The experience felt almost like interacting with a system designed for precision and efficiency. Measurements were fast, adjustments exact, and outcomes immediate. If this is the future of routine care, it's a well-calibrated one. read more

Dr Lem is highly personable and skilled at his job. The scene at Costco is chaotic, but he makes it worthwhile.

Dr Lem is really an amazing doctor. Last year he skillfully and patiently helped my wife with her eye problems which had been bothering her for over one year. I will definitely recommend him to anyone without reservation at all. read more

This is a long overdue review for Dr. Lem - he's been my optometrist for a couple years and he's really good at what he does. I started seeing Dr. Lem just as my eyes were starting get a little older. A few minutes into the examination, Dr. Lem said, "Allen, you know what you have? You got presbyopia. You know what that means in Latin? It means OLD EYES!" Well great - I'm extremely nearsighted (-11) so maybe the farsightedness will start to cancel it out? Nope. Somehow, everything is inexplicably both too far and too near to see clearly. I don't like wearing glasses because even with the thinnest possible lenses and with the smallest frame, the lenses are still thicker than Coke bottles and they distort a lot because of their extreme power. I really wanted to avoid having to wear glasses all the time, and I told Dr. Lem that I was willing to try everything. To make a long story short, Dr. Lem ordered trial pairs of many of the latest and greatest multifocal toric lenses (because I also have astigmatism too!) and I gave them all a shot. Unfortunately, none of the multifocals worked out for me, but Dr. Lem tried a monovision setup with me, and that actually worked pretty well. I can see far, and I can see near, and I don't need to carry around reading glasses. It took more than a month of me demoing different lenses and setups until we finally found the lenses that worked for me. I also got a pair of eyeglasses with progressive lenses - it took a couple tries to get that right too, but my prescription is difficult, and Dr. Lem wanted to get it right. Dr. Lem is very thorough and I highly recommend him if you really care about your vision! read more

Jeffrey is a total gem. An excellent doctor of optometry- thorough, perfectionist with a great attitude and sense of humor. Just love him! He's been my OD for about 10 years now. New location is at COSTCO in SF. Easy parking and access. Extremely reasonable fee. And COSTCO eyeglasses rock it- designer frames for super cheap!! read more

Came here as a new patient recently. Covid precautionary measures were in place. Sitting outside before the doctor sees you, hand santizier available. Dr Lem made me feel comfortable and i was able to crack some jokes. I went in for my basic eye exam and made sure that it was covered by my insurance. He explains the things he was doing and reasons why which was nice, not that i havent had those steps done but its nice to know why I am getting a light blinded into my pupil (lol). He didnt pressure me into getting other things (i only wanted glasses but do wear contacts on rare occasions). He had me sit for the dilation just to make sure everything is okay. Overall, everyone there was really nice and straightforward. Im not looking for frills, just honesty when it comes to the health of my eyeballs. read more

I continue to see Dr. Lem for the occasional eye checkup and he remains as solid as ever. Over the weekend I noticed that my vision in one eye was a little fuzzy, had my prescription changed or was it those 2 tequila shots I didn't need on Saturday night? I scheduled an appointment with the doctor and he put me through the ringer. Dr. Lem clearly enjoys taking extra time with his patients to explain what each test is for... so rare in the medical profession. 45 minutes later he was happy to report that all I had was an eff-ed contact, my eyeballs are good. I'm back to seeing 20/20, perfect! read more

I have been coming to Dr. Lam for more than 10 years. He is best and understand what my eyes need, since I work outdoors my eyes are always dry and I also have allergies which effect my vision. He explain how to take care of my eyes and price is best in town. Location is very convenient if you work in San Francisco downtown, love to just being able to make an appointment and get the right prescription. Kudos Dr. Lam read more

Really nice, very thorough. A totally not-awful experience!

