UPDATE: After all that, I decided I'd had enough and told them I was moving on to another provider. You'd think that would be the end of the story. It was not. When I booked with the new place, I was informed my exam wouldn't be covered by insurance -- because my old provider had submitted a pre-authorization request and never cancelled it. The new office couldn't clear it themselves; only the original provider could release it. So, one more email, back into the void. I asked them directly: did your office request a pre-authorization on my behalf? They didn't actually admit to that -- instead they just said they'd cleared it, so the new office should be able to pull it now. Should. Great. Let's recap: I never had a confirmed appointment with them, by their own account, and yet somehow they'd found the time to file paperwork with my insurance company that then sat there blocking me from being seen anywhere else. No apology for that part. Almost impressive, honestly, in a "how did you manage to mess up two entirely separate processes in service of one appointment" kind of way. It also took one final round-trip with them before I could actually move on -- fitting, since the whole saga has had the vibes of a messy college breakup: the drawn-out final logistics, the ex who's still holding onto your hoodie. Small detail while I'm here: their emails are often signed "Thanks, Ideal Eyes Team," versus the name of a human. After enough of these exchanges, you start to wonder if there's a person back there at all, or just a very polite AI fielding damage control. On the bright side: I went to the new provider yesterday, and it was like stepping into a different world entirely. Professional, communicative, and nobody made me forward an email to prove anything. Fingers crossed it stays that way. read more

Been going for years. The doctor is very communicative and personable. She looks out for me and my wallet. I trust her and will keep returning! read more

Loved coming here! I haven't been to an eye dr in a while and my experience here was great. Very knowledgeable and I was in and out pretty quickly for an appointment. Easy to book as well! read more

I love this place! They are in network with VSP. They carry fancy brands. Jean is the best eye glass fitter. I purchased a pair of Lindberg frames. They are ruby transition lenses. (Just as an example.) read more

She was so lovely - the screws on my glasses fell off and she fixed them, complementary. Thank you!

Great service and care !!!! Dr. Surh was awesome in checking out my eye problem, with the right meds that I needed, pretty much my eye problem is almost gone . (She told me result within 24-48 hours. Staff were all awesome too ! Thank you for awesome service and care ! read more

** REVIEW FOR THE OPTICIAN - BUYING GLASSES ONLY (did not have an exam) ** I had a fairly poor experience at Ideal Eyes. Perhaps it was an off-time...but I came during my lunch hour with a very specific need and communicated this ahead of time. I wanted to see if Ideal Eyes had glasses that 1) within my insurance budget and 2) that I liked. When I got there, I quickly chose out several glasses and wanted to know the price of them. I asked but instead of quickly getting an answer, Nancy kept asking for my insurance information. She wasn't able to quickly look it up and ended up helping another customer and doing other admin work while I was there just waiting... After 10+ minutes of waiting, I just left the store. I am surprised at the lack of basic customer service here... I am asking about basic prices... and I don't intend on becoming a customer so you don't need to have my insurance information as it won't change that fact. This business seems more intent on getting money from people rather than providing a service that warrants any patronage. In the optician world, I think service is one of the biggest differentiators of the business and especially important as making the right choice is something that can really affect how someone perceives the world... that being said, I cannot recommend this place as they do not exhibit any signs of wanting good for the customer. read more

I've been wearing glasses for nearly 8 years now and while I've always had frames that worked I had never truly loved the practice(s) I had tried out... until Ideal Eyes. This female-ran business really has it all--the staff is kind and knowledgeable, the place is clean and well decorated, and Dr. Surh is a master of her craft. Not only was she able to quickly get my prescription updated (and answer any and all questions about my eye health), she was equally great at helping me ease my way into contact lenses. Past optometrists have been reluctant to get me onto contacts because of my astigmatism, but Dr. Surh was flexible and gave me plenty of options (with follow-ups) until I found the perfect lenses. Overall, a great and painless place to keep your eye health in check. And while I haven't purchased frames from them directly I can attest to their wide and stylish selection. So happy to have found this gem! read more

Very poor experience with them. Had my kids prescription lens and frame ordered with them. One they are expensive and two non responsive - it has been over 3 weeks and we have not got the glasses.They refuse to provide timelines and say once we have it will let you know. They have promised updates but never do - even on reaching out the responses are generic and the business refuses accountability. read more

