I recently attempted to schedule an appointment with your office and was disappointed by my interaction with the administrator. During our conversation, she was very brief and did not ask what I felt were standard questions typically asked when scheduling an appointment. The only information requested was my name and whether I was interested in purchasing glasses. When I explained that I was seeking an eye exam, she appeared surprised and then provided available appointment times. Shortly after scheduling, I received an email stating that it was my responsibility to ensure the office had my insurance information on file and that payment was due at the time services were rendered. To better understand these requirements, I called the office for clarification. At that time, I was informed that a credit card was required to be kept on file in order to charge for late cancellations or no-show appointments. In my opinion, this information could have been communicated during the initial scheduling call had the conversation been more thorough. I understand that policies vary by practice; however, I believe the initial customer experience sets the tone for the entire relationship. Client-facing staff should be equipped to provide clear, complete information so patients feel informed, respected, and valued from the first point of contact. As a result, I chose to cancel my appointment and will seek care with a provider that is a better fit for my expectations. read more

went to get a new pair of lens for my lindbreg frame brought from them a year ago. Initially came back broken, the plastic part is clearly twisted. They said the frame is discontinued and they don't have replacement for the plastic part, so they couldn't do anything. Thus left an 1 star in the beginning. Month later they updated me saying they found a spare plastic piece, offered free replacement. This time it came back just fine. Since the problem is resolved eventually, 1 star is not fair. Updating to 3 as it still took months to resolve. read more

Eye Carumba Optometry - Right rim is clearly twisted - Optometrists Near Me - San Francisco, California

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best service! one of the best experiences I've had at an optometrist. The staff was kind, efficient, and extremely knowledgeable.

There is no shortage of punny business names in SF so when I saw this place was super close to work, it was the perfect storm. Dr was amazing, she was very nice and knowledgeable, told me stuff I never knew in all my 20+ years wearing glasses. The selection of frames here was actually quite stylish. The most stylish options I've seen from a non warby parker optometry. They definitely understood their clientele well. I almost went with one frame here except even with insurance, I couldn't justify the price. But I did order contacts here and that was quite the journey...made me wanna go "eye carumba!". 1st strike: My first pair of contact trials was taking awhile to come so at the two week mark, I called to ask about it. The receptionist said it hasn't come yet so I asked if she knew how much longer. There must be a tracking status somewhere right? She said she didn't know and would call back. She called back and turns out the trials was right in front of her on the desk. Which means that no one had called me that it had come. Ok whatever, I'll let this slide but then.... 2nd strike: They had to order me another pair of trials because first pair wasn't strong enough. Alright thats cool, I know I'm practically blind. (No really, I am! My eyesight is so bad that contacts are free now since its deemed medically necessary). Weeks had pass yet again so I called asking for status. They told me the forgot to order them, d'oh! 3rd strike: After trialing the 2nd pair, it felt good so I told them they could order year supply. They said it would cost $X amount. I was baffled cause I was told differently by the doctor so I asked if they could double check with her. Lo and behold, yes they are supposed to be free. Imagine if I had just taken her word for it! Eye carumba! I really wanted to like this place because of the name and high ratings but my personal experience here with the staff (not doctor) has been less than stellar. It felt disorganized and like no good software was being used to track the patient's journey. This was the first time in my 20+ years going to an optometrist where I felt like all the staff was not on the same page. I'm usually pretty lenient on local businesses but when there's three strikes....I gotta give an honest review yaknow? In hopes that the business can improve their logistics. read more

Don't make an appoint here. I can see why reviews here have gone down and why my optometrist might've left. I made my appointment weeks ago, and they claimed they called and left messages for me that my VSP insurance was not accepted. I didn't get the message and wasted my time going to the office only to find out I'd have to pay $145 to be seen. They should've kept trying until they talked to me live to get this message to me. I'm very disappointed in their "customer service" and I will not be back. I usually write reviews to support businesses, but in this case, I cannot let this slide. read more

They need to re-consider their "schedule an appointment to view policy". I was in the area so stopped by .. def only 1-2 people in shop & was told at the door I needed to schedule an appointment. I called a couple times & their appts are always hours away from my availability & they WON'T accommodate even when I tell them I'm right in the area. Too bad. read more

