I've been coming to Belmont Heights Optometry for over a decade. The staff are always prepared for my visit, have all my insurance coverage information ready, are well versed in the products and services provided. I went for my annual exam and after a thorough battery of tests, including having the Optomap take images of my inner eye. Very cool! No need for dialating my eyes!! It takes less than a second per eye, causes no stinging, and leaves zero lingering blurriness or light sensitivity so you can drive and return to work immediately. I grew up near this location and have always admired the building. It's an interesting space and has a very tranquil energy. There is even parking. Their selections of frames are great too? read more

Came in for my annual check up and this was the first time getting my eyes dilated so they could look more at my eyes and take some cool photos of it. It does burn at first and your vision is pretty blurred afterwards. The staff is always very friendly and straightforward. read more

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The best optometrist in Long Beach. Fabulous staff that always pay attention to detail. Discovered them 4 years ago! And now a lifetime customer. Go visit them! read more

Professional and attentive eye care with great support staff. Retina pictures might not be covered by insurance, but to price is reasonable.

Experience was great! Easy to get to, clean/calm/serene. Everyone was kind and helpful. The Dr's exam was thorough and easy/comfortable. She explained what she was doing and why and showed me some cool tech images of my eyes. Enjoyed picking out my glasses as well and felt there was a good variety but not too overwhelming. Definitely recommend this place! read more

Last time appointment was in 2012 and happy to Know they are still in business!! Exceptional service and great staff!! Thank you!!!

Dr. Sao was very thorough in the exam & answered all my questions. The office is very welcoming & staff if professional.

Been a patient for a few years now. Dr. Sao, Pam, and Alejandra are all friendly, courteous, and professional. They always send a notice that it's time to book your annual eye exam and every time I've had an appointment I've never had to wait longer than 5 minutes. Would highly recommend them to anyone looking for an optometrist in Long Beach area. read more

Appreciated the level of care. As a diabetic, the main focus is on sight preservation and identifying any areas of concern.

I just finished my first visit and everyone was very friendly. The doctor was quick and thorough. I will be going back.

Good customer service. Available parking. Very informative on service and recommendations.

The ambiance was really nice. I felt comfortable and the doctor calmed any concerns i had. Everyone was professional and made me feel right at home. read more

I go here because the service is outstanding, and the Doctor is great. I went there because I thought I had some really bad eye infection didn't know what to expect with the doctor. Call my nerves and told me I just needed to have a laser hit my eye to clear it up. That was very reassuring. read more

Overall, great experience. Staff are helpful and friendly. The clinic is inviting. Definitely going back for my annual eye exams.

The service at this establishment is above par; the doctor and the staff are very friendly and knowledgeable and being in the office is a very pleasurable experience. read more

This is a nice place. Nice people. We go here for our eye exams only. No pressure. No upsell. They do have a great selection of frames. Doctor is always on time. Staff is helpful and friendly. read more