I had an extremely poor experience at Ideal Eyes looking for eyeglass frames. I visited Ideal Eyes twice. - The first time I went there I was told I needed to make an appointment to look at frames. - The second time I went there I had an appointment and was on-time, but they turned me away because "they were behind." While they apologized, they justified that they were trying to keep people safe from Covid by limiting how many people were in the store. What lame excuses! No matter what excuse you gave, you did NOT honor your appointment or care about doing what's right. You also have a pattern of giving poor optician services... See Mike L's review on 12/27/2019 If you agree that they should have done the right thing and honor my appointment OR if you won't visit them because of my review, please hit the "Useful" button below. read more

My daughter and I went to Dr Gloria for years and had to go elsewhere because our insurance changed. I still have not found someone as knowledgeable and helpful as Dr Gloria, she really takes her time and gives excellent care. Her staff is wonderful as well. Highly, highly recommend! read more

had an eye exam. super quick, nice, and informative. I can see other visitors there are familiar with the place, meaning many loyal customers! only downside is the appointment process, for which I had to wait for almost a month. not sure if it's a covid thing or not, but I guess it's more because of the number of visitors there and one-doctor shop (as far as I know) read more

This is your quintessential neighborhood gem. I work close to here so I decided to stop by during a lunch break. I made an appointment and was promptly given an eye exam. Dr. Surh and her staff were very welcoming and helpful. They talked me through the entire process and took the time to get to know me and my needs. The eye exam was quick and painless and I was given a multitude of options for glasses and contact lenses. The staff even encourages you to shop around to see if her competitors have better prices. I would highly recommend Ideal Eyes for anyone looking for an optometrist. read more

Visiting Gloria, Nancy, and crew was one of the most fun Visits I've had to the eye doctor in years. Got a new pair of glasses, shades, and a back up pair during this visit. Looking forward to seeing them next year! read more

My wife was the first to find and use Ideal eyes. She was looking for an optometrist that was open on weekends as we both work full-time and it isnt always convenient for us to drop by to pick up glasses during lunch. Location: Ideal Eyes has convenient hours and is located in a good location. We are always able to pair a visit here with brunch or an afternoon tea with family, which we strongly feel adds more value to our visit here. We love stopping nearby for food, bakeries, and even ice cream during summers. Service: I am the type who is very picky on glasses and I can never use a new pair unless my old ones are broken. Sometimes this is due to an old familiarity but usually it is due to worry that my glasses were overprescribed. Gloria takes the extra step to make sure that they were just the right amount and then the staff at the front desk assisted to make sure I found a frame that was a good fit with my style. Nancy is extremely friendly and she always provides excellent suggestions to style. I especially like that she is able to provide assistance prior to us even needing to ask! She is so talented that she even makes it very natural and in no way forceful! Jean remembers everyone, and I don't just mean she is able to recognize regulars. Even when I would only stop by once a year to pick up items for my wife, she would remember my name. I can fully say it makes us feel extremely welcome and at home here. Gloria is amazingly efficient and friendly. I know usually eye examinations can feel drawn out and exhausting but Gloria is able to tie in her friendly banter and questions together with the work she needs to do so you never feel bored during her examinations. In fact, I felt time flew by while chatting with her about various hobbies and before I knew it my examination was over! Cost: As for the cost, I honestly am unable to provide an accurate evaluation but I feel that for their services provided, we feel it is very affordable! Service: 5 (would give more if I could!) Location: 5 Cost: 5 Ambiance: 5 Overall: 5 read more

I love all the ladies who work here! They have amazing service and always friendly :)

This business had a horrible front office that is unresponsive and imperious in its treatment of customers. We have experienced repeated problems that are utterly unprofessional. read more

Making an appointment and the actual eye exam was a breeze. Nancy is super friendly and professional. Dr. Surh(Gloria) is awesome. Quick and informative if you have any questions regarding fit, vision etc. Would recommend if you're in need of a new optometrist :) read more

Amazing customer service and amazing selection of glasses. I love coming in because everyone is so friendly and makes you feel so comfortable. read more

