was great at the office, patient and professional. Dr Aller personally emailed back. My daughter loved the place and they sent me a "Text to Pay". They are a model of how business is supposed to be done. Highly recommended. Dr Aller, I thought I would go ahead and write this one so your fingers get a break! lol. read more

Found out once I came in for my appointment - contact lenses are not covered in the initial exam. Fair enough, that's not what I came for anyways. $20 co-pay for glasses exam, $162 for a contact lens exam. Their equipment is a bit outdated compared to other doctors I've seen. I haven't seen some of these older machines in an office since 2013. There was an attempt to upsell me an OptoMap exam - a $39 value. Funny, but no. Was another attempt to upsell me on dilation after telling me that I was looking pretty healthy. Was told that usually dilation is not recommended, their optomap service is and for $39 I could have their optomap service... All in all, if you have Kaiser, go to their vision centers. They will give you both glasses and contacts prescription and do the optomap service without charging you more than your co-pay. Costco offers contact lens fittings for $65. Was looking for something close to home but this whole appointment was one big sales pitch from start to finish. Would not recommend, and I am definitely not coming back. read more

Dr. Aller is very thorough and obviously an expert in his field. When asked, he is happy to explain the whole process and what things mean, which is very assuring for me as a patient. I also never feel rushed while with Dr. Aller. I find him funny and trustworthy. I finally found a wonderful eye doctor!! The ladies at the front desk was very patient with me while picking new glasses. I took at least 30minutes picking a frame- they all helped me pick what looks the best. Definitely a great team here. read more

Love the shop. The gals at the reception desk are pleasant and helpful. I've never had an issue with my glasses. I've even stopped in to have a nose pad replaced (at no charge I might add). Will be back for my new glasses read more

Thank you to Dr. Aller and Lisa for getting in touch with me to fix the issue. I made an appointment with Lisa and she replaced the nose pads and adjusted my glasses properly and carefully. Lisa said the "nose pads" I complained about are indeed nose pads but a non silicone type. I have to say I find that type very uncomfortable and was unhappy to have them for a week. I really appreciate that they put in the effort and made things right. I am leaving this at 3 stars for now because it doesn't change the fact that I had to wear my glasses fitted poorly to my face for a week, and the person who messed them up likely still works there. Make sure Lisa helps you! read more

Very poor experience, especially communication. I made an appointment for contact lens fitting. When I was there, neither the front desk nor the doctor asked what I came there for. Dr. Ngo started examine my eyes and used mydriasis to my eyes. In the end doctor asked me if I wanted to try some glasses then I told them I came to do contact lens fitting. Unfortunately I could no longer try contact lens this time because I used mydriasis already. Fine, people are forgetful sometimes and I understand that. So they scheduled a second appointment for contact lens fitting. The second appointment went fine. They gave me three pairs of contact lens and asked me to come back in a week to check if the lens are good. However, they didn't tell me I need to wear the contact lens for the third visit. I used up all three pairs before the third visit and of course I had no contact lens to wear. Their staff are really poor at communicating with patients. Totally waste of my time. read more

Dr. Aller has been so helpful to me, my family, and my friends over the past 6+ years since meeting him. He has managed to stabilize my vision after years of constant depletion thanks to his suggestion of bifocal contact lenses. I always leave feeling 100% confident with my prescription and contact lens quality. Dr. Aller's skills are admirable, but his heart is what places him above any other optometrist. Earlier today I made the painful mistake of refreshing my contact lens with Clear Care and then putting my lens into my eye. It felt like acidic sand was in my eye every time I blinked. My boyfriend and brother-in-law called Dr. Aller for advice on how we could remedy the situation. He suggested we come on over, even though his office hours were over. He checked for damage, explained to me what caused the pain, and gave me everything I would need to make the next few days of healing as painless as possible. I left feeling so grateful because not only did he eliminate my pain, but he made time for me on extremely short notice when his office was closed. Dr. Aller is constantly immersing himself within the newest eye studies and informs his patients whenever relevant, and beneficial to their case. He truly is the best; both my eyes and I are so grateful for him which is why I always recommend him. Keep up the amazing work Dr. Aller! :) read more

I have been coming to Dr. Aller for as long as I can remember. He used to be in Tanforan. Anyhow, I absolutely LOVE coming here! The options of glasses are the best, and Chelsea will give you her honest opinion, if something looks good or doesn't! So I don't have to bring one of my girlfriends or daughters with me! How awesome it that! I'm a definite repeat customer, and Chelsea keeps me up to date on new cute frames! Oh! Dr. Aller is wonderful also. I enjoy his sense of humor, and is always very timely (as I do not like to wait if I don't have to!). I have tried going to other places to get glasses, and since my prescription is a bit difficult, they never come out just right. read more