This place was awesome! The place was clean and bright with a nice selection of glasses. The staff were welcoming, and helpful. Dr. Polsinelli was great too! The exam was quick, easy, and very accurate! I recommend this place highly. Terrific service! read more

Dr. Polsinelli is super personable and a very caring optometrist. I have always been happy seeing him because he explains things really well. Last week I had an accident where I got bleach in my right eye and I really freaked out. I called the doctor's office immediately and Dr. Polsinelli told me to come right in after washing it out for 20 mins. He examined my eye and made me feel so much better about what was going on and then sent me to see a specialist, just to be safe. He was able to coordinate an emergency appointment for me and gave me drops and a box of tissue to leave with. Luckily everything turned out ok! I couldn't have asked for a more compassionate doctor and really feel lucky to have found him. If you are looking for a great optometrist, look no further, Dr. Polsinelli is your guy. read more

I love Dr. Polsinelli. He is great. I've been coming here for about 3 years now and everytime it is amazing service. If he thinks he is off about something he'll take his time until he gets it right. He also talks to me like a normal person and not like I know all the fancy termonoloy that doctors use. I've recommended 2 other people to him and both times they came back telling me about how awesome he is. The wonderful ladies he has working with him in the front are great too even when you spend 2 hours picking out new frames (i'm horrible at picking out frames) I've been coming here for years and will continue to come here so long as I keep living in San Francisco. read more

I scheduled an appointment over the phone after randomly looking up Polsinelli Optometry on my VSP benefits website. Their office is close to home and have good hours of operation. Karen was extremely friendly and helpful over the phone, going over the range of potential fees I would be expected to pay through VSP insurance. Although we only scheduled an appointment for myself, both my husband and I got an eye exam which is only $10 (with insurance). Dr. Polsinelli was very nice and patient, and asked what my needs and concerns were. I felt well taken care of. Karen was extremely helpful in detailing how much everything was going to cost, and both Dr. Polsinelli and Karen were very patient while my husband and I took forever picking out our frames. Karen obviously pays attention to detail and quality when stocking the frames for us to choose from. She is very knowledgeable about the brands and the quality of each, and sensitive to your financial and other considerations. My husband and I both had a very good experience here, it was kind on our pocket books, and as long as we live in SF I will not go anywhere else for my eye needs. read more

I've been seeing optometrists for over twenty years (eek, am I that old???) and I swear I had the best eye exam ever with Dr. Polsinelli. He was very personable and efficient with the exam but at the same time he was very thorough. I think his words were "I don't just double check, I quadruple check!" or something like that :) He did a great job explaining things to me and even took a picture of my retinas and described in detail what the images showed. Plus all his equipment (which I normally don't even pay attention to) was very fancy looking and way more state of the art than previous places I've visited. I also love the boutique-feel of the office/showroom. It's very bright and modern inside with an amazing collection of frames, including some very nice ones from Chanel along with more affordable brands. I'd recommend him to anyone, including families as he has some special provisions for kids to make it more fun. Plus make sure to check out the Mr. Potato Head in the window - it's fun to see all his different looks :) read more

Dr. Elio is the best -- so helpful, friendly, professional. Always easy to schedule, and a great location.

I just visited Dr. Polsinelli for the first time and my experience could not have been better. Dr. Polsinelli was incredibly thorough, professional, and really knew what he was talking about. In addition to the doctor being fantastic, the office was really nice, clean, bright and staff was so friendly too. All around, everything you could ask for in an optometrist! I would highly recommend Dr. Polsinelli to any of my friends and family and all of you yelpers too. read more

It was time for my yearly contact lens exam. I really hate getting eye exams. It's an irrational fear, I know, but the technicians at the place I used to go to were rough, and unpleasant. The doctor wasn't great at explaining things, either. I run or walk by Dr. Polsineli's office often, and the Mr. Potato Head in the window always gives me a laugh. I love seeing his costumes. It was because of Mr. Potato head that I decided to give Dr. Polsinelli a try. I had my eye exam this morning, and it went perfectly. I was seen right at the time of my appointment, and Dr. Polsinelli was super nice and knowledgeable. I tend to ask a lot of questions, and he enthusiastically answered my questions clearly. I couldn't be happier. His staff are also really nice--I'm not sure what the name of the lady at the front desk is, but she quickly got me set up with my contacts order and gave me the rebate paperwork. I'm spoiled now. I won't go anywhere else. read more

Dr. Polsinelli was great, explained everything in terms I could understand, and his staff was very professional and polite.

