Disclaimer: I forgot to finish this review, for which the visit happened years ago, but decided to post it now because it's probably good for people to make informed decision. -------------------------- I wish I would've read these reviews before coming to the office. I guess then I'll know what I was getting myself into. The doctor was nice (like most doctors) but he probably isn't so nice to his staff because they're very rude once they realize that I wasn't gonna order with them. Having worked in a doctor's office myself, I know that the atmosphere is set by the people on top, just as with any business. The receptionist basically challenged me on choosing to finish out my contact lenses before ordering new ones because my prescription changed. She said "You would rather do something that's not good for your health?" These are my eyes, I do whatever I want, so I said "yeah, I've been using them forever so what another couple months." The optician lady (I think that's her job) wanted me to order both glasses and contact lenses with them and was kind of pushy. Also, she stated that I need to use all of my vision benefits today (both exam and lenses). Again, having worked at a doctor's office and did billing/insurance, I was pretty sure that wasn't the case. However, I called my insurance just to be completely sure and I was right: I can use my visit and lens benefits separately. There was a long printed rant at the front desk about how this office doesn't sell paper towel and therefore you shouldn't order lenses online or at Costco, etc. If you do go in there, read it. It's pretty funny. It made me feel bad about ordering my contact lenses online later, but at the same time I don't. They gave me the idea right there on the rant lol I feel bad for the whole entire office. Their lives or work or money must have major issues for them to have to be like this. read more

New office in Caldwell has a nice proper waiting room and the frame selection is in an adjacent room so there is privacy picking out the frames. I have been going to Dr Doolen since he came to Verona years ago. I trust him with my eyes, I have prism and need special prescriptions for my glasses to correct it. He is always thorough and personable during the exam. He explains everything he is testing for. Marlene helps me find my perfect frame. She is very patient..it takes me a LONG time to decide and she gives me time and space to ponder the choices. But it usually is the one frame that she picked out for me in the beginning! She has a good eye for fashion and face shapes and how they are going to sit on your nose. She may come across as pushy, but it is efficiency....she covers all the bases and makes sure you know all the options. You don't have to buy all the extras, but she informs you of what is available. For example, anti-scratch, anti-glare, ultra thin, etc. I pay extra for these and it is definitely worth it. My glasses last for years. There is rarely a wait, they are on time. Desk person is very nice. Lots of parking in a lot. They may be more expensive compared to chain stores, but the individual attention, fit, and quality choices offered in the lens and frames are worth it. read more

Dr. Doolan is great. I thought his exam was good and helpful. He speaks in a clear manner and helps manage conditions. I must say that the pressure to buy glasses is insane. And when they sold my husband glasses that he didn't intend to order they were absolutely unwilling to work with us and it was worth losing the business of my family of 5 every year. We have been going there for years. My son bought glasses there before with no issues. I just didn't feel my patronage was valued. Love the doctor though. Shame. read more

Dr. Doolen is attentive and knowledgeable, I switched over about 3 years ago to this office and have been extremely happy with the services. The staff are also considerate and show a wealth of expertise in their area from front desk customer service to eye glass selection. If you want to feel seen and understand your health Dr. Doolen's office will provide that and more. read more

I love this office! Everyone is so helpful and nice. Super pretty and clean. Dr. Doolen is always so patient and explains everything. Marlene the optician is so knowledgeable and always helps me pick the best glasses. Great selection too! Definitely recommend. read more

Just a warning you get treated poorly and turned away if you want to buy you glasses somewhere else. I have heard this from several people also. I would rather get glasses from somewhere that I know wont break. read more

A wonderful family optometrist with great personal care. Dr. Doolen and the rest of their staff are always professional and friendly, and they always make sure that your needs are met. read more

