241 Optical

Committed to satisfaction

Locally owned & operated

I am shocked to read the (couple of) negative reviews here. This is the best optical store I've…read moreever been to, both in Boston and New York City. John is so sweet, kind, cooperative, helpful (on and on), and Dr. Shah is thorough and kind as well. I can't fathom someone feeling "degraded" or having any kind of negative experience at this store.

Very disappointing experience. I provided three different insurance plans and not a single one was…read moreaccepted, which was already frustrating. The first eye exam itself was a terrible experience. I didn't feel like I was being treated by a doctor at all. The communication was rude, and I felt uncomfortable the whole time. Six months later, I came back to ask about getting a second exam for contact lenses, and I was made to feel degraded, like I was bothering them just by asking. The lack of professionalism and basic manners made the whole experience really upsetting. I left feeling bad instead of cared for.

1.4 mi•Porter Square, North Cambridge

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General Optical

4.3(66 reviews)

I had gone to General Optical many years ago and was very satisfied. The staff has changed. I…read morebought glasses and got sunglasses to go with them. In order to put the sunglasses on your must take off your glasses and use both hands. Obviously this cannot be done when you are driving a car. If I had been warned I would not have bought them. Genevieve C.

Dr. Klaahsen is fantastic!! Here's why. It had been about 7 years since my last eye exam and I…read moregenerally viewed these interactions as transactional until I met her. She explained to me the importance of eye care in a super loving way and walked me through everything she was doing and why. She uses state of the art tech and actually teaches you about your eyes. Dr. Klaahsen really took the time to find the right contacts for me and WHOA...I didn't realize how much I couldn't see anything before! That's a long story BUT the point is that Dr. Klaahsen is a great Doctor. She really cares about her people in a way you don't often get from physicians. The staff is really helpful and inviting when you walk in. I can't recommend Dr. Klaahsen enough! If you don't go to her...switch. It's totally worth it.

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Custom Eyes

4.2(196 reviews)

0.7 mi•Central Square

Friendly guy running this place. Unfortunately, I had 1 major issue and 1 smaller issue…read more I came in for a same-day lens replacement for a scratched lens. 1. He gave me the opposite prescription at first (I have a positive number for my spherical, and he gave me a negative number). I immediately knew it was wrong because it was incredibly disorienting, and he told me that my old lenses were prepared poorly and this is what they were supposed to be like and I just needed to keep using them and adjust to this. He confidently showed me the measurement on the machine behind the counter to prove it, but luckily I happened to notice that the number was wrong and pointed it out. To his credit, he apologized and fixed it, but it took an extra hour of sitting in his shop to wait for it. I can't get over how badly this would have messed up my eyes if I did as he said and just used them until my eyes adapted, which would have never happened. I have new glasses now with allegedly the same prescription, and they feel shockingly better when I compare them one after another. So I am concerned that at the end of the day, something was still wrong after all that. Perhaps it was the pupillary distance which he measured in a rush using a device which I may have been looking into wrong since I didn't have an explanation. 2. The whole process was expensive, and the lens quality was poor. I think they were the lowest quality lens material with no or poor antireflective coating. I accept that this is to be expected when buying on short notice, but there was no discussion of what i was buying or what options were available. This is mostly poor judgement on my part, and does not contribute much to my low score here besides the subpar price/quality ratio. He seems like a really nice guy, and perhaps service is much more accurate and faster on a day that isn't as busy as the day I went in. However, I wish that I had just put up with the scratch for another few weeks and waited for my glasses from the internet.

Don't usually review, but they are just the best in the game hands down. I love Kevork Tinkjian he…read moreis too nice. Just amazing, my family has been going for years. If you need glasses, contacts look no further!

Kevork Tinkjian opened Custom Eyes in December of 2003. Kevork has been a licensed Optician since 1998.

Kevork Tinkjian

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SEE - Don't miss SEE's Spring Trunk Show - April 14-May 2!

SEE

4.2(166 reviews)

0.1 mi•Harvard Square

Like a dedicated employee, I went into the office where I inadvertently set a notebook on my…read moreglasses. Smush.... I brought my glasses into SEE where the arms on my glasses were realigned. They were straight and stayed on my face. I was ready to replace them but they were able to straighten them. :) If I need glasses, I am returning. They get my vote.

XLent, XLent, XLent Service, styles and Staff!…read moreNow, lets talk about their corporate design department... they are a little slow on creating new styles. For those of US who buy glasses for THAT reason it makes one want to stray but then there's Staff and Service at this location -Trang and Rob - the best. OH way, we'll just have to wait out the season and HOPE to be surprised by the mothership.

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Medford Eyeglass Shop

5.0(37 reviews)

3.7 mi

•$

I went in to have 2 designer sunglasses fixed. The man in the shop immediately fixed the in less…read morethan 10min and charged only $20. Professional, fast and friendly! Go here for your eyeglass/sunglasses needs. They are the best.

Rick is the best! Very customer service oriented and always willing to take the time to explain how…read moreto pick the best glasses for the customers needs. Highly recommend!