First of all Gloria and her team are excellent. They are warm and friendly and just what I was looking for! My previous optometrist never did much for me. Gloria took my exam, dealt with me being ridiculous trying to put in contacts in my eyes (lol). Then we went to look at sunglasses and my regular lenses. After a few moments I asked for help and the ladies went to work. After several pairs that made me look too square, too big, too round, too nerdy, too extra. Lol we found a perfect pair. Onto the sunglasses where we repeated until I fell in love with some Gucci frames. I was very impressed with the care they gave me and ensured that I looked good in my glasses!! Even more impressive my glasses were back in a few days! As long as im in the area, Gloria is my only optometrist!! read more

Ideal Eyes Optometry - Optometrists Near Me - Burlingame, California

See all

Simply a fantastic experience. We brought our 6 year old after a referral from his school for an exam. Our optometrist was fantastic with our son, seemed very thorough and thoughtful in her approach, and explained a lot of items in easy-to-understand language for us (as parents). Facility was great, equipment seemed modern, and location on Burlingame avenue is accessible (with a bonus for quick shopping/errands post-appointment) Would definitely recommend! read more

Dr. Surh (Gloria ) and her team are amazing l! I've been going to this optometry for a couple of years now and have nothing but good things to say. I had an allergic reaction due to pollen last year which made wearing contacts unbearable . Gloria quickly diagnosed the problem after a few tests and prescribed me some drops that solved it. I have whole heartedly recommended everyone from my coworkers to friends to go here. Side note : Gloria is surprisingly funny/witty and one of the few doctors that make coming in for a check up fun. read more

I didn't have an eye exam I went to Ideal eyes because my dentist referred me to them as I told her I needed new frames. If you are picky and like high-end frames like me this is the place for you and the staff is exceptional very helpful and they accept VSP which was the cherry on top. I will definitely be going back for my eye exams and new frames when I am due read more

GREAT customer service. Gloria was wonderful (super-friendly), and Jean took EXCELLENT care of me when my glasses first developed a crack, then again when the replacement frame was similarly damaged from the factory. The second time I foolishly tried to repair (glue) the frame myself before bringing it in (bad idea), so I hope the store doesn't take a hit for my impatient (attempted) fix. I will be making all my future purchases here, and send my friends who appreciate a business that takes pride in their work. read more

Ideal Eyes Optometry - Tom Ford TF5432-F from @IdealEyesOptometry! Pure class. - Optometrists Near Me - Burlingame, California

Hello, I had an absolutely horrible experience in this store in November 2022. Here is the story from my side. In June - 6 months ago I went to the Ideal Eyes Optometry & Eyewear with my DITA frame (Japanese brand) which was broken at the Temple/Hinges part. I explained that I was going to the Mission trip to Moldova board with Ukraine to help treating kids with severe scoliosis; thus, I want to take extra pair of glasses with me. I have been told that it would not be possible to fix it fast, and the store's associate will call me when it will be ready. When I bought DITA frame, they told me that this Japanese brand is giving to you life a time warranty. The frame was not cheap at all around $600+. Then it was a time for my volunteer trip, where we did 5 surgeries with amazing results. Nobody from ideal Eyes called me, contact me. The manager of the store was visibly irritated with me, and said they emailed me once. They did not fix the frame, they did not call me, they did not try to apologize for the very suboptimal service. When asked this lady in her 60th why was talking with me that way that tone, her response was, You have to pay for the repair S150. I replied OK, but why did not you try to contact me, you have my cell. expensive grasses sitting in your office, and you were not doing anything about it. Again, she was extremely impolite with me saying, I did not know and I should speak quietly, no other customers can hear us. Not a word of apology. I lost it at this point. I asked her again, why she is talking with a customer in that "Bitchy way." I probably should not say it, but the snobby way she was treating me - it was unbelievable. Then it was even better, she called me crazy person. and she would call the police. I replied, "go ahead". I did not do anything wrong, it was very strange attitude from the very beginning and totally different from my previous experience here. I was sitting on the bench, shacking inside. I replied again, that I was on the mission trip, and probably, because it was border with Ukraine, and we were very busy there, I missed this email and they should call me, or at least apologize. The response was, we would not work with your frame, leave the store. I said, You are not the owner of this business, and according to the contract I been told when I bought this frame, you would fix it. I said I would work on it with the other associate, not with this mean person. Then, she called the police. I did not leave the store because I truly believed, it was not the Appropriate CUSTOMER SERVICE, it is just horrific experience with untrained employee. I started to talk with different associate and was listening at the same time like that Lady was talking with police in TOTALLY different TONE. She was the sweetest possible fragile at the same time professional person. To finish the story. 3 or 4 policemen came in and asked me to leave the store or they will arrest me. I tried to explain what was going on, they refuse to listen. I left. I will go in BBB with that. I know, that there are huge discrepancies how they treat you when you buy it and when something wrong. They told me life time warranty. It was just very wrong. I felt absolutely sad after that and not because I was unable to fix it, but because all of the sudden that particular lady decided that it was her own business, and she can treat the customer terribly, call me crazy and make a false accusation to the police. The other associate was totally opposite, she was polite and normal. That was my experience. Thank you for reading it. i hope the owner of this business will read this letter too. It was November 19, 2022. read more

