I am compelled to write a review because I just had an appointment with Dr. So. Dr. So is an excellent practitioner who answered all my technical questions and also conducted the battery of tests. She gave me information on how to help the lack of tears, how to wear my contacts more comfortably, and a new prescription information (reading glasses- bifocals versus progressives and how to use each type of glasses). Dr. So has a wonderful sense of humor; I look forward to bringing both my teenagers in for their eye appointments because she is very thorough, patient, and she's really young and hip. I've been a patient at Berkeley Optometric Group for over five years and receive excellent vision care. We're really fortunate in this area to have a variety of places that carry the latest frames from NY-LA-Paris. They have a decent selection of frames and a good staff to help with selection and fittings. I have, on occasion, brought in other frames. If you have a need to bring in some outré frame by a designer something, it's usually fine. But this is my sight so I don't mind that this isn't necessarily the "designer" outlet. I want the highest-level doctors, top UC Berkeley School of Optometry professors and graduates with access to the best information and research, to take care of my vision. Dr. Ka Yee So is a balance of expertise, compassion, and humor and a wonderful addition to the Berkeley Optometric Group. read more

I called Berkeley optometric group to schedule an appointment more than a month ago. The receptionist I spoke to told me that the next available appointment will be in June 26 at 2:30 PM with Doctor Fujikawa and I confirmed the appointmen. I took some time off from work for my appointment but when I get there, the receptionist said that I was not on the schedule. My name is there but no schedule. What a waste of my time. read more

Very disappointed in the poor customer service here for getting frames, I have been going to this location for over 20 years now and I will not get glasses here ever again. Once they had excellent glasses and super friendly staff to help but not anymore it's be bad for at least 3-5 years if not longer. Very disappointing. read more

I came to Dr. Huong feeling completely defeated by a persistent eye condition. After feeling unheard and dismissed by my other doctor, I randomly booked an appointment here simply because it was the only place that could see me right away. That decision turned out to be a blessing. Dr. Huong is truly one of the most professional, empathetic, and thorough doctors I've ever encountered. For the first time in a long time, I felt genuinely cared for. She took her time, listened closely, and worked with me to troubleshoot my condition. I finally left with a solution. I'm incredibly grateful for Dr. Huong and her dedication to her patients. Highly recommend. read more

Dr. Fujikawa immediately saw my need for cataract exam. i've been going to other optometrists and non of them have been able to figure out why i was having a serious glare problem. my ophthalmologist confirmed his findings. read more

I very rarely write reviews but I wanted to say Dr. Rose Hoang is a truly terrific medical professional. Knowledgeable, friendly, and very interested in doing right by the patient. I feel very fortunate to have come across her. JJ at the front desk is nice and helpful too! read more

I've been going to Dr. Hoang for the last 3 years, and she's so amazing! She's always very thorough with her exams and does her best to support your every need. I recommend 100%! read more

They were so attentive when I needed needed prescription or new glasses for fitting. The lenses for the glasses arrived quickly and the fitting was also timely. read more

NIGHTMARE!! I had gone to this place for 10 years Then when I needed new computer glasses , They not only took over 60 days to get the glasses to me but gave the wrong prescription Gave me distance RX- AS a nurse sending COVID antiviral meds daily-it is so important to be able to see. I am in shock that I was not offered a discount for future or an apology. I am still waiting for my glasses. So SAD and unprofessional! read more

I've had a great experience here. Every staff member in this office went out of their way to make sure I was getting what I needed. My eye exam was extremely thorough and my optometrist answered my questions thoughtfully. The office is fairly small, but I was impressed with their selection of frames. I will definitely be coming back! read more

Horrible experience with the doctor here. Came for new glasses and was told they didn't have any AFTER the exam. I have VSP insurance through Medi-Cal, and I called for an appointment, providing my insurance information. I had to take a half day off work to make this appointment, as in an exam, they dilate your eyes and vision is impaired for several hours after. The doctor was extremely rough with my face and eyes, pulling hard on my eyelids and eyebrows to keep my eyes open. It is difficult to keep your eyes open but I've been to several optometrists in the past and have never experienced such rushed, rough and tough treatment. At the end of my exam, I was given a tiny piece of paper with only my sphere prescription numbers, excluding cylinder and axis information or presence/absence of astigmatism or other eye health information. Upon requesting a full report, he told me that's all he had (then why did I take all the other assessments?!?!). Then, I asked how we would go about getting frames, which are entirely covered by Medi-Cal. He told me he had no Medi-Cal frames and I could call another office. What was the point of my coming to his office then?? I needed new glasses, and I should have been told they had no inventory of Medi-Cal covered frames prior to my appointment, as they had taken my insurance information. He didn't ask me if I wanted to look at other frames or pay out of pocket. I feel like the entire experience I was looked down upon and rushed through simply because I was a Medi-Cal insured individual. I wasted half a work day and travel to this location. Horrible. Would rather pay out of pocket for an exam and glasses than come here again. read more