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Tuscany frameless eyeglass assortment and Leader sports and activity eyeglasses and sunglasses

All Eye Care Doctors

3.1(75 reviews)

1.1 mi•Porter Square

I had a very disappointing unprofessional experience at this office and would not recommend it…read more First, my insurance covers one comprehensive eye exam per year. However, the office routinely uses a "fundus camera" and charges an additional $39, which is not typically covered by insurance. This was never communicated to me in advance. My initial appointment was scheduled for 9:00 AM, but I did not see Dr. Idrizovic until 10:20 AM. When I was finally brought back, the visit felt chaotic. The receptionist knocked on the exam room door multiple times because other patients were waiting to pick up contacts and were frustrated. During the appointment, I was told I had dry eyes, but the doctor said she did not have time to address it and asked me to reschedule. I left without an updated prescription and only a vague understanding that I "might" have dry eyes? At my follow-up appointment (scheduled for 1:00 PM), I was not seen until 1:45 PM. During that visit, I was again told I had dry eyes and was encouraged to purchase a LipiFlow treatment costing between $700-$1,500, which is not covered by insurance. When I checked out, I was charged $114 -- $75 for the follow-up and $39 for "Lipiscan" imaging. No imaging was performed that day. I was told they were charging to review images taken during my first appointment, which had not been clearly explained. I raised concerns about the lack of clarity and the way the appointments were handled. Later that day, Dr. Idrizovic called and agreed to reimburse the $114. However, during that call she told me it was my responsibility to ask the front desk for my prescription (which is why I didn't receive it initially) and commented that my insurance was "poor," comparing it to her own Harvard Medical School insurance with lower copays (she told me her copays were $20 which is significantly lower than mine which were $75 ). I found this extremely unprofessional. Although I was reimbursed the $114, the office still billed my insurance for the follow-up visit, during which no meaningful evaluation occurred beyond being told I had dry eyes and being encouraged to purchase an expensive treatment. Overall, the experience felt disorganized (I waited over 2 hours total over my 2 appointments), poorly communicated, and focused more on upselling than patient care. I would not return.

DO NOT GO HERE! Service is extremely rude and you pay a high price for a simple eye exam. Honestly,…read moreif I could give less than one star, I would. I am definitely not one to write low rating reviews, but this one is a warning to anyone who is deciding whether or not to go here. I had been needing to get my eyes checked as my rx had expired and also to get my glasses updated with the new prescription. I made an appointment online and came at my allotted time. The front desk attendant had the worst interrogative and condescending attitude I have ever experienced and the process of getting my eyes checked was definitely weird. They asked for my current prescription ahead of examining my eyes - which shouldn't matter. Makes me think that they didn't do a thorough job of checking my eyes since my prescription didn't change. They also had me throw away my current contacts to check my vision even though they could still be used. Normally you are provided with a case and saline, but the attendant gave me attitude and had me throw them away. I had looked at the reviews online and had seen some more positive reviews on google in the recent months thinking that perhaps service had changed from the negative reviews I had seen. I assure you, it has not. Part of me wonders if they have planted reviews to get their ratings up.

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Eye-Q Optical - Cambridge

4.1(154 reviews)

0.3 mi•Harvard Square

Certified professionals

Offers payment plans

Claire was incredibly kind and exceptionally skilled at adjusting my eyeglass frames. Thanks to her…read morehelp, I was able to get comfortable with my new prescription and my new frames. I really appreciated her patience and expertise.

I had a great experience here for a vision exam. The customer service was excellent and they even…read morehave a special machine that can detect changes to your eye health which my insurance covered with a small co-pay. Highly recommended!

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Warby Parker Cambridge

3.5(15 reviews)

0.3 mi•Harvard Square

They are the poorest quality glasses that I have ever owned…read more They keep breaking, and my optometrist's office keeps fixing them for me for free without complaint. If I try to get them fixed at Warby Parker, where I purchased them, they will send me on a goose chase to make an appointment via email or mail in my glasses. What a load of crock! I would never recommend their glasses.

This place is way over-hyped…read more After hearing some good things from others about prices and variety of frames we went to check out the Harvard Sq. location. The staff was friendly and eager to help and fairly knowledgeable. We didn't find a whole lot of variety for frame styles. But the main downside to Warby Parker for us were the prices. Highway Robbery. Just as expensive, if not more so, than other eyeglass stores. A nice vacation could have been had with the money spent here. This place is nothing more than a marketing ploy disguised as a business.

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Harvard Square Eye Care

2.6(126 reviews)

0.2 mi•Harvard Square

I came here for an exam a couple weeks ago and was so happy with my experience that I was shocked…read moreto see the low overall rating on here. But it looks like the 1 star reviews are at least a year old. If you're in the Cambridge area and need an optometrist, go here! Truly. I stopped into and called several optometry offices around Harvard Square, and this was the only one where I immediately felt a genuinely welcoming, no-nonsense vibe. That was NOT my experience elsewhere. Harvard Square Eye Care is clearly not trying to scam you or push overpriced frames. I never felt pressured to buy anything, and I really appreciated having the option to do traditional dilation instead of being steered toward the more expensive imaging option that my insurance doesn't cover - something most other places didn't even offer. It's such a relief to find a practice that understands the simple need for an eye exam and prescription, especially for those of us who just want the most affordable pair of glasses possible. Honest, transparent, and refreshing. Ignore the negative reviews and go here!

Friendly, knowledgeable and quick. Not aggressive with their sales tactics, which is a huge turn…read moreon. Easy parking or a short jaunt from alewife station.