Just want to give a very positive shout out to Polly and Josh at "Eye Carumba." I was just getting off of Bart at the Embarcadero when my glasses dropped on the concrete floor and cracked the hinge on the right temple. I immediately went on Yelp to see if I could find an optometrist near by. Well, Eye Carumba is located in Embarcadero 4, just a block away. Upon entering, I met Polly and told her that the eye glass temple had cracked and might they be able to tape it back together? Of course new frames are needed, but I was just looking for a temporary fix. She called Josh out and he said he would tape it back together which he did. Now, keep in mind I'm not a previous client or even a customer with an appointment, I'm just right off the street. Josh taped the glasses back together in a few minutes. I was very thankful. I wanted to pay him for his time, but he would not accept any payment. I tried a number of times to offer him something for his time, even a coffee, but he refused any payment for his time. I have to say that is service far beyond what I expected. This also speaks to the integrity of the company and the great service they will provide. If you need an optometrist or just new glasses, I highly recommend Eye Carumba. read more

My husband and I have ordered multiple eyeglasses and sunglasses here with Josh - he'a always super helpful, explains everything insurance- related very clearly, and overall provides a really helpful positive experience We're happy returning customers! read more

Eye Carumba Optometry - GLCO sunglasses - Optometrists Near Me - San Francisco, California

Eyehumbug - Dishonest and unfair business practice This review is my honest opinion of my personal experience with Eyecarumba sales man James Weaver and his manager Kerrie Volau. In short: James promised my $100 refund in full. Kerrie offers a 50% refund. I was lied to. $50 was stolen at my expense. The long/detailed history of events: James helped me find a pair of frames on 1/18/20. Unfortunately, I was not sure if my vision coverage would pay. James told me to check with my insurance and suggested I put down a fully refundable no risk security deposit of $100 to hold the frames. I emailed James on 5/5/20 to update him that my insurance plan did not have vision coverage. He wrote back the same day. Due to Covid-19 stay at home measures, James also told me he would not be able to get my measurements for the frames. He offered the $100 deposit refund as an option. I wrote James again on 7/5/20. He went on vacation and had an automated response. I forwarded the email to the Eyecarumba staff the same day. No response. I wrote to the staff email to follow up on the refund request on 7/8/20. No response. Since my emails were not being responded to, I called the Eyecarumba office requesting the manager. The front desk took my message on 7/8/20, 7/11/20, and 7/15/20. The manager Kerrie wrote me back on 7/18/20. She offers me a 50% refund. This is the first time I'm told of this new policy. Those were not the terms I agreed to. I told her that James said the $100 deposit is fully refundable and I have it in writing in his email correspondence with me. I also shared with Kerrie my unemployment due to COVID-19 and my wife's expensive treatment at UCSF. Kerry was not willing to help. James finally responds on 7/28/20. "Kerrie is the practice's business manager, and anything she says supersedes anything I may have told you." The end result: I was scammed of my deposit from Eyecaruma's "bait and switch" tactic. My wife and I were already struggling with the pandemic, loss of work, UCSF medical bills, etc. We hope this review saves someone else from this trap. Don't trust this business. They only want your hard earned money. read more

Best optometrists and eye glasses in San Francisco. Alex Pham checked out my eyes and made the whole experience incredible. Recommend getting appointments for eye glasses and eye check on the same day. read more

Eye Carumba Optometry - Optometrists Near Me - San Francisco, California

I went in to get new glasses since my vision changed and everything went well and I decided to splurge and get Tom Ford frames and glasses to help me with my computer work. I went to pick them up and everything was blurry - technician insisted I needed to take them home and it would take up to 2 weeks to get acclimated - guess what - your eyes don't acclimate and suddenly accept blurry. My readers are 1000% better. She offered to switch out my lenses with readers - who pays $500 for readers. Go to Peepers.com and get them for $40. They are going back and if I dont't get a refund will report them. BEWARE - they just want to sell fancy frames - I will not return. read more

This place was great. They take my insurance...getting in was a breeze. The exam was thorough and not rushed. (cant remember the docs name....she was super nice and patient with my questions) Josh was super cool and helpful helping me pick out my frames and Christina is always super friendly. I don't feel like there were any hidden charges...they explained everything well and clearly and i was happy with what i ended up having to pay after insurance. Thanks guys! will be back next year! read more

I saw Dr. Bautista and had a wonderful experience. The eye exam felt thorough and well-paced. Dr. Bautista was friendly, patient, and knowledgeable in explaining what was being tested and answered my questions to learn more about my eyes. Definitely worth another visit next year. read more