I recently started going here after my insurance changed to VSP. Dr Fujikawa tweaked my prescription, so I ordered new contacts. When I first received my new contacts though, all of the contacts in the left box tore instantly upon being handled (this was CooperVision's fault). Dr Fujikawa promptly ordered a replacement box for the lemons, and now I'm seeing better than I have in a while. The doc's great and his staff is super communicative (calling when orders come in and giving appointment reminders). 5 stars for the service and way they easily handled the manufacturer defect. read more

Making an appointment was very hard and I gave up. The receptionists are awfully inefficient. Disappointing. read more

Scheduled an appointment five weeks in advance, and confirmed it the week before. The day before the scheduled appointment, they called and (after putting me on hold!) told me the doctor was not available at that time. No explanation. Why did you schedule it then? Incredibly unprofessional. read more

Before selecting this optometrist for honey and I, I read the reviews. I was somewhat concerned with the comments made by others regarding "staff professionalism" and Dr. Chun's "abrupt" manner. I decided to give it a shot anyway. I selected Dr. Fujikawa as my Dr. (to be honest, because of the comments regarding Dr. Chun) and honey chose Dr. Chun. We both walked away completely satisfied with our appointments. The staff was courteous and professional. I had to call in after my appointment and was able to understand the staff member answering the phone very well, no language barriers. Dr. Fujikawa answered every question I dished out like, does reading on an iphone make your eyes go bad quicker? And he was extremely thorough with his examinations. I walked out of there feeling as though my eyes had been well taken care of. Honey had the same experience with Dr. Chun. We both were offered expedited service to receive our glasses and they arrived at the rapid turn around time stated. (less than 1 week) We were both fitted properly once our glasses returned. The staff member assisting me made sure that the glasses were adjusted perfectly. They offer glasses in all price ranges and the waiting room is comfortable. All in all I am happy with the care that I received. read more

unfortunately this place is just not good anymore. I've been going here for years, but they just don't care. I think they are understaffed and underpaid, somethings pretty wrong here. Communication issues galore, then blaming me and laughing at me for not being an expert in my eye care. Isn't that why I'm seeing you? Damn. You guys have competition, no need to treat people like idiots. read more

EXAM: I was very pleased with my experience here. Dr. Cho was very detail oriented, and took her time in figuring out my exact prescription. For the first time in years, I can tolerate contacts for more than an hour at a time. I have astigmatism and dry eyes, so it's a fine balance right between being able to see and being able to tolerate the lenses. FRAMES: I had my heart set on hipper-than-thou glasses from Warby Parker, but decided to try some frames on at the office while I was waiting for my pupils to dilate. At first, I was not excited by their selection of frames (Juicy Couture - NOOOOO!), but with help from one of the staff members, I ended up with frames more flattering than what I would have chosen for myself. She was super, and thanks to her, I feel confident and not dorky/old in my glasses. I have gotten more than one compliment on my new frames - ahh vanity... DETAILS: As another poster says, the staff members at the front desk were helpful about explaining the ins and outs of VSP. I definitely feel like I used the insurance benefits efficiently to get a good deal on my glasses and contacts. read more

Dr Fujikawa seems good, but the staff here are incompetent. Ended up going to C2020 in Oakland. Much better. read more