Excellent care. Dr. Lem was thorough and communicated all his findings. I was in San Francisco for the week and found him on Yelp. It was such a pleasure to be able to get my eyes examined. Although I do not have vision insurance, the staff was able to get some coverage through my health insurance. Yea for that! read more

Dr. Jeffrey Lem was extremely thorough with my test, dilating my pupils and measuring all sorts of things previous optometrists have never done for me. He was also thorough in explaining what he was doing and why, while he was conducting these tests. However, I have a few qualms: 1) It would be much easier if there were some way for us to make appointments online 2) The eye examination was thorough, but it felt very rushed 3) When choosing the right prescription, it felt like Dr. Lem would guide me toward the prescription he felt would be right for me instead of letting me choose the prescription/lens that I could see the best in. As an example, while helping me find the right prescription, he would say "one or two, two is better right?" before I could see which prescription was clearer 4) When I asked questions, he either dismissed my concerns or gave me a quick answer. This was probably because the office was extremely busy and the next patient had already been waiting for a while This appointment took me a whole hour and I spend ~20 minutes with Dr. Lem. Overall, I would recommend this practice and will be coming back again, but I definitely think a few improvements could be made. read more

I went to Dr. Lem for a second opinion after I suspected that the prescription I got from City Optometry was wrong. I simply couldn't believe that my astigmatism would increase by 1.75 diopters in one eye... when it hadn't changed in years. Even though I paid out-of-pocket, I actually paid LESS at Dr. Lem's than what I did at City Optometry with insurance. But that wasn't the best part - I've never met an optometrist as generous as Dr. Lem. Not only did he give me a free pair of contacts to take home (after I told him I was on my last pair), but he also gave me a pair of contacts to use while my eyes were dilated when I told him I was on-call for work. In the past, I had simply resigned myself to being unable to work for a couple hours after having my eyes dilated since dilation prevents your eyes from focusing on a computer screen. Thanks to Dr. Lem, the dilation had minimal impact on my day! Another thing I appreciate about Dr. Lem is that he doesn't pressure you to purchase expensive glasses or contacts - he gives you your prescription (and pupillary distance) upfront so you're free to purchase glasses or contacts wherever you wish. I've definitely walked away from optometrists in the past with $400 glasses I didn't really need, simply because I did not know any better. Now, I can take my prescription to JINS a couple blocks down the street and get an excellent pair of glasses (with anti-reflective coating and high index lenses) for only $100. I've gotten a new optometrist every year since I've moved so often in the Bay Area... but Dr. Lem is the first optometrist I'm going to stick with even if I end up living in San Jose. Some doctors are simply worth it. (As for the bad prescription, Dr. Lem confirmed that my prescription barely changed - he tested me both with and without contacts - and that City Optometry's prescription was likely erroneous because they tested me after dilating my eyes, instead of beforehand. Thank goodness for Dr. Lem!) read more

Despite the great location, they are v disorganized. From booking, exam, order, pickup. Have to come in multiple times . I don't mind paying more but I need better service. All they care is to collect payment. Not coming back. read more

I have been a patient for several years now and have consistently had a good experience. Dr Lem is attentive and pleasant. Highly recommended. read more

Dr. Lem is awesome!! He's a super nice guy that was very funny and informative through out the eye exam (explaining each test, why they do it, etc). His staff is extremely friendly as well and they have great options for lenses. If you work in FiDi it's super close, for others in the bay area he's literally a 5 minute walk from the Montgomery Bart station. I plan on returning to Dr. Lem for every future eye exam (or if I ever decide to make the plunge and get contacts)! read more

Dr. Lem is the best! I've never had a better optometrist. His exams are thorough and not what I have experienced at other offices (e.g., he tests your depth perception). The first time I saw him 2 years ago he noticed my previous prescription was wrong and corrected it. I should have known it was wrong when my eyes were straining but Dr. Lem came through and fixed it for me. He also either has a phenomenal memory or he writes great notes on his records because he remembered me despite seeing him 2ish years ago! He's awesome! read more

I have been with Dr. Lem for over 25 years. He takes care of the eyes of my whole family. Would never go to anyone else. His exams are very thorough. He never rushes and explains what he is doing and why. I cannot say enough good things about him. This is the second location I have followed him to and will continue to have him as my eye doctor until he retires! I have recommended him to all of my co-workers he had quite a following here at my place of work. read more