I have been going to Dr. Polsinelli for seven years now. He is very thorough and competent. I get my eyeglasses and contact lenses fitted with Dr. Polsinelli and find that he gets the prescription precisely every time -- this is because he is very competent and hard working. I do not feel rushed and his record keeping is very meticulous. It was 5 stars seven years ago and he continues to be the best optometrist I have been to. read more

We love Dr. Polsinelli! I've had problems with contact lenses and was told by another optometrist in the city that I had to use eye drops and limit using contact lenses. Dr. Polsinelli worked with me to identify the right brand. I'm able to continue to use contacts daily without eye drops. Also, my 14 year old is now using contacts and Dr. Polsinelli and his staff trained him on contact lense hygiene and taught him how to put on lenses. He's been using contacts for a week now and he's only needed my help once! read more

Dr. Polsinelli and Karen at the front desk are the most knowledgeable and most courteous optometry team I've ever encountered. Dr. Polsinelli immediately saw what was wrong with my eyes. This is after 10 years of problems that made me feel really anxious if I had to drive at night, having a hard time reading like I used to, computer screens looked crappy, etc. Two other optometrists completely missed the diagnosis and made me feel like I was a hypersensitive nutcase. Dr. Polsinelli's insight into what is going on with my eyes has totally changed the way I think about myself--for the better--and has given me a lot more confidence when doing the things that seemed "off" before. Might I also mention that their selection of frames is really good? Karen spent a lot of time helping me pick out my new glasses. She was super patient and guided me towards some selections that would really work for me style-wise. I love my glasses, and the quality is so good that after a year they still look new. Originally I went to Polsinelli Optometry because they were in my neighborhood and took my insurance. Now I know they are a "gem" and can't imagine going anywhere else. read more

Dr. Polsinelli is a great find,great location and staff are wonderful. Reminded me by phone of my appointment and parking right in front although meter parking. My eyes are in the best of hands with Dr. P. Exam was quick and able to answer some of my questions especially when it came to ordering new contacts. He knows his stuff and has the latest in eye care, real thorough exam quick and painless. My eyes are dry at times and suggested the latest in contacts acuvue for relief. A little steep for one day only contacts, Dr. P was able to confirm with my insurance they would pay for an entire year of contacts without paying for it first. Wow, I saved hundreds of dollars alone, no out of pocket expense, yeah!!!! Thank you Dr. P many would not go through the trouble but he and his staff did. Even sent my contacts via mail and were in my eyes before the end of the week. read more

I had a wonderful experience at Polsinelli Optometry and with Dr. Polsinelli. He was rectommended by a friend and now I understand why. The office is a nice comforting space. I felt very relaxed there. The doctor was very friendly, knowledgable and gave me a very thorough exam. I had a problem with the last doctor I saw and never had great vision with the glasses prescribed to me then and found out I was over corrected so he actually lowered my prescription! I really like that he also works with children. My son is 3 and will see him in a couple of weeks. He was originally seen by a Pediactic Opthamologist who is the top in the field and Dr. Polsinelli knows him and works with him and sometimes refers patients to him. That made me feel good about seeing him as well. I highly recommend him. You will have a great experience. My other doctor blew me off when I said my glasses were too strong and acted like I was being difficult. Dr. Polsinelli listened and tried different things to make sure I was comfortable. Which I very much appreciated. He also takes VSP and other eye insurances. read more

Dr. Polsinelli is the best optometrist I have ever been to see (over 25 years and many optometrists). He took extra care and time and gave me the best prescription I have ever had. He is very smart and knowledgeable with up to date experience. I am following him from his old Practice to his new self-owned firm. Strongly recommend him!! (I suspect that the one negative post on Yelp is a shill post from his last firm because they are losing too many patients to his new practice. Nothing in the one negative post matches my experience) read more