I've been a patient here for over 10 years and have never been very satisfied. If it were easier to find an alternative that my insurance covers I would have left long ago. A recent very bad experience has finally given me the impetus to switch. The bad experience: I came in for my vision assessment and was told that my vision had improved rather dramatically after years of not much change. I got a new prescription and ordered new glasses and contacts. I found that with the new prescription I could not see as well as with the old. After a few weeks of blurry vision, I went back and got re-assessed. They found that I was back to my original prescription! It was pretty clear to me that they had made a mistake when they changed my prescription so dramatically. It seems EXTREMELY unlikely that my vision changed dramatically and then quickly reverted. The doctor became quite defensive and charged me in full for both vision checks. Other smaller complaints: the waiting room is filled with warning signs about what they will not do for you, things they will charge you extra for. The small selection of frames are ridiculously overpriced. Staff are occasionally rude. The positives: over the years I have had some very friendly interactions with staff. The location is convenient. read more

I've only been here once so far (April 2011), but I had a great experience. My previous optometrist (Dr. Harlan Wong, also in Berkeley) had messed up my glasses so badly that I spent a couple years (until my insurance would pay for new lenses) constantly having trouble reading. It was terrible! But then I went to Berkeley Optometric, purely because it was conveniently located, and saw Dr. Fujikawa, and he was great. We chatted and laughed like old friends, and when I got my new glasses I found that they seemed perfect. My vision is great again, and reading is no longer any problem. Thanks to Dr. Fujikawa! I also want to compliment the young woman who helped me pick out frames. She was incredibly patient and sensitive to what *I* was looking for, appearance-wise, even though I was being rather picky. She also advised me on which frames would be best for the kind of lenses I was getting, which was very helpful. So my experience was definitely positive. read more

Dr. Fujikawa and Dr. Chun are both excellent docs and very knowledgeable. They also have another doc who works there who is a specialist in ocular disease. Regarding some of the comments I see in the reviews: all doctors fall behind some times. Sometimes there are emergencies with previous pts, sometimes people show up late and set the whole day off kilter. My goal when looking for medical care is to find a doctor that I don't mind waiting for if I have to. Also, all offices that don't have their own lab usually have a 7-10 day turn around for making glasses. That seems pretty standard to me. read more

My husband and I have been going to this office for years and years. I really like it. We originally saw Dr. Hom and she was amazing! We were sad when she left but Dr. Chun and Dr. Fujikawa are both very competent and good eye doctors. They are thorough with their exams and have good bedside manner. They lose a star for the front desk staff. I called today to make an appointment and the woman I spoke with was VERY difficult to communicate with. Between her broken English and poor listening skills, I was hardly able to get a word in edgewise. By the time I got off the phone, I was TRYING to get off the phone because she was irritating me so much. She had a hard time understanding what I was saying but then when I would talk slowly and enunciate, she would cut me off...no wonder she didn't know how to spell my First or Last name - even though I spelled it for her three times each!! Then when she asked about which insurance I had, she didn't believe me (because she had never heard of the company/coverage/type before)! Anyway, it's too bad because I like this office. I would be willing to give it another whirl before I called it quits but unfortunately, my new insurance isn't accepted here, so I have to move on. If you can get through the appointment making process, it's probably worth giving this office a shot. read more

I switched to this optometry group to support local, non-franchise businesses and am happy with the service, choice of glasses and contacts. The optometrist asked me lifestyle questions so she could best advise me on what to do about correcting my astigmatism in my contact lenses. The price was much higher for the correction per box and I decided to just keep the correction in my glasses. One of the pluses for me is how nice and accommodating they were when I had to bring my wild two year old daughter to one appointment. She loves saying hi to the little fish in the waiting room. read more

This place is ridiculous. I went in to just look at frames because I am searching for this special ones and they wouldn't even let me look without having an appointment because they said an associate needs to walk around with me while I do so to make sure I don't steal anything. Why would I make an appointment and come all the way back over there if I don't know whether or not they have the frames I want. There hours are also wrong on Google maps so this is the second disappointing trip I've made here. read more

I went to them for many years. I miss Dr. Hom -- she was always so happy and funny. I was sad to find out that she no longer worked there. It was great gossiping with her about celebrities. After she left, they put me under the care of Dr. Fujikawa, whom I thought was very good. Always laughing at my bad jokes. I am docking half a star for the front staff. For the past 2-3 years, they filed my records under a letter that is neither my last name nor my first name. And every time I made an appointment, it became a tired comedy routine. I would make an appointment and they couldn't find my name. I would remind them to check under a letter that does not look or sound like my first, middle, or last initial, they find it, and then they say that they're going to file it correctly. Wash. Lather. Repeat next appointment. The current staff is better now -- they managed to file my records under the correct letter. The other half a star is for a quote I once found online (back when the internet was fairly new) attributed to one of the doctors. I don't remember the quote verbatim, but it was about his solution on his patients who try to get contact lenses through discount companies online rather than through him. I realize he is running a business, but let's just say that had I ever been assigned to him, I would have looked for another doctor just on principle. read more