I went to see Dr Lem for a routine comprehensive eye exam. Everything from scheduling, arriving, the exam, and communication was excellent. Even the 10 minute wait was as a joy as I interacted with the staff. Jeffrey is engaging, explains everything, is very thoughtful, and made sure all my questions were answered. I highly recommend a visit, even if just a routine check. read more

Dr. Lem is an incredibly thorough optometrist. I feel really well taken care of when I visit. His staff is also fantastic and very helpful in making sure that you receive your prescription easily and quickly. I can't recommend him enough! read more

Dr Lem and Staff are professional, attentive , and friendly! Exploring the use of contacts for the first time, and while I am not as adept as I'd like to be at getting them in, Dr Lem and staff are very patient regarding this process and are working with me , beyond what I may have expected, to assure I find the fit that works best for me. Thank you Dr Lem and entire staff. I will definitely recommend!! read more

Wow, Dr. Lem is a talker! But it's cool, cuz he tells all about why he's making you stare at his ear lobe and why you're reading a line item from a take out menu while he sticks lenses in front of your eyeballs. And you know what? It makes perfect sense! I'm gonna be honest -- I have total weirdo eyes. The kind of eyes that an eye doctor fetishizes. They do bizarre stuff at one moment and then don't do regular stuff the next. You're totally fascinated, I know, so just imagine how my previous eye docs have felt! Dr. Lem totally got real with me and explained why this happens and why other stuff doesn't, which I genuinely appreciate. He also told me that I should really invest in a pair of reading glasses, which I genuinely did NOT appreciate. Dudes, I'm 27, okay? Last time I checked, people do not start wearing readers until they graduate from their thirties. I mean, throw me a bone! As much as I'd like to blame Dr. Lem personally for this "suggestion," I can't argue with what I saw . . . you know, a clearer description of tuna salad from some restaurant's take out menu whilst peering through a lens a pair of reading glasses. Although my life sucks, you should still go to Dr. Lem. read more

I was going to wait until my glasses were ready and picked up and sorted out completely, but I decided to write while I'm still flush with the warm glow of a bitch-ass BARGAIN. I walk by this place 5 days a week, and I finally got suckered in by the "2 pairs of glasses for $99" offer. (Losing my glasses also helped with the suckering-in process.) I had to ask, no, really, $99, no random extra charges that will leave me with a $400 bill? Well, the eye exam is extra -- a whopping $65 (or $105 if you need a contact lens exam). And the glasses selection is limited to their non-designer, mostly wire frames. However, that still leaves about 150 frames to choose from. I also had the option of just getting one pair of frames, and even the frames in the non-super-bargain-bin area were about $99 - 150. (There's also a coupon online at the moment for $30 off a pair over $149.) I was happy with Dr. Lem and the exam he gave me, but I'm f-ing PSYCHED at the fact that I just got two pairs of glasses and an eyam for $165. In San Francisco! In 2008! (Update: About three weeks after I picked up my new glasses, I found my old pair. I sense the math wouldn't survive close scrutiny, but I've convinced myself that this somehow works out to getting 3 pairs of glasses for $99. Now THAT's a bargain.) read more

Very efficient, thorough, and professional eye exam; convenient appointment time; and friendly staff. Also for those of us without vision insurance, it was reasonably priced. $111 for an eye exam, including 2+ hours of continuing fun with dilated pupils. And if it matters to you, Dr. Lem is a double Cal grad (undergrad and School of Optometry) and is a SF native. The only minus I can think of is that the exam area is quite small and cramped. But that's Financial District rent for you. It's not particularly comfortable and did not affect the quality of the exam. read more