Dr. Polsinelli is great. No question about it. He is very attentive, and the office is very modern. With that said, can we talk about his amazing staff??? Dr. Polsinelli hired a fashion consultant to better up his game. She and I spent over one hour deciding which frames fits my face the best. I wanted to choose Chanel, I really did, but in the end, I chose classic Jil Sander frames. Dr. Polsinelli is for sure going to be my optometrist, as long as he is going to be in SF, and I hope his wonderful team is as efficient and personable as they were last week. :) read more

Everyone is very friendly and Dr. Polsinelli is knowledgable and patient. He will answer all your questions and will not rush you. Everything you would expect from an exceptional optometrist and their staff. read more

Over my lifetime, I've been to a handful of optometrists. I can honestly say that Polsinelli Optometry is the best. Here's why: 1) Unbelievably thorough exam. He wasn't just going through the motions. He explains everything while he is examining you. You never wonder what he's looking at, etc. He has great "bed-side" or, in this case, chair-side manner. Great listener and he really knows his stuff. He even explains things that may happen down the road as we age, etc. 2) Office is cleaner than clean. You don't feel trapped. This place is brand new. Hardwood floors, tile bathroom, nice lighting, etc. Very welcoming. Nice and bright. 3) State of the art equipment. Part of the eye exam is done with an iMac mounted on the wall. Really cool. 4) Great selection of contacts and frames. I finally found frames that actually fit my face. 5) I like to ask of a lot of questions before any Dr. looks at me. "What makes this person qualified to examine me?" I learned Dr. Polsinelli went to one of the finest Optometry programs in the USA. He's been featured on View by the Bay and some other news sources. He participates in continuing education to stay current with the latest and greatest in the optometry field. He's an avid runner and understands the importance of vision and sports and other athletics. i.e. reaction time, etc. His clientele range from kids to adults. 6) Most importantly, I'm impressed with Dr. Polsinelli. He's unbelievable passionate about his craft and he really cares about the health of your eyes. I'm going to grad school and he told me that studies show that not having crystal clear vision puts you at a learning disadvantage. Ok, that makes sense. But what was impressive is that Dr. Polsinelli could cite the study and cite the relevant statistics in the study. He knows his stuff. Knowledgeable, Thorough, Clean, Personable, Detailed, Understanding, Caring. I would definitely go back to Dr. Polsinelli. read more

Dr. Polsinelli is friendly and takes the time to explain the exam process. I have never learned so much from a routine eye exam.

I've been going to Dr. Polsinelli for a little more than 4 years now and I can't imagine the day where I would ever willingly switch optometrists. When I began going here, I also made an appointment for my picky husband who was instantly hooked and has also been a loyal patient. Marta has always been so kind and they're great at letting you know when it's time for your check-ups. The glasses and contact selection is always top notch. In my experience, the service from has been consistant since day one. This is my second review and once again I give it five stars. read more

Dr. Polsinelli is my doctor for more than 5 years and I've been more then happy with him ! He is very knowledgeable attentive and very professional !!! My appointments were always on time , all my questions are always answered , him and his stuff are very professional and caring ! I first met Dr. Elio when he was an associate in other practice but after he moved and opened his own practice I had to research to find him to continue having him as my doctor ... so Thank you Dr. Elio and stuff for providing great care I really appreciate it !!! read more

Dr. Polsinelli is a great doctor who's very personable and friendly. His office is state of the art and pristine!! I was very impressed. He has a wide selection of fashionable frames and sunglasses. I tried some on and fell in love with a pair immediately. I would recommend him to friends and family without hesitation. read more

By far the best eye doctor I've ever had (and I've had several in multiple cities). Not only incredibly thorough, Dr. Polsinelli is very kind. He's super conscientious in finding you the perfect prescription and talks you through all of his decision-making. I trust him implicitly. I'm usually one to shop around with doctors, but no need in this case. read more