I've been going to Eye Carumba for years and the team there has always been great. They take the time to explain everything and answer any questions. After a branch whacked me in the eye today, I called for advice and Dr. Torres calmly explained to me what to do/keep an eye out for. The responsiveness and detailed explanation was great! Thank you!! read more

Pre-pandemic when I worked downtown I would browse this shop sometimes and found that they usually had a stylish selection of frames, were generally flexible with leftover FSA funds, responsive and easy to work with. But I figured they were mostly just good for the convenience of working in the financial district so with remote work over the past few years we've used optometrists in different places around town: Taraval, the Mission and Hayes Valley. Now that I have some context after experiencing other optometrists (longer waits, chaotic scene, difficult to park and poor or just meh follow-up and recommendations) decided to return to 4EC recently even though I don't work downtown anymore. The fact that they validate parking in the garage downstairs makes it super easy! They still have a great selection of frames and sunglasses and I really liked my visit with Dr. Pham. In my experience, Eye Carumba is prompt with appt times and worth visiting. read more

I have been wearing glasses for 15 years and have never had an issue with my frames or lenses until I visited Eye Carumba Optometry. I loved my eye exam and lens prescription. So, I assumed the lab would be the same but I was wrong. After reassuring me my lenses would not stick out of the frame ...they did exactly that. The lab technician I talked to told me I was paying to much attention to aesthetics. I went back and forth until they decided they could not help me or give me a full refund. I am very disappointed and will never get glasses here again. read more

Rude and greedy! I tried to order a refill of my contacts lenses. We had to play phone tag for a few days, and in that time I apparently crossed over the 1 year expiration date of my previous appointment. Now, because I am 1 year and 2 days over due, they refuse to refill them!!!!! It was 100% their fault I was unable to refill my prescription in time. The receptionist was extremely rude when explaining this to me. Now it's the holidays. I guess I'll have to buy walgreens glasses to tide me over through family visits. Skip these jokers and go to see someone who cares about their patients! read more

I love Dr. Pham! He's such a nice guy and really takes his time making sure he understands your concerns. It's really nice to catch up with him each year and would highly recommend him as an eye doctor. read more

Love Eye Carumba. As this was my first eye exam since I can remember, I was nervous about choosing an office and then even going! Scheduling online was super easy and you can choose 3 different scheduling options. Dr. Yeh is very understanding, explains everything - he gave me the whole eye exam run through. Was able to provide me with my prescription, and didn't pressure me to buy frames/lenses on the spot. When I went back to check out lenses, they let you try on a bunch of frames yourself, before having a specialist support you. Even when I wasn't ready to purchase frames again, it wasn't a problem and they let me know they had my choices on file for the next time I came in and was ready to purchase. The proximity to my office doesn't hurt either - I was able to go during lunch. read more

went in for my first eye exam in years. they are all so sweet and friendly !!! danielle and alexander helped me out and were both so patient and kind throughout the whole process! i felt very taken care of. read more

Dr. Pham is the best! Super knowledgeable, takes the time to educate you and talk you through what he is doing, why and what he is seeing :) By far the best eye doctor I've ever seen and 100% the reason I go to Eye Carumba (besides the name!). Exams are also informative and I feel well cared for by him and the staff. COVID protocols were great and I felt very safe. Thanks Dr. Pham! read more

This place is way overrated. I only went there because of the great reviews. There are several reasons why I didn't have good experiences here. 1) Not much selections for nice frames. So I bought a pair of glasses here but never used it. (It's still brand new - been sitting in my drawer for 3 years by now) -lord knows what brand it is - Bought it with my vsp and paid out of pocket maybe a hundred or two? 2) Can't quite remember if I was asking for my contacts shipped or telling them I might be a few minutes late since I had to bus it, I was told "then you should go somewhere else closer to where you live". - Rude or what? -It's as this customer is totally not appreciated or respected at that matter. 3) I told the optometrist about my blurry vision. He suggested that it's "stress", couldn't detect anything from pupil dilation, but didn't even tell me to visit an ophthalmologist since I still had this persisting issue even though he was my 2nd opinion optometrist. 4) Hm, during examination (i'm not sure if it's purposefully or not) but he hit my breasts with the examination device - more than once. -unaware, oblivious or weird pervert, it's all negative -obviously MOST of the guys aren't going to have this issue.. But, if you don't take my word for this place, find out on your own :) I wouldn't go outta my way to go here anymore. Extremely unimpressed experiences of my multiple visits so I don't refer anyone here. read more