I have seen Dr. Doolen for about 2 decades! Dr. Doolen is beyond professional and ensures that you can see well in both contacts and glasses. I have a very strong prescription and Dr. Doolen takes the time to explain my prescription and vision needs. Marlene Marino is patient and kind and takes the time to show you as many frames as you would like to make sure you feel comfortable and confident. She does an excellent job listening to your needs and showing you frames that fit your expectations. When I moved out of state and had less than stellar experiences, I made a point to come back to Dr. Doolen and Marlene Marino as they provide the best and most effective services for my eyes. Their friendliness and thoroughness add to an all around positive experience and one that I am grateful for each day when I have glasses and contacts that go beyond my expectations in comfort and vision. read more

Hi pressure sales to purchase glasses after a 10 minute exam. No way to cancel the order once pressured into purchasing it.

I love Dr. Doolen and find his staff pleasant and helpful. My eyesight was declining after age 55 and I started wearing cheaters whenever I had to read. I knew they were just magnifying lenses and could not be good for my eyes over time. Dr. Doolen answered all my concerns and he took time to explain which was very helpful! There are many choices and I received knowledge and made the right decisions with his help. Marlene and staff equally professional and helpful. read more

Haven't been to the Eye doctor in years. I made an appointment at Dr. Doolen's Verona office because It was close to my home. And then I decided to read some of the reviews on Yelp. That was a big mistake on my behalf some of the reviews were not great. I did keep my appointmentI and boy am l glad I did. From the minute l entered the door. l was greeted by a very friendly and efficient receptionist. Filled out my paperwork. And was the greeted by Marlene who was very Knowledgeable. She helped me pick out my glasses and was extremely friendly. Then I proceeded into Dr. Doolens office where again I was greeted by the very pleasant Doctor Doolen who put me at ease the minute I sat down. He walked me through everything and explained every step. If I could give them 10 stars I would. My advice is don't believe everything thing you read. I am so glad I didn't cancel because of the reviews. Catherine Murphy. read more

I've been a patient of Dr. Doolen since 1996 and my husband, son, daughter, and mother are his patients as well. His concern for and care of his patients is second to none. The same holds true for his office staff, who always make you feel welcome and are courteous and concerned also. 23 years as my doctor and he's still providing the same quality care!! read more

Ohhh God! why didn't I read these reviews before ordering glasses from these people? I tell you - the DR. is a Sweetheart, but the front desk is horrific and the prices for lenses are outrageous! I only use this dr. because is part of my plan and is close by- that's it. Once, I ordered glasses for my son - they came 3 weeks later and it had glue all over the bridge. They didn't want to fix that because they said they don't make them, they send the prescription to a lab. I called my insurance and they said the office is responsible for fixing the glasses.... after arguing so much with the people at the front desk they still didn't fix it and I gave up. These people should be ashamed of themselves!!!!! read more

I had my first visit with Dr. Doolen today. I was so impressed how the office handled all the necessary COVID safety guidelines. The office really went above and beyond to make sure everything was sanitized. All the staff was extremely helpful and made it easy to book my appointment. Marlene was great and made picking out a new pair a glasses super easy! Dr. Doolen saw me right away and took a lot of time answering any questions I had. He also spent a lot of time making sure to get me the correct prescription for both glasses and contacts. I couldn't be happier. I will highly recommend Dr. Doolen to anyone looking for a new eye doctor. read more

We had a great experience picking out my 4 year old's glasses with Marlene . Marlene made it super easy and was very informative and helpful. This process could have taken hours and she was so helpful that it was a very short time. She was very accommodating and knowledgeable and understanding and patient. I highly recommend this office to purchase glasses for children if that is what you are looking for. read more

Dr. Doolen himself is amazing and an excellent doctor. However, his staff just literally suck. Buy your glasses somewhere else because the optician here is horribly rude and condescending. read more