A very enthusiastic Doctor, Doctor Lem is. He is very into what he does and presents himself as very knowledgeable and professional. He is also friendly and quite nice. However, my problem with this place is that they are a little bit disorganized when it comes to certain things. For example, I was first told that my glasses would be ready the day I purchased them, then once I did purchase them, I was told it would take a week or so. Example #2, I ordered contact lens boxes, was told I'd get them in about 2 weeks, 2 weeks passed, I didn't get them. So I called, and was told that there needed to be an "investigation" and that I would get a call back. After I didn't get a call back (& was upset at having to use the same pair of contacts for more than 3 weeks because I didn't get my order) I had to call back. What I was told was that my order was not put in, and that it would be an additional 2 weeks to get in. I just feel like they should be a bit more on the ball with their customers. However, the doctor alone seems to be, as I said, professional and knowledgeable. This place also charges on the lower side for an eye exam compared to other O.D.s in the area. read more

This review doesn't say anything not already included in the dozen or so prior reviews on Dr. Lem that i just skimmed. Two things about my visit are perhaps worth mentioning. First, the contact prescription he wrote is the most accurate one i have ever had--i can see so much better than before, it's hard to believe. (Why could no other eye doctor get this right?) And second, the doctor wanted to dilate my pupils, which i hate, because then i can barely see for the rest of the afternoon. I told him this. He told me not to worry about it. He dilated them, then gave me a pair of contact lenses to wear that far from my actual prescription, but that actually cancelled out the vision distortion caused having temporary mega-pupils--no ordinary eye doctor. So, I don't there's any question that he's a full level above the vast majority of eye doctors in the area. I suppose what we want from a health-care professional distills to three things: (i) competence in their discipline; (ii) empathy (or some evidence that they are human); and (iii) service (e.g., decent hours, waiting room with WiFi, friendly staff, etc.) Dr. Lem pretty much maxes out all three, particularly the first two. For me the first is the most important though. If the doctors i see don't know their stuff or they don't care, not only am i wasting my time, but i'm putting myself at risk. i'm just guessing here, but he's probably the person who got the best grades in eye doctor school and who reads optometry journals while on vacation "OMG! a brand new eye disease!" read more

I've been away from Dr. Lem for quite some time...probably 6 years or so because of the commute into the city. But I must say...he's got some pretty good reviews and to tell you honestly I've been jumping optometrist in hopes to find someone really good but sad to say...I have not. I'm due for an annual eye exam and I'm going to make an appointment with Dr. Lem despite the commute. He really is a good eye doctor, is very patient with you and tells you the truth! 5 stars for this place...if I remember, prices were very reasonable! read more

Very professional doctor, very courteous and thorough. I highly appreciate the eye exam that he did for me, and all of the tips and explanation. I went out of my way to specifically get my eye exam from Dr. Lem because i wanted to make sure that the prescription will be accurate - if you get any random person to do eye exam for you who knows if they may make a mistake and prescribe you the wrong lenses, and make your vision worse... without you even knowing it. read more

I went here for an eye exam right before I moved to Seattle from SF. As I have no insurance currently, I did some research on area doctors to see who was cheapest. At $105 for a contact lens exam, Dr. Lem made the cut. As my Dad would say, Dr. Lem is a POW (piece of work). He rushed into the exam room a few minutes late, claiming that he had eaten some extra onion-y food the night before and then proceeded to brush his teeth in front of me. Kudos for caring? He also discovered that my last doctor had over-powered my left eye, which had been straining against its -4.25 power for over a year. Damn, now I feel better. All in all, it was a good experience, and very conveniently located off the Montgomery BART station. read more

Dr. Lem is helpful, patient and attentive. He has a BA from Berkeley in Sociology and a degree in optometry also from Berkeley. (Go Bears!) The exam itself was quick and comprehensive. I got my pupils dilated and had to wear a glossy piece of black plastic as makeshift sunglasses. Remember to bring your own sunglasses so you don't have to wear this futuristic piece of eyewear. Since your pupils will be dilated, the sunlight will be unbearably bright. I had to walk back to work and people blatantly gawked at me as I came down the street. The plastic isn't transparent so people probably thought I was blind and wouldn't mind the staring. I looked as if I had a starring role in The Terminator. The selection of glasses is adequate and is moderately priced. I got a pair of Ralph Lauren for $129 (before insurance). I also saw pairs for $99. Not too bad. Robert, the assistant manager was very helpful in selecting my frames and didn't seem to mind that I was a picky customer. I took pictures of every pair I tried on, which was probably annoying. Lastly, there was one thing about which I had a slight demur...no one told me beforehand that a peripheral vision test would not be covered by the insurance. I would have preferred not to have received this part of the exam just because I get my eye exams yearly and have had no problems in the past. So that was an extra cost I had to pay, but since it was only $10, I didn't mind terribly. read more