I came here for a quick and easy eye exam and it was far from. I got attitude from the front desk and the optometrist moved so slow and acted so sleepy. Not to mention - they completely got my prescription wrong so the whole thing ended up being just a waste of time. read more

For an eye exam and eye glasses selection, I definitely got to the right place!! :) The optometrist and the whole personal are supper nice and friendly! The eye exam, scheduled in advance, took about 40 min. My 10 years old daughter was next to me during this exam, and was enjoying and learning about all of this new "machinery" (really appreciated the patience of the optometrist explaining the details of each device). The glasses selection, even though not extensively large, was very descent. The selection process was much enjoyment: With the help of a professional sales person, I was doing a show for my daughter and wife: while they liked some frames, they had some good laughs at others when I fitted on my big ovally head. Finally, I was able to find a creative new style that also got the big approval of the "audience". read more

Eye Carumba Optometry - My MODO eye glasses selection with a sunglasses clip-on. - Optometrists Near Me - San Francisco, California

Dr. Torres has a quirky edgy style and is easy to talk to. His practice is always clean and his staff is nice and helpful. I dig that there is a bowlful of candy for you to munch on while trying on glasses. The only downside is that your fingers get sticky and the assortment of frames could be larger. I've always found something that I've liked and he does keep trendy and outlandish frames in stock if that's your bag. Overall Dr. Torres keeps my peepers in great working order so I can see my screen well enough to keep my job...which is awesome. Mama needs cash! read more

I was very impressed by the service here! I found Dr. Torres to be personable, knowledgeable and highly trustworthy. Eye Carumba is a little out of my way, but I make it a point to come here instead of places closer to my house because they offer such great care. read more

When I moved to San Francisco 15 years ago, my optometrist in Orange County recommended Dr. Torres to me and I never want to see another optometrist ever again. Not only is Dr. Torres extremely professional, he is also incredibly kind and approachable. Every year I go in for my annual eye exam and every year he remembers some obscure fact that I had mentioned in our previous meeting. Also, the business name is unbeatable. I absolutely adore Dr. Torres. I hope you will too :) read more

I enjoyed being a patient of Dr. Yeh and the location is convenient for all of us office drones. Unfortunately his support staff isn't on the same level. I just received a medical bill for an increased copay for a 2016 visit because they don't seem to be able to bill my insurer correctly and would rather just stick me with the bill than do it properly. I had previously had a similar issue with a pair of eyeglasses I ordered. I have not had similar coverage problems with other optometrists I've seen, so I know it's not the insurance coverage itself that's the problem. Unless money is no object, go to a place who has their medical billing act together. read more

Wonderful people work here! Dr. Pham is a great doctor, and answered all of my silly questions gracefully. Josh helped me pick the perfect frames for my style, and took the time to really help me out and make sure that everything was just right. I can't recommend this place more, especially Josh - he is an absolutely fantastic guy, and clearly honestly cares about his job and the well-being of his patients. I did not feel pressured into buying anything at any time during any of my visits. Thank you so much Josh and Dr. Pham, as well as the rest of the office staff! You are all wonderful! read more

Josh did a couple of frame adjustments for me. He was extremely helpful and friendly. I'll be back there the future when I need a new pair!

Fantastic. Stylish, chic and commended. As a professional in the vision industry I highly recommended. Trust your eyes and your style to this crew. You'll be dizzy with focused pleasure! ;) read more

I was seeing Dr. Vanessa Avery for a few years and was sad to see she left the practice. I got moved over to Dr. Pham and had my first appointment today, and am more than happy with him. I don't get my frames at Eye Carumba, but every optometrist I've seen here has been warm, caring, and yes, extremely competent. Scheduling and billing has been painless. The office is clearly respectful of COVID mandates and have protective measures in place. Will continue to come back for annual checkups! read more

Don't be put off by the name of this place. Eye Carumba saved me BIG time today as I'd had something embedded in my eye for several days. When I could not take the pain any more, I decided to find someone who could help me ASAP. I read a few reviews on Yelp and called Eye Carumba. Lady luck was on my side as they had just received a cancellation and I was able to get an appointment with Dr. Joseph Torres, who everyone on Yelp waxed poetic about. Dr. Torres deserves al the accolades as he rocks! He was able to quickly assess and remedy the problem. A few numbing drops and voilà, the large wood chip that was embedded in my cornea was removed. Seeing that I was at the Optometrist, I decided to have the Optician help me select a new pair of reading glasses. I have always had problems finding glasses that fit my face, but Rod Cella has been helping people find glasses that fit and look good for over 20 years. I have never walked out of an optical store with so many good options. He is brilliant at finding the best frames for your face. Look no further for your optometry or optical needs. Eye Carumba will be my go to place for eye exams and eye glass frames going forward as Dr. Torres is the best!! read more