Great doctor but Marlene, the office manager, is a SCAM ARTIST. My mother is elderly and needed to get glasses. After seeing the doctor, Marlene told my mom that if she didn't get the self-tinting lenses, that she would get cataracts. Marlene tries to manipulate customers into buying "extras" using fear tactics. Not only that, but she overcharged my mom as well. It took me over 2 difficult months to get a refund. She pulled every trick in the book not give back the money back. If I were to write it all down, it would be a book! Please check every item of your bill WITH your insurance companies or stay completely away. read more

Congratulations to Affinity Eyecare/Verona Opticians for having the worst customer service I have ever experienced. The Neanderthal behind the counter was rude to my wife, myself, and refused to assist my daughter with obtaining a re-order for lenses. All this after being a regular customer for 10 years and spending literally thousands of dollars on eyewear/exams/contacts for myself and family. I won't be back. read more

The optician Marlene Marino cares about her profit margin, not your ability to see. Steer clear of this place to see clearly. Marlene sold me a pair of progressive lenses at boutique prices that had a very narrow field of view. I went back repeatedly. First she said she had the lenses replaced. Then she adjusted the frames many times which helped only a little and only briefly. Finally in frustration she was rude and told me to come back when I was ready to buy new lenses. After years of not seeing well, I just bought new glasses elsewhere and was told the boutique price got me bottom end lenses with a narrow field of view. She knew. I didn't. Now you know. read more

Please do not go to this place to buy eyeglasses! A few months ago, I took my daughter there to get her first eyeglasses. We were both so excited to pick out a frame for her and Marlene was with us to assist. My insurance covers a limited amount of eyeglass frames and she persuaded me to get a designer frame for my daughter and I had to pay the extra amount. Then she charged me for the lenses and told me they were the fees from the insurance! Marlene is a theft! I'm so disgusted that she would scam a child! read more

What a crook. Used to be a respected doctor now this entire office is a greedy disgusting mess. The "optician" can't possible be licensed. She can't even adjust frames. If I ever spoke to people at my job the way she speaks to customers I would be fired. Only good news is at the rate she is ruining his practice they will be out of business soon and lose their licenses. They should be ashamed. read more

I highly recommend Dr Doolen! I went a few years with the wrong prescription and Dr Doolen corrected this with a quick and easy exam! He will answer any questions you have and explain anything going on with your eyes! Marlene is awesome! So friendly and goes above and beyond to save you money! I highly recommend this office if you want to see again! read more

i sent my husband and son to this doctor. What a horrible mistake. They came home so upset. Someone at the front was pushy and obnoxious! It was not a good experience. We will not be going back. read more

Wow, I should have read the Yelp reviews before booking my appointment as a new customer. I came in to my appointment today and mistakenly forgot my wallet due to wearing a smaller crossbody bag, though I had my credit card and eye insurance info. The receptionist was very kind and I told her I would email my health insurance and license to her when I arrived home but also that I probably had a copy of both in my photos on my phone. Marlene, the optician called me to the exam room and berated me that I did not have my license or medical insurance card. I told her I was looking it up on my phone and would forward it to her. She was extremely condescending by telling me this was a requirement at all doctors office visits. I assured her I was aware of this. She then left the room and came back telling me the doctor requests that I IMMEDIATELY forward the documents as soon as I got home. I WALKED the hell out as they can take their rude, condescending words towards a new customer because I certainly WILL NOT. IF I COULD GIVE 0 STARS I WOULD. IF THE DOCTOR DID NOT ACTUALLY SAY THOSE THINGS I WOULD SAY TO HIM HE NEEDS A NEW OPTICIAN!!! read more

Dr. Doolen is very professional and patient. My daughter and I have been going to him for years. His office is conveniently located, and he always has a nice selection of eyeglasses. read more