From scheduling my appointment over the phone to the end of my visit, I had an amazing experience with Ideal Eyes Optometry. When I walked in for my appointment, I was very surprised at how small it was. Nancy was the only front desk staff working at the time and was extremely helpful in setting me up as a new patient. She was finishing up with another customer so I waited about 5 minutes before she helped me and handed me the new patient application forms. Once finished, I waited probably another 5 minutes for Dr. Surh to finish up with her previous patient. There was be a wait because Dr. Surh is the only optometrist here but despite that, she was able to keep on schedule while still delivering a personable experience. The first time I met Dr. Surh, she told me to call her Gloria. This made me feel a lot more relaxed because she does not make you feel like just another patient. The conversations I had with her made me feel more like a friend. She did not subject me to any tests that were not medically necessary (and more importantly, not covered by my insurance - so she saved me money)! There was just one standard exam room, a bathroom, and a table with three of your typical exam machines. The staff here all have amazing personalities and make you feel right at home - almost makes me wish my eyes were worse so I can come here more than my routine check-ups! If you're new to the area like I am, come here (if you have VSP)! Also, came a day later to have my glasses re-adjusted to which they were more than happy to do, free of charge! read more

I got my glasses here a year ago and it was amazingly fast, nice, convenient...perfect. Came in today with my daughter because she needs glasses. Was greeted by name (a year later) and found out they have the cutest selection of kids glasses hidden away in a drawer because it's such a small shop. Customer for life. read more

I chose this place because of all the top reviews on yelp. Unfortunately, I can't say I had a good experience. Firstly, the reader prescription was too strong and made me feel nauseous, then the frames didn't suit me so I tried to replace only to find that the ones I chose were for men - nobody said anything and tried making out that they were unisex. They blamed me for my inexperience at choosing frames !! Isn't that what they are there for ?? I went here to help me choose my first pair of reading glasses but left with a bad taste in my mouth and down a thousand dollars. Total waste of time and upsetting. Do your homework as there are other stores that offer 100% customer satisfaction- unfortunately for me I did not receive that. read more

I walked in not knowing what to expect and was very surprised at how easy it was to get my glasses. They quickly validated my insurance (just by my name) and then Dr. Suhr gave me an eye exam. Right after that they were very helpful in helping me pick out my frames. Super convenient, easy and friendly with a very large selection of frames. Great experience. read more

This place is awesome, the ladies always remember everyone and their always in a good mood. I got my contacts here and also my Gucci shades. Everyone loves and wants them Without insurance the glasses were 455 I believe. My insurance covered the contacts, cant remember if there was a copay. Very nice place, clean and bright inside. My go to place read more

I'm not sure how anybody could not give this place 5 stars, but nobody is perfect I guess. Dr. Gloria is a rockstar and you'll be well taken care of here. I've had eye exams for years, but Dr. Gloria is by far the best at asking me questions so she understands how I use glasses. I never really thought about that before and I learned a lot. Then when it was time for purchasing glasses, she helped me decide what options to choose and her recommendations were spot on. I had previously used one pair for reading, computer work, and distance but I never really got used to it. The new prescriptions and recommendations from Dr. Gloria worked out great. There is always really great staff here too. It might take a little while to get an appointment, but the wait is definitely worth it. read more

