TL; DR: the staff here weren't rude, but were really ignorant about how my benefits worked, said that my insurance company was lying about what my benefits actually were, attempted to bill the wrong insurance (medical, not vision), and insisted that dilation is not part of a routine eye exam. I didn't actually have an eye exam here because the staff did not know how to process my insurance which was a waste of everyone's time. Really disappointed all around. I was able to schedule an appointment over the phone a few days ahead of time which was great. I provided my insurance information. I asked them to confirm that tinted lenses were covered by my plan, the person I made the appointment with said it's not covered. I checked with my insurance and it is covered. No big deal, I can sort that out when I get there. I went to my appointment. (I didn't get a reminder call, they said I would.) They said that the exam was just for refraction, I said no, I need dilation, too, because I have high myopia. The person behind the counter said that dilation is not covered by my vision insurance (Davis) as part of a routine exam. I pulled up the plan description and showed her that it was in fact covered when deemed medically necessary. Given my history, it is *always* medically necessary and literally every eye exam that I've had, even with an optometrist, comes with dilation and not just refraction. I showed them the summary plan description, they refused to accept what it said. They said that insurance companies say one thing to patients and then refuse to pay providers and don't always give patients the right information. (I don't disagree that someone on the phone can give you the wrong information, but I literally had the written documents saying that this was covered.) They showed me in their system that routine eye exams are covered, but they said that, in their office, routine eye exams *do not* include dilation. **They insisted that if I wanted dilation with my exam that I would have to provide them with my medical insurance information. I was not having a medical issue with my eyes, I needed to get a new prescription and a routine, annual check up. This is not covered by medical insurance!** They offered to contact Davis Vision and said that the wait time would be over an hour to speak with a rep from the insurance company. They offered to keep the appointment and only do refraction, not dilation, unless I provided them with my medical (not vision) insurance information, since they wouldn't be able to confirm that dilation was covered by the vision insurance. I said I'd wait for them to confirm that dilation was included, they said they'd contact me later in the day to let me know. I never heard from them. I declined the partial exam and left. read more

Today is June 26. Today I went to my primary care doctor and had a vision test. Turns out by vision is 20/40. Their Ozone Park office tried to tell me my vision was 125 125. Yes, that's right you scammer they are liars. And I almost got glasses from them, but they would not add to my prescription benefits, which include tinting good thing I did not allow them to do my glasses which I don't even need. You low life scammers people do not go there and if you do get a second opinion, I said what I said. read more

The customer service was very efficient and optimal especially when I was in a rush. Not to mention the glasses I got for the value was really good compared to other shops. Also they give you like glasses cleaner, microfiber cloth, and all this other stuff. I feel as if these reviews are outdated. read more

I thought I found new eye doctor I could go to since my childhood eye doctor retired. I was sadly mistaken to think it could be Shades of Vision. I found the service at Shades of Vision to be indifferent and unfriendly. They say they will call back - but they don't. My right eye recently got irritated so I called Dr Li at Shades of Vision and she refused to take a look. I simply wanted someone to look in my eye and see if there was something stuck in there. All she could say was "you have to go see an Optometrist". And "your insurance doesn't cover that". I'm sorry - I think this is very impersonal - ignoring the immediate pain I was in and just punting it down the line. It would have taken 5 minutes to look in my eye and give her opinion. If she really thought I should see an Optometrist afterward - that would have been fine. read more

I got charged twice for having to re-do my eye exam upon realizing I should go higher with the prescription I got. Other opticians would have re-done it as a courtesy. Rude staff. Must be a cultural thing tho. read more

They went the extra mile to make certain my lenses were made correctly without any intervention on my part. I appreciate that. The staff were great. I think the doctor who gave me an eye exam could have been a touch more personable. read more

What an unpleasant experience. The lack of professionalism baffles me. How are they still in business?

My parents and I have come here often (albeit reluctantly) since it's close by. Their selection of frames is small, lackluster, and pretty outdated. The owner (or who ever is in charge) speaks to you in such a monotonous tone, it's as if he doesn't give a shit whether your questions are thoroughly answered or not. I once had pink eye (yuck!) & called Shades of Vision asking if they could see me. They said that my insurance had not kicked in yet, so they wouldn't be able to see me for another few days, no matter how much I pleaded with them and told them that it was an emergency... UGH wtf?! (The reason I didn't go to the ER is bc it would have taken hours, and I figured my regular eye place would be able to take care of me.) Instead I went across the street to Olivio's Opticians & they were able to see me within half an hour, accepted my insurance right away (!!!), gave me eye drops AND were comforting and polite. I haven't been back to Shades since. Recently, my mom wanted to get a new pair for eye glasses, & we had a discount for Lenscrafters so I called Shades to ask them to provide her with her vision prescription. They looked up her account & said ok. However, after my mom got there, they refused to give her the prescription because "they couldn't release an expired prescription"...again UGHHH wtf?! They scheduled a $50 eye exam instead, even though she didn't ask for one. I called back to figure out why the fuck they couldn't just give her the prescription, and cancelled the appointment. The next day we went to LensCrafters and got our shit done, with much better service. I asked a sales associate at LensCrafters if they are allowed to withhold prescriptions if they are expired, and he said, No - but some private clinics do that so they can get $$$ out of you. So fucking frustrating. I wish I could give 0 stars, but since Yelp doesn't have that option 1 star will have to suffice. The ONLY redeeming factors that Shades of Vision has are Dr. Lam, who is really kind and friendly, and Mukta the sales associate who is extremely polite. The only reason to make a trip to Shades of Vision is if you need a cheap pair of glasses (or back up glasses) covered by your insurance. read more