I wish I had a reason to get my eyes checked more often! Of course, this is usually not the thing that people say after visiting an optometrist, but Dr. Polsinelli is personable, funny, and a darn good diagnostician. He was the first to ever explain that I have the "lucky" type of astigmatism, horizontal rather than oblique, so I can improve my vision by squinting. Never have I felt lucky about my malformed corneas but his explanation shed a whole new positive light on my quasi-blindness. While my eyes were dilating, he also fixed my existing frames, adding new nose pads and righting whatever was crooked so I didn't look like a mad scientist. So far, no more shoving glasses up my face every 20 min. I wholeheartedly recommend going if you care about your eyes and want someone competent to look at them and in them. They also have a lovely selection of European frames so you can look hip with your perfectly corrected vision. read more

Dr. Polsinelli is amazing. I switched insurance companies and found his practice nearby my home, so I swung by when I realized my contact supply was diminishing. He was very kind, professional, and patient in answering all of my questions and concerns with clear answers and explanations (I'm so clueless most of the time!). I also noted that he and his staff appear to be very honest with their customers. After my exam, they provided me with both my glasses and contacts prescriptions (should I choose another place to purchase them), and let me know that my insurance would only accept one or the other. They recommended I choose contacts as glasses tend to be easier to find discounts in other places, and even showed me how I could further get available rebates. Their service is excellent and you, not your money, are in their best interest. read more

Dr. Polsinelli is fantastic, all around! His office staff is incredibly professional, helpful, and pleasant. Dr. Polsinelli is wonderful, thorough, and truly cares about his patients and offers answers and details to all of your concerns and questions, with a positive friendly demeanor. The office space is impeccable and he has a great variety of frame options, and a staff who happily helps you find something that's perfect for your needs, offering you all your options, with great care of your budget. Top notch, all around! read more

Dr. Polsinelli is great! I went in for a routine eye exam and had a fantastic experience - I was seen promptly, and Dr. Polsinelli explained everything he was doing and patiently answered all my questions. The whole thing took maybe 30 minutes. The receptionist was also very friendly and answered my insurance questions (with my VSP benefits, there was only a $20 copay). I will definitely be coming back for my next eye exam! read more

Dr. Polsinelli is detailed, friendly, honest and my 6 year old loved her visit and even enjoyed her eye exam! His front desk staff is beyond helpful. They helped us navigate the city and answered all of our insurance questions. Easy to find in Nob Hill area...definitely visit if you are pondering a check up...you won't be disappointed. read more

This review is long overdue. In February, I scratched my cornea -- yikes! that hurts -- on a Sunday a.m. and by Monday was in agony. Although the office was closed, Dr. Polsinelli was in and saw me immediately. At the time, I wasn't a patient (I am now) but he made sure I received a through exam, explained the injury and treatment in great detail, and worked with the pharmacy to make sure I got the generic $10 prescription rather than the $195 designer drug. Karen is great, too. Professional, friendly and very informed about how to deal with stingy insurance companies. Dr. Polsinelli is everything one could hope for in an Optometrist, and I'm thrilled he's in the neighborhood. read more

I'm a 41 yr old male, I had my eyes checked a decade ago, and occasionally wore glasses at night for being near sighted. I lost my glasses a few years ago and after a few blurry movies, I decided to go back to the eye doctor over the holidays. I had very low expectations... pay for an eye exam, buy some glasses, etc... Dr. Polsinelli and his staff were awesome. Everyone was incredibly nice and accommodating. They not only took my appointment on the same day (lucky cancellation), but they were logistically efficient for a small business. As a small business owner, I appreciated how well run and timely they were, it shows they respect their patient's time. Moreover Dr. Polsinelli knows everything about the eye, a scary but impressive organ & lens into the body. He was well armed with graphics, tools, and techniques to make the seemingly chaotic exam very methodical and precise. I paid a little extra for digital snapshots of my retina and he quickly googled 'bad retinas' to show how the eye can reveal various diseases... very cool. After an educational and productive 45 minutes, I got my great prescription but wasn't 'drawn' to any of the glasses... could have also been that my eyes were dilated and I couldn't see anything :) Nevertheless, the staff didn't give me the 'hard sell' to buy glasses on the spot... I trust it's a money maker for them, and I'll certainly give them my business, but it was nice not to be over 'sold'. The little things go a long way, and you can tell Dr. Polsinelli and his staff do all the little things and more because they care about their patients. I highly recommend Dr. Polsinelli to anyone looking for a first time eye doctor, looking for a new doctor, or really just interested in learning about the eye :) read more