I have been to Dr. Doolen in his many offices over the years, and have gone to other doctors as well, but today was the best yet. Let me start by saying that I left this doctor, not because of him, but because of his staff. I went to a pricey office in Westfield, and the sticker shock was the reason I left. Now that Dr. Doolen has reestablished himself separate from his old partnership, I have to say, I am back to stay. When I walked in, I was greeted by a lovely young lady, who took my information, and I went right in. After the eye exam, Marlene helped me with my new glasses. I did not have the same experience that others said about her. She was very nice, didn't push me into anything, and made all insurance information very clear to me. The glasses were less than half the price of the Westfield shop. The only thing I can say about previous reviews is that if you let anyone push you into something you don't want, then that's on you. Do your homework, or take someone with you if you can't speak up. I like Dr. Doolen, and I hope if you are looking for a doctor, that you will consider him. read more

The staff is rude and highly unprofessional. They're costing the doctor his clients. Avoid this office at all cost! Honestly the doctor needs to get new staff. read more

Dr. Doolen was wonderful. He explained everything and was so patient. Staff was great. love this office!

Beware of this eye doctor!. My family of 4 have been using this company due to its convenient location for a few years. The eye service is fine but we will not be back! This week, we got a lengthy letter in the mail demanding $25 due to my husband allegedly missing an appointment that was scheduled for a Tuesday in the middle of the day. My husband works at that time and had no need for an eye appointment. There is NO WAY that he would schedule such an appointment. As he has a common name, he called to point out the error. The receptionist was incredibly RUDE and insisted that he owed the fee! Apparently, they now UNILATERALLY schedule appointments and then email you and text you with the date and time and you need to affirmatively deny the appointment or show up in order to avoid the fee! How ridiculous is that?! For one thing, he never received an email ( or it was sent to his spam folder). Secondly, his phone does not receive text messages. Such poor business practices and likely a violation of consumer fraud laws! Congratulations, Affinity eye care: You lost our business (and don't hold your breath for the "missed appointment" fee!) Beware of this SCAM Yelpers! read more

Would not recommend this place. Went here because of the convenience and they accept my vision insurance. Can't speak to Dr. Doolen but the front office staff needs some lessons in professionalism. Stopped in to pick up glasses and after one staff member finished her story about the bad traffic to the other staff member, my glasses were finally retrieved. Looked at the staff member sitting at the desk to ask a quick question and she was plucking her eyebrows!! I'm all for personal upkeep but there is a time and place for everything. Call me crazy, but eyebrow maintenance should not be done in front of a customer. I was then told that I if I need to come back that I should not come at that time again since it's their lunch time (12:30.) Don't worry ladies, I won't be back. read more

I have been a patient at Dr. Doolen's office for many years (when he was across the street). As a doctor, he is fine. However, the front store and the people working there are extremely rude, obnoxious, and arrogant. If you do see the doctor, take your prescriptions and go elsewhere. Glasses that were promised in a week took three and a half weeks, and Marlene's only answer was "What can I tell you, I work here and I don't make them." Also after the fact I found that I was really screwed over on the amount of money I paid for my glasses. I could have gotten them elsewhere for half price. If you do need adjustments you're out of luck. DO NOT get glasses here. read more

I can not recommend this eye doctor. I frequnted them in the past but recently they charged my father a huge sum for lenses after leading him to believe it would be covered by his insurance. After being made aware of the error they refused to refund his money. They were rude, uncooperative and have lost my family's business after 15 years of going there. read more

This is the absolute worst eye doctor with the worst customer service. I came for an eye exam and glasses and was given a defective pair of eyeglasses. When I told them they were crooked, I was advise my eyebrows were crooked. I went home and my family noticed they were crooked as well. My children tried them on and they were lopsided on them as well. I went back to this office and this time they told me my ears were crooked and again there was nothing wrong with the frames. Again, I was sent away with crooked frames. I decided to call and ask to speak with the doctor and the doctor only. Instead of getting a call from the doctor I get a call from one of his staff members. I was spoken down to in an extremely offensive and rude manor. I am now hiring a lawyer as I refuse to let this office get away with it. read more