Thank you to Eye Carumba for excellent advice about my prescription glasses. I am new to the prescription lenses game because I started to need glasses after turning 50 a few years ago. I didn't understand the difference between progressive and bi-focal with the mid-line. Alynn helped me understand and order the right glasses to fit my needs and lifestyle. Excellent customer service! read more

I have been going to Eye Carumba over for 13 years. I have bought many pairs of glasses, had annual eye exams and multiple adjustments to my glasses. In every visit the service has been excellent on every level. The staff is cheerful, extremely knowledgeable and will go the extra mile to make sure the glasses work for you; my vision has problems, which they have always been able to solve. I have been to many optical shops and this is the best I have found. I highly recommend it. read more

DO NOT HAVE GLASSES MADE HERE. Excellent eye exam and lens prescription, but their lab is highly incompetent. I've been wearing glasses for 20 years and never had any experience nearly as bad as this. read more

Had an eyeglass emergency at work. Wouldn't have been able to see without them. I walked in with a twisted frame and missing screw. The gentleman informed me of the risk in trying to repair them. I asked he try anyways. He spent a little while on them and I walked out once again ready for work. Being that he spent so much time on them I expected to be charged but they refused to accept any payment. Based on their large selection of frames to choose from ,I will definitely be back. read more

Eh, it's okay here. The doctor seemed okay but the exam was perfunctory. The staff wasn't very responsive. They gave me the wrong form for my contacts rebate, wouldn't respond when I tried to fix it, so I missed out on the refund. The office was also really weirdly laid out, so it was very distracting to have people walking by while you're taking certain tests. If you're in a hurry and don't care much, this is the place. read more

I've been seeing Dr. Torres for almost 20 years, and I hope he never retires. He is kind, funny, supportive, and very helpful and straightforward in explaining my options whenever something changes about my eyesight. I actually look forward to my annual visits to the eye doctor! The staff is friendly and helpful and their facilities are modern and clean. I feel like I'm in good hands and like I'm getting excellent and modern care at every visit. Their selection of frames is excellent... whenever I change my glasses, I have a hard time selecting from all the options, and they are great about giving their opinion (and not just pushing for the most expensive pair). I love Eye Carumba! read more

Ok. First. I've been a customer here for many years. Because I have insurance I didn't pay much note to the fact that their frame prices are exorbitantly higher that I would be able to get them online myself. I appreciated the efficiency of the exam process and the doctors skill and acumen. However that's where my praise ends and the truth begins. The last four times I've ordered glasses from this establishment it took well over a month for them to fulfill the order. That's every single time. The last order was returned from their "lab" a week later than their estimate. Then they called to inform me that the coating had failed inspection. This is the condition that has occurred three times that I've ordered glasses from them. A week after their final estimate on when they would have my glasses done I contacted them and they told me it would yet be another week because the coating had failed inspection a second time. Again a week after their final estimate on when I would have my glasses they contacted me and told me that the lab didn't have the color of transition coating that I had ordered and asked me to pick a different color. I informed them of all of the trouble that I have had every single time that I've ordered glasses from them and that I expected the order to be fulfilled as ordered and paid for. The technician explained that he would call me back in 5 minutes which he never did. 4 days later I called them back and he told me that they sent me an email that morning which I never received and it was not in my spam folder so I can only surmise that he outright lied to me. I asked him why he never called me back as he said he would in five minutes. He offered no explanation. At this point he informed me that they sent my order to another lab that did have the green transition color and that it would be an additional ten business days to receive my glasses order which will place it nearly two months after I visited their facility. And from past experience I can expect the coating to fail inspection yet again seeing as it's a new lab performing the work. Adding yet more time to the fulfilment date One time okay. Two times pretty bad. 3 x approaching outrageous. But four times? Unforgivable. I asked him why they don't stop doing business with that lab if they're so terrible about fulfilling orders again no response. And I too encountered the rude reception employee on several occasions and she acts as if she owns the place and she must because they haven't let her go. For a 1500.00+ pair of glasses annually I would have thought they would place a higher value on customer satisfaction. I will never use them again... read more