Dr. Fujikawa is AWESOME. He is very friendly and professional. Never had a bad experience with him. I have been going here for 25 years, since I was 5. I moved to the Peninsula but continue to make the journey over each year to see Dr. Fujikawa. I am personally not a fan of Dr. Chun. I would have given 5 stars except that the office is coming undone. When I went in for my annual last year, the office staff was completely new! =( This was quite shocking since it has always been staffed by extremely legacy, professional and friendly group. They normally hire interns from the optometry program at UC Berkeley as the receptionists. But at least during my last visit the staff were sub-par. I don't know how many of them had optometry backgrounds and they wore these horrible blue smocks. Very tacky if they were going for the professional look. I am due for my next visit. I hope they were able to recruit back the legacy staff I grew to love over the many years. read more

This was my first visit and Dr. Fujikawa and his staff were thorough, friendly, and polite. He found I had no astigmatism (which my prior optometrist said I had!) and why. It's a very small narrow office so I can understand why they didn't let the previous poster wander their glasses selection, as that person would be roaming right in the middle of their very narrow hallway that all active patients are traversing back and forth in and choosing their glasses. 2 people in that hallway is cramped. Their glasses selection was excellent, with Flexon, Calvin Klein, Rayban, Bebe, and many other reputable brands. They had cat eye, sporty, rimless, colorful, and kids styles. A big plus was they had plenty of selections for big heads! The optician Alwynn was knowledgeable about the glasses and helped me choose well the options for my budget. I would recommend this office to anyone. read more

Do not go here if you're in any sort of hurry or want your glasses or contacts in a timely fashion. While the staff is here is friendly and courteous, I absolutely will not return. I came in because my glasses were literally falling off my face and needed to get a replacement as soon as possible. After I was informed it would take 7-10 business days for a new pair, one of the assistants assured me they would put a rush on the order. Instead, because of some internal goof-up, my order was actually delayed four days and I found out there was actually no "rush" service. This is in addition to having to wait an extra hour after my appointment time for the doctor to see the previous patient and one of the assistants breaking my glasses and "fixing" them with scotch tape. Oy, never again. read more

This low rating is based on the incompetent service I have received for the optician several years ago on four pairs of glasses. I bought very expensive frames which kept leaving a red mark. After going in three times to get them readjusted, the third lady noticed that the silicone nose pads had not been put in and solved the mystery. After a few months, one of the nosepads fell out, I had to pay extra to fix this problem. The second incident involves my last pair of frames. They did not call me so I called back twice after a month only to be told my frames were not ready. When I went into the store in person it appeared they had the wrong phone number hand written next to my slip even-though they had the right number for the previous years. They may have improved their service since then but I will never return. read more

Awful. I've been a patient here for over 15 years and in the last two years customer service and relations has dropped to almost nonexistent. I used to LOVE going in for my exam, picking out frames, and picking them up. Recently the technician who did the pre exam seemed brand new at her job (not adjusting the height of the chin rest on my periferials test, not wiping down the chin rest). My actual doctor was amazing but I just found out she quit (2 months ago and no one informed me my doctor was gone). The last 3 times I've ordered glasses I've waited 1-2 weeks before I call wondering if my glasses have arrived only find out that "my glasses have already come in" but no one has called me. I'm SO disappointed that I will be contacting my insurance company and finding another place to go. Why would I stay if my doctor is gone, and the customer service is so poor? read more

I've come here a few times and they're great. Though the selection of frames isn't the largest, they have all the major brands. Quick turnaround from fitting to getting the frames and they manage the appointment process efficiently. read more

I've been going to Berkeley Optometric for the past 15 years. I've always had amazing service from them--the original front staff (the older women) know me, and my both Dr. Hom & Dr. Chun are great--really thorough in treating my severe astigmatism. I know that they're going through a lot of renovations and transitions with staff at the moment (which may explain Bobs Y. experience), but hopefully they'll continue to provide good service. All the Doctor's are graduates from UC Berkeley Optometric, and Dr. Chun and Fujikawa continue to teach at Berkeley's School of Optometry. read more