Started going to this doctor about 7-8y ago. Used to be one of my favorite doctors. Not anymore! Not sure what happened to him and his practice but my last visit there I was yelled at and disrespected in many ways. They pressure you to buy glasses or contacts from them. They say they do it "the right way" not sure what that means. They absolutely overcharge on contacts and when you say you will order them somewhere else they go insane. The lady in charge of selling you the glasses looks like shes needs an exorcist bc her head starts spinning. Extremely rude and demanding. I will never go back to this place. And beware you have way more options than getting glasses/contacts from them. Talk to your insurance first!!! Very sad Dr. Doolen is a crooked now. read more

One of the worst businesses EVER! My sister and I used them about 3 yrs ago and had a bad experience! 1st the lady (the optician MARLENE) tried to over charge my sister for glasses & increase her copays also saying she needed things that she didn't which I called her out on (I've worked for an optical place towns away for years & deal with the same insurances). Once I called her out she tried to stick to her fees until she realized I knew my stuff & then tried to pretend as if it was in error. After that I decided not to purchase from them! I called for my prescription & what do u know I was given the run around & had to call and make a legal threat.. SURPRISE MY PRESCRIPTION WAS MAGICALLY MAILED TO ME! We haven't dealt with them since! My mom decided to give them a try & what do you know? THE SAME B*TCH MARLENE OVER CHARGED HER TOO! After speaking with her she began raising her voice & talking over becoming hostile & defensive! There would be no reason to be that way if you did nothing wrong right? Old woman with no manners & poor customer service! I suggest you stay away and if you've been already call your insurance and know your stuff! WORST PLACE EVER WITH A GRANNY FOR A THIEF! If I could give negative on top of negative stars I WOULD! read more

I took the time to look for Dr. Doolen because I really like him as my daughters Doctor, to encounter a big dissatisfaction... 1st they never told me my insurance is out the network overpricing my visit paying $55.00 copay each, when I only needed to pay $10.00... then Marlene the bigger crook involved me and the girls to get the glasses there which they are a cheap brand that cost like $38.00 a piece, charging total almost 1000.00 dollars for both girls. Be carful they will tell you that you don't have vision insurance that it won't cover for anything, in other words it will be something between me and my insurance to get reimburse for the over price glasses. Too bad the respectful Doctor that I knew have become a crook. However this is not going to end here I will file a complaint to the Consumer Affairs Division and I encourage everyone to file one too... anyone who's being robbed like me that I canceled the order a minute after leaving the office had to pay 40% cancelation fee for glasses that weren't even ordered. read more

How can you tell if a doctor's office is bad? They schedule appointments for you without telling you. I went here a year ago, had a horrible experience, and they had the audacity to automatically reschedule an appt for me a year later without notice. Just received a random call from their phone servicing center asking me to confirm an appointment for tomorrow I never made. Left them a voicemail to cancel. Wonder how much they would have charged me if I failed to cancel this appointment I never knew I had....Very, very poor business practice. read more

I can't speak to the eye doctor here, but the optician and staff didn't impress me. I stopped in one night at 6:15 (they close at 7) and it was clear from their expressions that they weren't really happy to see me. I didn't have an appt but asked to see if they could fill a prescription. They started pushing frame after frame at me as fast as they could. The selection is really quite limited and runs on the boring/traditional side. I said I was going to leave and think about it. Then they reminded me I should make an appt and gave me a little lecture about how this might mess up my VSP insurance??? I will not be back. I know when I'm not wanted. read more

Although the doctor is good, he is overshadowed by a rude and unprofessional office staff. Marlene was not at all interested in the well being of the patients. One of the receptionists told me on the phone she would call me back... Rt before it closed I went in and she told me she had no intention on calling me back as she had other things to do! What a disappointing experience! Do not recommend at all! read more

Pushy staff that pressures patients into overspending on lenses and extras, even with great insurance. They're like used car dealers. Our family of three will no longer go back. Avoid this place. read more