I want to start off with I REALLY wanted to like this place. I just moved to the neighborhood and was looking for a new optometrist and saw this as my first option and went with my gut to try it out! The first red flag was that my insurance hadn't kicked in yet due to some issues from my employer and the insurance communication. Belmont Heights Optometry didn't want to work with me until I had my insurance. And by work with me, I mean even taking a look at my plan that I had and seeing how much everything would be with insurance, instead they wanted to charge the uninsured price. Even my insurance called in and asked if they could bill later but they didn't budge and they didn't want to work with us in making this work or honestly even helping me out. There is a huge lack in customer service and I strongly feel like they just want to make money. They're not looking to help you they're looking out for themselves. I tried to make conversation and be personable with Dr. Sao. I found out we went to the same alma mater so I thought that was a relatable point. But honestly the energy and response I received from Dr. Sao was cold and she was a little condescending to me. I told her I wanted colored contacts and I purposely got the highest tier vision insurance at my work so I could also get a pair of new lenses for my glasses and Dr. Sao told me verbatim "it's very unlikely that both your contacts and lenses will be covered by your insurance. I can tell you in all my years of working I RARELY ever see that happen." Yeah. Once my insurance kicked in, guess what? Both my lenses and contacts were covered. I felt like Dr. Sao didn't take me seriously. My vision isn't too bad but it is bad enough that wearing contacts and glasses while driving actually makes a difference.. and yeah I wanted colored contacts because they're cosmetically cool. Sue me. I def felt judged and looked down upon. When I called back to schedule my contact fitting appointment, I was forced to do a contact "training" which would cost about $78 and not covered by insurance. I didn't want to because I've worn contacts before but not officially just for fun, but the person on the phone said I have to because it's a "liability". When I went in for my contact fitting, they didn't make me do the contact training so of COURSE if I don't have to pay extra $$, I'm not going to. Dr. Sao handed me trial contacts to try on and yes I took a while to put them on in the bathroom because sticking something in your eye that you haven't worn for years is pretty daunting. But since I was taking too long, Dr. Sao knocked on the bathroom door and asked if I was okay but it felt as though she was rushing me which made me extremely anxious. And then I told her it's not sticking in my eye for some reason and she offered to put them in for me. Having someone else's finger in my eye only made me more anxious. She asked if I wanted to take the contact training again. I politely refused again. I ended up getting the contacts in my eye and then I got to try on colored contacts where I was lead to sit and work with one of the front desk people. When I asked the front desk person if there was a method or easier way to put the contacts in, she answered "everyone has their own method. If you would like to take the contact training we can do that for you" and I was like "well when I called you guys told me I was supposed to take the contact training and that it was mandatory" so then the lady responded "oh we can still have you take it" but honestly I really didn't want to and my point was that y'all told me one thing and did another. Don't lie to me and tell me it's a "liability" just to get more money from me. Also on top of all of this, if you bring your own frames you have to sign a waiver saying that if they break your frames (which I paid $210 for originally) they're not liable. It's just so ridiculous how money hungry these people are. 0 customer service. Huge huge lack. I honestly just felt like I wasn't cared for and maybe that's what I was looking for and unfortunately I didn't find that here. It's a shame because I live so close but it's not worth it. This place isn't the right fit for me and I have pretty low standards when it comes to customer service and feeling taken care of at a DOCTORS office. I feel like money talks here. And to be honest it seemed like they care more about money than my well being. It sucks. And I'm extremely disappointed with this business. I do NOT recommend and I'm shocked at the good reviews because I wholeheartedly disagree. Maybe I just had a bad experience or maybe they just didn't like me, but I've had better experiences with vision folks elsewhere like Kaiser and another small mom and pop shop near my hometown. My unsolicited advice for this business: Be warmer and read your customers. Be helpful. And don't keep trying to charge for being helpful. It's rude and it's not nice. Learn customer service. read more

Hands down the best. Front the front of house to the doctor. The doctor doesn't waste your time but is thorough. I took a hiatus when I moved to OC but realized the drive was worth it. Glad I'm back read more

I have been going to this optometrist for almost 14 years! I love the team and my doctor!

I don't usually write reviews on places but I feel the need to after my experience here with Dr. Sao. I wanted to try out a new eye doctor and I saw the good reviews here so I thought I would give it a try. Ultimately Dr. Sao prescribed me eyedrops that I had a rare reaction too and did not actively listen to my concerns. I also felt she did not efficiently explain why I needed these eyedrops in the first place as I was not having many issues with my eyes. The pharmacist even mentioned they were surprised that I received this particular prescription. The reaction led to needing to take time off work to see an urgent care doctor (blurry vision, swelling, redness, etc). When I had asked Dr. Sao what to do to help with my reaction her recommendations did not solve the issue despite trying for multiple days. I told her what the urgent care recommended and she said "oh that won't be necessary" and she did not seem concerned with my symptoms. When I had reached out to the pharmacist. about my reaction they had mentioned I had a "rare aversive reaction" and would send a full report to Dr. Sao. When I asked Dr. Sao about it a few days later she admitted she did not read the report. The issue did not resolve until I decided to follow the urgent care recommendation which was an antibiotic and steroid. The reaction to the medication was not Dr. Sao's fault but how it was handled afterwards was not caring, empathic, and her recommendations did not resolve my issues. I had to go against her recommendations in order to fully heal from it. I also believe, I may not have needed the prescription for those eye drops in the first place so I believe Dr. Sao could have used better judgement and patient care in discerning whether or not those eyedrops were a good fit for me. My other issue with this Optometry office is that they messed up on my glasses prescription multiple times. Having had many eye exams in the past, I mentioned to Dr. Sao that I only had issues with one of my eyes, while my other did not need a prescription, however she added a prescription without my consent which led to blurry vision. They then, changed my prescription but it came back wrong another time which could be due to the lab. Either way it took a while from my initial appointment to receive my glasses. I could see why Dr. Sao may be great for others, but for me I felt like she did not actively listen to my concerns, she did not fully explain why she prescribed me certain medication, and there seems to be a lack of care with glasses prescriptions. I had to visit the office multiple times due to this. The ladies at the front desk are nice. But for me, I will not be going back. read more