Very thorough with exam (takes longer than an hour), good selection of frames for both regular and sun glasses. They also sell cockoons which I recently discovered and bought for car rides. Possibility to buy contacts too although they are more expensive than what I pay online. I have been able to schedule appointment very quickly and for a very next day and my glasses also arrived much faster than what was expected. They are also happy to do adjustment to my glasses whenever I stop there. Too bad other people are not happy with the service. read more

I have been to Berkeley Optometric Group a handful of times. I have had pretty decent experiences for my annual eye exams. Most recently, when there was a fairly urgent medical problem, I was not pleased. The woman who booked the appointment could not understand my name so she could not find my file and insurance information. It was frustrating and I ended up paying more money than I thought I would because of this miscommunication. The exam cost what it cost, but I was given an antibiotic that led me to have an adverse reaction. I called back after my appointment and was offered no support or helpful suggestions. My understanding of the situation is that I paid 70 dollars to be worse off. I am not happy about the experience and therefore will see a different establishment tomorrow to get some relief for my eye. read more

Shoddy service, shoddy frames, shoddy facility. Numerous problems with seemingly no end. During my eye exam, plumbers walked through the exam room five times, and at one point struck up an extended conversation with the optometrist (I'm squinting through the machine the whole time). I ask if there is a plumbing emergency. No, they just had chronically low water pressure and decided a patient's appointment would be a good time to schedule a maintenance call. My lenses were made incorrectly. Twice. They sent the wrong information to the lab. Twice! Two months went by before I got my final pair. Then, a nosepiece breaks off of frames after two months. Not a cheap frame, either. I bring it in, they replace the frames. I go home, notice the new frames have a nut and teflon screw holding one earpiece on. I go back to complain, they tell me they forgot to tell me they're ordering another frame for me. I'm guessing if I hadn't noticed they wouldn't be ordering one.... Seriously, this place sucks. They get one star for trying to fix some of the problems - but then again, I can't give them zero stars, can I. read more

The doctor was great but this place is a mess. It took them a month to reimburse me for money they owed and I had to call several times to follow up and repeat the issues, amounts, etc. each time. Very disappointing. read more

I've been going to Dr. Cho for two and a half years, and I love going to this optometrists' office. I saw Dr. Chun today because Dr. Cho is on maternity leave. They are both great doctors, explaining what they're doing and why they're doing it. They take their time finding the right prescription for my eyes. Their mannerisms are very professional, calm, courteous, and respectful. The office also has a great selection of stylish frames for regular glasses and sunglasses. The staff is friendly, attentive, and courteous as well. I think they are excellent and very organized from my experiences, contrary to what I read in some other reviews. Minor drawback: Sometimes it's hard to find metered parking spots, but if you go earlier or later in the day, there's usually a spot available. All in all, I whole-heartedly recommend this office and couldn't wish for anything better! read more

Went to Berkeley Optometric Group for the 1st time today. Great business! Very friendly. They have a very wide selection of frames. Someone helped me right away, and I found 10 frames I liked immediately. I got my eye exam today as well. I saw Dr. Fujikawa, very skilled, very completely taken care of. I am looking forward to picking up my new glasses soon. I will definitely be a repeat customer here. Thanks to everyone at Berkeley Optometric Group. read more

I cannot express how happy I am with my visit with Dr. Chun. He explained everything with absolute detail. And I learned a whole lot about eye health. More doctors should be like him: kind, friendly, willing to take his time to answer questions. I dread eye exams because I always feel like my eyesight is just getting worse but he was positive and friendly the whole time. The administrative staff is also great. I highly recommend Berkeley Optometrics Group and Dr. Chun in particular. Best eye exam ever. read more

Berkeley Optometric Group was so helpful and kind; they clearly explained the utterly confusing VSP vision insurance, better than any insurance rep, or other optometry office I had called, actually understanding the issue, and providing me with prices to compare my options, VSP fails to provide simultaneous coverage for glasses and contacts, and instead makes you choose one or the other, with significantly more coverage for glasses. So, if you wear contacts, you risk being left without glasses during the apocalypse. Berkeley Optometrics also helped me out with fixing my old glasses, and they were really friendly. I am grateful for their service. read more