1.) I have never written a Yelp review.
2.) I don't have vision insurance. And I'm blind as a bat.
After scouting out several optometrists (based on Yelp) in Koreatown, I went to Europe Optical based on the Yelp reviews that I had read. If you look at the reviews, you will see that they are, with the exception of one, rated 5 stars. The "exception" rated them 4.5 stars. As one who has worked in marketing and search engine optimization and knows all the wearisome tricks, it's easy to think that there is some internal mischief going on for them to be so highly rated. This is not the case. Google them. They don't come up on page one of Google. That made me believe that the reviews here are authentic. They are old-school in the best possible way (which is refreshing, jeez, especially in this economy, and especially when everything is being marketed to death) and get their business by genuine, positive word-of-mouth and not by marketing gimmicks.
I went in, without an appointment, and was quoted a reasonable rate without insurance for new gas permeable contact lenses. I have been needing new lenses for 1 1/2 years now. It was getting...not so enjoyable. Anyway, within ten minutes, I found myself getting an eye examination and lens fitting by the delightful Dr. Brockaway. He is blunt as all get-out, but thoroughly charming and as sharp as a stick. I have eyes that are difficult to fit for contact lenses. There have been many times throughout the years that I've had to have lenses refitted immediately because an optometrist from one of the "chains" failed to accurately measure my steep, "pointy" eyeballs, so the new lenses would just flick out of my eyes when I blinked. And I would have to go through the whole re-fitting process again and wait longer for new lenses to be made that would fit properly... and stay in my eyes. I forgot to tell Dr. Brockaway about this as it had been four years since my last fitting, but I didn't need to. He knew exactly what he was doing and measured lenses that fit me well from the moment I put them in. I thought they might "flick out," but they didn't. He also had the sense to have them made slightly larger than my old lenses to help with my peripheral vision. As a result, the new lenses don't "slip" down my eyeballs, like the lenses I've had in the past. I had my follow-up appointment today (I got my new lenses two days ago), and it was agreed by all of us that the lenses were a perfect fit and staying centered on my eyeballs.
I highly, highly recommend Europe Optical for an accurate contact lens fitting. Everyone who works there is excellent (I believe it's a family-owned business), and very efficient. I've had three appointments in the past week-- 1.) exam and fitting, 2.) getting the lenses, and 3.) follow-up, and I think I spent less than an hour there combined. If you are in the market for glasses, they have frames from all the top designers. Huge selection to choose from. And as someone said in an earlier review, Europe Optical is "the best-kept secret in Koreatown." And I concur. read more