Fantastic staff! After the optometrist over-corrected my prescription (an honest mistake), Abdul went above and beyond to make sure the situation was solved, including booking a replacement exam and replacing the lenses, all for free. read more

Shades of Vision is wonderful. My wife and I both have been customers here for about five years. The general atmosphere is excellent, very professional and relaxed. Bob McKenna is extremely thorough and helpful with answers to all my questions; he is always happy to help with adjustments and solutions for my vision needs. Dr. Lam is so pleasant and like the other staff he really takes time out to explain everything during exams. I should mention I am a cyclist - commute to work everyday, rain/shine/snow, etc. Also ride racing bikes up around Nyack, etc on the weekends. I need progressive lenses and Bob really went all out to figure out the best fit for me in this less than easy application (progressive Rx shades in a wrap-around sport frame). These guys hit it out of the park for us; even if we didn't live nearby, I'd make a special trip to get my eyes checked and prescriptions filled here. Two thumbs up! read more

The Optician takes all the time necessary to make sure your satisfied with your eyewear. Very knowledgeable about lens technology and proper frame fit. If looking for something unusual, they will do all that can be done to find it for you. Love coming to this location. read more

Shades of Vision - Eyewear & Opticians Near Me - Jackson Heights, New York

I just want to start by thanking this office for the ultra cold air conditioning on this hot day! Appointment was at 2pm, showed up at 1:50pm to get first time customer paperwork done. I picked by frames and was sitting down waiting by 2:15pm. Saw the Dr and was good to go by 3pm. The front desk women were great. I'm not are of the name of the woman who helped me. She was very kind and informative. Choosing frames was simple thanks to her. I will definitely return and recommend. Great business. read more

Shades of Vision - Eyewear & Opticians Near Me - Jackson Heights, New York

Dr. Lam was the first to notice an issue that doctors for years haven't! He is extremely knowledgeable, warm and enthusiastic. He quickly laid out different plans of attack for the simple issue I have and did everything to help me from contacting insurance to providing knowledge about it. I also love the frame selection in this location, and the front desk women are kind angels even though I ended up contacting them several times over three days. 100% recommended! read more

I love Dr. Lam. He's so nice and cool, and is the only eye doctor I've had who doesn't make me feel terrible about my bad eyesight. He can be late though - I have had the first appointment of the day on Saturdays (11am) and he arrives to Shades of Vision a couple of minutes after 11 and then I have to wait for him to get ready. The store itself is fine. No complaints really. read more

Amazing! Dr. Lam is thorough and very personable. He quickly noticed a problem that my previous doctor seemed to have neglected over the years and offered suggestions on how to continue improving my vision with regular muscle exercises. Bob, the owner, was also very great! He was super friendly and took the time to fix my glasses, just because I asked. read more

I had an eye exam here with the guy who I believe is the only doctor, but unfortunately I can't remember his name. I was happy with the administrative service at the front desk and happy with the doctor. The place could use a good cleaning/renovation but beyond that I do recommend this place for an eye exam. I had used the same contacts brand for many years and on the recommendation of this doctor I swtiched to ones made by the same company but are for people whose eyes get dry. It's called acuvue oasys. I'm very happy with the new brand and I would definitely go back to this place for my next eye exam. I don't know their prices because I had insurance and I did not purchase my contacts through them. ( I always buy them online at visiondirect.) read more

Dr.Lam is so helpful and knowledgeable. He is able to explain clearly what is going on with your eyes and what needs to happen. Only giving 3 stars because front office knew I was paying everything out of pocket for contacts and the eye exam. I was given a price point to know how much it would all be. When I went to check out the price they had originally quoted me had increased by over 100$. They did not tell me the contacts were one price and the eye exam and contact lens exams are 2 different exams with 2 different prices but instead told me at the beginning that ordering contacts already included an eye exam for the contact price. Just tell the customers the breakdown of the prices better so they are not feeling misled, as I was. read more

I walked in trying to purchase a pair of eyeglasses, asking the most important question first - do you take my insurance? After calling my insurance company they told me that I do not have coverage which means I would have to pay out of pocket. I was pretty sure I did have some vision insurance. I went to a different place that told me I have decent coverage. If this place didn't take my insurance they should've told me. Now I strongly believe that they tried to rip me off. In any case, their selection of frames was really small. And it seemed like they get few customers. read more

Dr Lam is wonderful but the owner is surly, rude and disrespectful. He broke my glasses and didn't have the decency to apologize.