I am very skeptical about ever changing the professionals I see for eyes, teeth, hair, etc. But after moving to Long Beach I didn't want to go to Fountain Valley for my eye exams anymore and thus had not been since 2015. I found this office through my insurance and decided to give them a try. The office is owned by a husband and wife team, Sinavy and Sochet Sao. From what I understand, the wife Sinavy does the day-to-day appointments while Sochet comes in for special consultations. I was there for a routine check-up and Dr. Sao took great care of me. She was sweet, professional, and quick. I was in and out of there in no time. They have their own parking lot with 4 spaces and the inside is spacious and clean. The woman working the front desk was patient and helpful while I chose new glasses from their selection. She was even nice enough to pull frames that weren't too high over the cost of what my insurance pays for, and was very transparent about the cost of the different lens coatings. Picking up the glasses a week later was super quick and they turned out great. I was happy with the experience from beginning to end and I'm glad to say that I've found my new eye doctor for years to come. read more

I have been a loyal customer of Belmont Heights Optometry and Dr. Soa for many years. Dr. Soa is exceptional and thorough, and the staff is always patient and helpful! read more

Hi all, I'm updating my review. I've been blind as a bat for as long as I can remember so I've been around the block when it comes to optometrists and eye insurance. I can tell when when an establishment is just in it for the money and when people actually care. (I work for home land security it's literally my job to read people). Anyways I've seen a couple 1 star reviews here from people who seem like they shouldn't even be allowed to drive a car. And I'd like to challenge their senseless reviews. Dr. Sao is the most gentle, helpful, and intelligent optometrist that I've come across. The receptionists are patient, and informative. This team is extremely helpful and caring. For example: every year I get an eye exam to renew my yearly supply of contacts. And every year some one sits down with me and breaks down the price of every item and compares it with what my insurance will cover. And every year I have saved money because of this and I know exactly how to utilize my insurance. Ex. 2: recently I called them because I was concerned with persistent redness in one of my eyes. My call was answered immediately, and we discussed if my insurance would cover an exam for a situation like this. The receptionist answered all of my questions. I asked what's the soonest they could see me. They saw me an hour later after that phone call. Doc did her exam and found the problem. She then set me up with something affordable. These people are great and you absolutely need to come here if you're not satisfied with your current situation. Also check out their website, it's easy to navigate. read more

The dr is great staff and explains everything ahead doesn't try to upsell you anything and the staff is friendly. I've read some negative comments like 2 lol some people will never be satisfied!!!!!!!! read more

The doctor and staff were extremely kind and helpful. Wanted a little more from the selection of frames, especially sunglasses, but still found something I liked. They had all of my insurance information and checked the prescription on my current glasses to see how much my sight had changed. read more

First timer and just for getting frames and lenses. Very good first impression! Liked their selection of frames. Great service. read more

I have been going here for many years and could not ask for more. Staff and Dr. Sao are kind and professional. I went in yesterday with my partner who has dementia. I let the office staff know before we arrived and they were all so very patient and kind. He even told me as we left, "Nice people." Thank you. read more

love the atmosphere and the treatment by every single staff member. there were 3 professionals at the location this day, and I was attended by every single one at one point during my appt. haven't paid for health insurance by my job ever, and this was my first appt I'm general using my jobs health insurance. it was such a great experience, and the location was so serene and calm. as far as Drs offices, it didn't even feel like one, the lighting was the perfect amount of dim, it didn't feel obnoxious or overdone. I have a sensitivity to bright lighting and not once did it feel uncomfortable here. everything about my experience was great and I would actually look forward to more appointments here if it wasn't for the fact that my appt is just once annual. will def recommend to anyone that can check this place out, and will seek to continue coming here! read more

Great to have a neighborhood optometrist. Professional staff, up to date tools, nice office.