I don't think I ever enjoyed my trip to the eye doctor more than I did yesterday. The place was very clean and very well lit with natural light coming from the windows. The staff greeted me as I walked in and attended to me immediately. They were super polite, friendly, and helpful. The doctor was the best! She was very friendly and smart. She can explain any question you may have and there was a purpose to every procedure. The appointment went by really quick. Almost an hour had passed and I didn't even know it. I came in to get contacts and had some trouble putting them in. The doctor watched my technique and gave some helpful suggestions. I was successful this morning if you were wondering haha. If you need an eye exam, this is the place to go! read more

Dr. Gloria Surh and her team at Ideal Eyes are amazing. I have been a patient here for several years. I have lots of vision problems and Ideal Eyes has been helpful with everything. Dr. Surh is personable and extremely skilled during eye exams, and her team helps with fitting the eye glasses. One pair of glasses didn't turn out quite right, and Dr. Surh redid the lenses for free! read more

Best optometrist I've ever been to! Dr. Surh and her staff are the sweetest people and are so helpful when it comes to picking out new glasses. I love that their selection of glasses are also great for Asian faces, since typical styles will normally slide down my face. I would highly recommend that everyone see Dr. Surh! read more

Excellent customer service, excellent selection of frames. I will continue to come here for any eye wear purchases. I came here (with a prescription) after losing my glasses. The ladies here helped me pick out a new pair that I absolutely love. They have a really great selection of quality frames. Soon i'll bring in my favorite sunglasses to get prescription lenses, and probably buy them a new friend. ;) read more

Looks like I found a new eye doctor!!!! We randomly stopped by on a weekend just see the shop since it had a bunch of eye glasses on the shelves. We spoke to the ladies working and they were awesomely nice. So nice and helpful that I ended up setting an appointment to get my eyes checked a few days later. During my eye check up, they did more tests on me than any optometry place I've ever been to. It was quite relieving. I actually felt like they were doin everything they could to check on me. Thank you Dr. Lee for being to great and doing your due diligence to check on me. It's much appreciated. At the end of the day, my eyes are fine. 20/20!!! A little dry and sensitive. Time for some proper sun glasses to help with eye protection. Another great thing was how easy it was to have them work with my insurance. What a great great process with everyone involved! read more

I have been seeing Dr. Surh for over 4 years and I will NEVER LEAVE HER. She is talented, funny, kind and intelligent. GIRL HAS IT ALL! She is super easy to talk to and makes the entire process of getting your vision checked painless. She thinks of all the little things too like when my husband and I come in together for our appointments, she alternates who gets our eyes dilated so one of us can drive home. She always explains the procedures and answers all questions at a layman's level so I can understand. I moved from SF ages ago but traveled from San Jose just to see her, that's how good she is. I'm happy that she has her own practice now that is (slightly) closer to my house! You will be thankful you found this review and decided to go here ;) read more

I am a patient here for life! Dr. Surh is kind, attentive, and competent. Ideal Eyes has reasonably priced eye exams (approx $82 for eye exam and contacts exam with VSP) and contact lenses. I was so happy with Ideal Eyes that I recommended my husband come here too, and he is very happy with them as well! They are also very responsive via email in setting up appointments and giving price quotes for lenses, which is great and really convenient. After experiencing bad service, long wait times, and a total lack of transparency about prices at other optometrists in the Bay Area, I was so happy to find an optometrist who cares about patients! I cannot recommend Ideal Eyes highly enough. They are great! read more

My family and I love Dr. Surh. We were patients of her's when she was at a different location which was much closer to us than her new office, but we gladly make the drive to Burlingame to see her. Dr. Surh is easy to talk to, knowledgeable and incredibly sweet. She is also wonderful with kids and takes time to explain everything in terms they will understand. My kids (10yr & 7yr) actually get excited about having their eyes checked and getting new glasses. The office staff is so friendly and helpful! They have a wonderful selection of glasses and take our insurance (VSP). This place is a win all around! read more

I rarely buy glasses, given that I mostly wear contacts. So, my rare eyeglass purchases are pretty meaningful and important to me. My experience at Ideal Eyes exceeded my high expectations. The selection was great: conservative to funky; medium prices to expensive. The service was awesome: patient, helpful, great advice, and they were highly consultative. I felt they truly listened. I recommend Ideal Eyes! read more