My insurance covered my glasses here but found out they gave me out of network glasses and lenses. I paid nearly $ 700.00 My insurance company asked a owner to refund but they refused it. I went to there and asked the owner Mr. Mc.Kenna that why he didn't inform me about it. He replied I didn't have to. I don't trust any of this shop workers including Dr. Lam, owner Mr. Mc.Kenna and Ingrid. Sorry but you can't business like this. read more

I need a prescription for contacts since I was on my last pair of disposables. Called up different places in Jackson Heights, but the friendly staff over the phone convinced me to give these guys a try. I am super glad I did. Dr. Lam is friendly, very informative and super personable. He made me feel comfortable, and his bright personality made everything so easy to understand. He broke down everything into layman's terms, and provided a clear explanation of my options. I have gone to many optometrists in the past, but Dr. Lam is by far the best. The staff were also very kind, and I didn't feel rushed or pushed into buying anything. This will be my go to place from now on. read more

Had a fantastic experience today with the friendly and educated staff at Shades of Vision! It was so easy to get an appointment, get a thorough exam, and pick out new glasses! My vision plan covered almost everything and I'm extremely pleased with the great service and high-quality/low price selection! No dumpy glasses for me! read more

This establishment doesn't deserve to stay in business. The technician, Bob McKenna, is the owner and apparent boss, heated my glasses improperly, which cause the lens to fall out twice within a week. Once it was lost. He refused to take responsibility, claiming that it was my fault, so I had to pay $80 to have a lens replaced in a faulty frame. Note that two other technicians confirmed that the glasses were heated improperly, and that the lenses would, therefore, continue to fall out. The optometrist, Dr. Lam, despite his pleasant demeanor, refused to do anything to rectify the situation, because he claimed that Mr. Mc. Kenna was his boss. Therefore, I was obliged to go to a competent doctor to get a decent pair of frames, which cost me another $155. Finally, it quickly became obvious that the prescription the doctor had given me was incorrect. Therefore, I had to get a new prescription, which was correctly adjusted for astigmatism, something that Dr. Lam neglected to do. This cost me another $122. Note that I am a senior on a fixed income, and I cannot afford to pay , due to this establishment's incompetence and indifference. I am almost 71 years old, and I have been wearing glasses since I was 10 years old. Never before did I have a problem with lenses falling out, even after having dropped the glasses more than once. Never before have I gotten a wrong prescription, either. Avoid this place like the plague. You'll be glad you did. I have already made a complaint to the NY State Department of Education, licensing division, and I am in the process of making a complaint to the Department of Consumer Affairs. Caveat emptor. Buyer, beware. read more

Dr. Lam is by far one of the friendliest and dependable doctors around Queens. The moment you walk in you are greeted with the friendly staff. A special shout out to Mukta who has helped my family and I in getting the process smoother. The wait for the doctor can take a bit long since Dr. Lam is the only doctor around, however, the wait isn't too bad considering he actually takes his time with the patients. Great place. read more

Good local business! Was able to walk in and see the doctor for a quick eye exam, including contacts. Pricing was fair and Doctor was very informative, helpful, and friendly. I'd recommend. read more

I have been a customer here since 1996. I only continue to order from here because Dr. Lam is the best! However, the previous owner was extremely flexible. He made accommodations. I had ripped one of my contacts a year ago, and called him and he replaced it at no cost. Few months ago, when a certain brand of contacts were severely drying my eyes, I was given extra 1 A DAY contacts in addition to a pair of oasis lenses to decide what I wanted. Recently, the management has changed, and the owner is no longer there. I called to place an emergent order this Wednesday because I didn't realize I ran out of 1 A DAY lenses. I was left to my last pair. I requested if I can get a few extra lenses just until my order arrives, and the owner was only willing to give me ONE PAIR to last me ONE DAY while he told me he has no answer for me as to when my contacts will arrive. I paid for my order, yet I have no idea when my contacts will arrive. Since I needed the contacts, I took the pair that will last me 2 weeks which are severely drying to my eyes. I am very disappointed that after being with this business for 19 YEARS, I am told that they don't have a date as to when my contacts will arrive when I have paid in full, and I cannot be given contacts that are in stock to help me get through the week. I am a health care provider and to see managements that are not willing to help their patients is very disappointing. read more

This place was very good! An eyeglasses exam with no insurance came up to $50 (many other stores were trying to charge me more than $100!). I showed up to my appointment an hour early and he was able to take me in an hour early. The environment was very warm. Dr.Lam was really professional and friendly. I have been going to other eye doctors consistently and He pointed out problems with my eyes that no other doctor had seen before, which was really great. The only drawback to this place is that their frame selection wasn't that diverse, but otherwise 10/10 read more