I like this practice very much. All the staff are helpful and friendly, and Dr Sao is kind and thorough. They have an excellent selection of frames to choose from too! read more

For many years I have been going to Dr. Sao for my eye exams and reading glasses. This last time was, again, a great experience. Dr. Sao has always been very personable yet professional with me. Her staff is patient and polite as well. After Pam tallied up what the frames I had chosen and lenses would cost, the total was high because my insurance only covers the eye exam. Then she chose another pair of frames that were very similar to the ones I had initially picked out. They were just as lightweight and much less expensive. Whew! Love this place! read more

Found this place because my VOP or VOSP, whatever my work has for vision. I didn't want to go to a BIG BOX store again so I'm really glad I found this office. The front desk was super helpful and personal and the Dr. herself answered all my questions and was very present during our meeting. They really took the time to help me best utilize my insurance dollars! I cant recommend this place enough! read more

Great service friendly knowledgeable and helpful Would like to have a little bigger variety of glasses to select from read more

This place still requires you to cover your face w/ a mask (regardless of vaccination status) and even though there are no ordinances that require it, which makes it quite difficult to pick out new eyeglasses -- as you can't see how they actually look on your face. read more

My family and I have been patients of Dr. Sao for several years. Here is a list of reasons we continue to return: 1). As soon as you are greeted Dr. Sinavy Sao, she asks how is life; I appreciate that she cares about who we are and how we are doing. 2). When Dr. Sinavy Sao is examining our eyes, she explains the purpose of each machine and what she is looking for. She refers back to our previous exam and gives us an update on any changes. She also expresses the importance of eye protection with respect to sun exposure. 3). Dr. Sinavy's office is very clean and organized. 4). Rosa is also very patient and helpful when it comes to helping our family pick the perfect eye glasses for us. 5). Everyone is very nice and helpful! read more

I was "blind"sided by the Ophthalmologist's office that my primary doctor had referred me to, being told I could not obtain my new prescription from their office, as they were only doing a diabetic/retinal exam, and not a regular eye exam. This was explained to me on the 28th of December (the appointment I was able to complete after having waited almost 4 months to get). This left me with 3days before the end of my benefits for the year, which I realized I was going to lose. Belmont Heights Ophthalmology was able to give me an appointment the next day, and did an amazing job in providing me with exceptional service. The office staff were excellent in every way. They were thorough in their exam, and with explaining all issues in regards to my eye health and financial responsibilities. This was a very positive experience and I would recommend this office to anyone!! read more

Wonderful Dr. Sao Very sweet and Very thorough Beautiful office, wonderful front desk girl Thank you Belmont Heights optometry Already have referred friends and family!! read more

I was having issues with a stye on my eye lid that I couldn't get to resolve on it's own. I had called about 5 other offices locally, and none of them could get me in to be see for at least a day or so and were very expensive as a cash pay client, but Belmont Heights Optometry was able to fit me in quickly when I told them my concern and reasonably priced. Dr. Sao was extremely professional, kind, and knowledgable. She was patient with all of my questions, as I'd never had a stye as severe as this one, and recommended a lot of at home care options to help resolve it and prevent them from happening in the future. The staff were all very friendly and personable as well. I would absolutely recommend Dr. Sao! read more

Excellent experience and I will return. Thank you for everything Belmont Heights Optometry!!

I've been a patient at BHO for about 10 years and continue to make the trip to LB every year to see Dr. Sao, even though I moved 5 years ago. Dr. Sao and her staff provide the best service and products. In fact, I recently tried the Thermalon Dry Eye moist heat compress Dr. Sao recommends and cannot believe what a difference it made after the first use. It goes without saying the selection of frames is fantastic. The hardest decision at BHO is which fabulous frame to choose! I've been very pleased with every pair I've had. read more