One of the (many) curses of my life has been myopia. As a kid, it led to schoolyard bullies habitually calling me, "4 Eyes!" and challenging me to fight. I became a youthful "street fighter" (a bad one, let me hasten to add) because I basically had no choice but to fight or get knocked down (or, in my case, to fight and usually get knocked down, although I did win a few). As I got older, I contemplated contact lenses, but this seemed too much like a concession to vanity, as well as necessitating way too much effort and work (another curse in my life has been the curse of laziness, or...to wax Biblical..."sloth"). My optician during those years was Vincent Rizzo in Bernardsville. The last time I went to him was 20 years ago when my birth mother contacted me about meeting for the 1st time. The glasses I had at that point were outdated, unstylish, and...in my nervousness about not wanting to be perceived by the woman who had given me birth as a "dweeb," (vanity belatedly kicking in), I went to Rizzo's and bought myself a pair of glasses with a more modern, up-to-date style. However, I kept the older glasses to use when I was home by myself and watching TV. Well, fast forward...20 years later. Rizzo's in Bernardsville is gone, replaced by a psychic (as an aside, I've always maintained that if a psychic, a massage parlor or a "dollar store" opens in your neighborhood, your neighborhood is well into its swift decline. Just the other night, I had dinner with my oldest friend in Butler at a strip mall restaurant alongside a semi-rural stretch of Rt. 23. As we left, at about 10pm, a massage parlor 2 or 3 stores down was still open for business, it's orange neon light flashing "OPEN." I joked, "You think that's legitimate, or you think you can get a 'Happy Ending' there?" With a straight face, my friend replied, "No, I'm sure it's legitimate. There's always going to be somebody out here in the middle of nowhere who needs that crick in his neck or that pain in the lumbar region massaged out in the middle of the night by an experienced, professional masseuse." Yeah, sure. Anyway...) Recently, being typically careless (another curse in my life; my habitual carelessness), I was clearing out the remains of a lavish Italian meal I had treated myself to and inadvertently threw my spare pair of glasses out with the rest of the garbage (I had been watching TV while I ate and put the glasses down alongside the remnants of my meal when I was finished). Looking for those glasses the next day and realizing that they were gone for good (I wasn't about to go crawling through the dumpster looking for them), I was in a quandary. I do go semi-regularly to an ophthalmologist in South Orange for eye exams, but it has been decades since I've gotten a new pair of glasses (outside of an incipient cataract, my vision hasn't changed much, and the old prescription still works for me). Rizzo's in Bernardsville is long gone. What to do? I still have my primary pair of glasses, but I wanted to have an extra pair around, just in case. I called Gerald York, and they were very friendly and accommodating, answering all my questions. Yes, they could make a pair of glasses based solely on the pair I had now, without an eye examination or a copy of my last, decades-old prescription. So, the following day, I went to the store, which is located in the central (and quaint) shopping area of Basking Ridge. In a few minutes, they had the order in, and the glasses were ready a few days hence. I can't say the price of the glasses was cheap, but it wasn't as much as I thought it might be, and I feel more secure with this pair than I would with a pair from...say...Walmart. Parking in Basking Ridge can be hairy, but Gerald York has convenient parking in the back of the store. I've only had the 1 experience with them and am hoping I won't have need for any other glasses at least into the near future, but based on this 1 experience, I've found that they're friendly, efficient, and provide quick quality service. For your eyeglass needs, I can't think of anyone I could recommend more. read more

Thank You Gerald York Opticians for your Outstanding Customer Service. You found the exact Eyeglass Frames that I have been looking for. I am very satisfied with the personal care that I received, especially in this time of isolation due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Thank You Linda for everything. Chris-Michael Halston read more

I can't say enough great things about my experience with this business. Gerald was kind enough to help me out in a jam and the results were great - Dad loves his new glasses. Thank you for your alacrity and professionalism! read more

I've been using Yelp! More lately, and this is how I found Dr. York. I picked his office because of the other great reviews, and the fact that he has a long history in Basking Ridge. It was a perfect visit. He's friendly, the office is very nice, located on Main St. Most importantly, he knows what he is doing. He was able to do what the Ray Ban store in Manhattan could not do. My glasses are awesome! They came out so well that I'm having two more pairs made. If you need an optometrist, I assure you that Dr. York is an excellent choice. You'll be pleased with the results. read more

Fantastic service, friendly staff, very knowledgeable. Great great great selection of frames! Won't go anywhere else, ever!

This place is a true gem. As others have mentioned, excellent customer service, wonderful repairs and current selection of frames and sunglasses. Places like this rarely exist anymore, which is a shame. I hope the next generation of York's continue to run this business, it is cherished by the local community. read more

The York team has always been consistent and very customer focused. They definitely provide an excellent service, and I'd highly recommend them to anyone looking for eye wear. I have purchased both regular glasses and sunglasses from them for nearly 2 decades. Best in the area - and I still use them even though I have moved from the area. read more

Gerald York Opticians provides customer service with a capital "C" along with sophisticated eyewear styling options. The customer is always made to feel welcome. In this world of chain stores, Gerald York Opticians is a special place. read more