I called to make an appointment for my husband and I for a Saturday and was booked a few weeks out which was fine. Then I received a phone call that they needed to rebook because his wife was having a baby, which is fair and also fine. Rebooked two weeks later.... Finally, we made it to our appointments and Dr. Polsinelli was GREAT! My only complaint was they told us my husbands sunglasses would be ready in 3-5 days and 7 business days later still no glasses, we were leaving for vacation on a beach and it would have been nice. They did call us as we sat at the airport to inform us that they were ready for pick up, but it was too late. read more

First time as an adult visiting an Optometrist, so perhaps I don't have much of a comparison. However, my visit as a teenager (back) east was less than pleasant, so I really wasn't looking forward to the visit. I found the office staff and Dr. Polsinelli to incredibly pleasant. I felt very comfortable in the office and with the eye exam. The Doctor took his time to explain all of the various tests and results that they performed on me. I left without feeling I had to purchase glasses/lenses right then and there. Although I can get away with OTC readers (he recommended varying diopters for reading and computer work based upon my eyes), I suspect I will be going back to his office for prescription glasses at some point soon. Definitely recommended. read more

Dr. Polsinelli exceeded all of my expectations! He truly combines the science and the art of an excellent optometrist. Any additional word in this review wouldn't do justice to the level of care and attention to detail that this practice delivers. Perhaps the best optometrist in the country! read more

Dr. Polsinelli is really great. He's very knowledgable, thorough, so kind, and trustworthy. Someone on here put it perfectly; "he's on it." He's always seen me right on time as well which is always appreciated. I can't say enough good things about him, I feel like he truly has his patient's best interests in mind, every time. He's given me great recommendations on products; seems like he's always looking out for what's most cost effective for the patient. Just one example, I had some issues with dry eye last year and he suggested I try a specific type of fish oil before doing anything else. He showed me the bottle, had me take a picture of it to capture the name/ingredients, and suggested Amazon as the best (cheapest) place to buy it-- I checked and he was right (about the price.) Also, the fish oil totally worked! He's done this a few times with other products that he doesn't carry in his office. I should also mention, I never felt like he was pushing a product on me just because he carried it which is why I trust his advice. He's pretty efficient with his eye exams, he knows what he's doing! I have a busy schedule, I love that he's efficient but never feel like I'm being rushed. He explains everything with as much or as little detail as you may need. Highly recommend! read more

Dr. Polsinelli is just fantastic. He is very knowledgeable, and incredibly honest. He also knows a tremendous amount about optical issues for children (I care because I have a 2 and 4 year old). I could not recommend him more! read more

Dr. Polsinelli did amazing work with my young daughter, teaching her to put in overnight contacts with tremendous patience and good humor. He answered all of her questions and made sure she understood proper hygiene around contact lenses. He was also extremely thorough in refining her prescription. Cannot recommend him more highly! read more

Incredibly professional and informative eye exam. Top notch service.

I'm inexperienced with the whole eyeglass thing having only started needing reading glasses a couple of years ago, but have been very happy with Dr. Polsinelli. I tried him initially because he had just hung up his shingle in my neighborhood, but was impressed with his professionalism and friendly manner. Had no hesititations going back again this year. read more

After having a traumatic experience with a different optometrist , I went to Dr. Polsinelli for my eye exam which I am glad I did. There are many reasons I like this place... But just to name a few, Karen at the front desk was surprising friendly and patient. Dr. Polsinelli was so thorough and he was willing to answer any questions I had. He has a great bedside manner that made me feel much comfortable. I will definitely go back =)) read more

I've been going to Dr. Polsinelli personally for the past two years. Recently, I took my 5 year old to have his eyes checked, and he loved it! Dr. Polsinelli knew how to put my kid at ease by screening a brief kid friendly movie, and explaining cool tools like the red/blue glasses and silly lights! He took the time to explain about the equipment, procedures, and his findings. He also made sure that he covered all the bases to answer any of my concerns. My son was very engaged and happy being in the doctor's office! read more