I'd been putting off getting an exam for an updated prescription because I don't have vision insurance, and taking the plunge with Dr. Lem was by far the best decision. The fact that he's the most affordable in the area is hardly why you should go (though duh it helps): he's professional, prompt (able to schedule w/in a week and saw me immediately when I arrived), and very thorough. He not only wrote me 3 scripts for all my needs (no extra charge), but also took the time to talk to me about a minor eye issue I'd had since high school. Easy to say that he'll be my eye doctor for the remainder of my time in San Francisco. read more

I really liked this doctor a lot. I was a little early, he thanked me for that. Said he appreciated it and it helped to keep him on schedule. Key points: 1. He was thorough and listened. 2. He didn't force me to get have my pupils dilated (they are large as it is and I just had a full eye exam about a year ago so it wasn't medically necessary unless I said the word). 3. He agreed with me that the lenses my last eye doc prescribed for me were crap and reassured my suspicion that they were causing me heaps of irritation because they sucked (translation: collecting and leaving deposits on my eyes) 4. He gave me a very thorough exam and prescribed lenses that have been delightful thus far- even gave me a 2nd pair in case mess these up before I order more. 5. He said to tell him what the online place I order from charges and he'd do his best to match the price. Then I can pick em up right there and not pay and wait for shipping. Sweet. I will go back! read more

Dr. Lem and his associate optometrist (who works on weekends) are both wonderful! I don't have health insurance, so I was stressing out about finding an affordable optometrist that wouldn't cost me an arm & leg to get my prescription updated. They charged me $111 for a full exam and to get fitted for glasses and contacts. They were more affordable than Costco for eye exams (which was the cheapest place I went in the past). They were efficient and very friendly. Dr. Lem even called me a few weeks after my exam to offer me a ton of samples of a different brand of contacts than the ones I had tried in his office. So great! I would recommend them to anyone I know. read more

I was getting my eyes checked by Dr. Lem last week and I said to him,"you actually make an eye exam fun!" I've seen him 2 times in the past 2 years and I find him to be very smart, professional and personable. I am a health practitioner as well and I'm very impressed with him. read more

I highly recommend Dr. Lem and his team. This office is knowledgeable, accommodating and very friendly. But you should know what you're getting into if you decide to become a patient. Dr. Lem puts eye health first, and is absolutely relentless. I'm pretty lazy when it comes to going to the doctor's office and especially lazy about taking care of my eyes. This resulted in a difficult to diagnose, pretty gnarly eye situation for me (my bf called it "eye herpes" - let this be a lesson to you). He had me come in constantly and called to follow up with my progress quite often. A tad bit annoying, but effective. I'm so grateful for it. When I switched to Kaiser, he was no longer in network. Because of a miscommunication with his office assistant, I ended up paying a somewhat hefty out-of-network fee. It was my fault, but Dr. Lem made all my follow up appointments free of charge, just because he wanted to keep attending to my eye issue. His team also adjusted a pair of sunglasses I didn't buy at his office, so awesome customer service as well! read more

I also found Dr. Lem via Yelp after googling "best inexpensive eye exam." SO THANKFUL I was able to find Dr. Lem! He is very kind, funny and most importantly, efficient. The staff is just as friendly and efficient as he is! My exam cost $71 without insurance and I also happened to visit on a day where lenses were 50% off! I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND Dr. Lem. If I could give more stars, I would. read more

Dr. Lem is an old school doctor, back from when they made them right. I would wholeheartedly recommend him to anybody! Has a very modest office (old school, remember?) but very well equipped. He'll take you through all the nooks and crannies of the diagnosis he's doing, using very approachable language, and was able to sate my every curiosity. I wish all my doctors were this caring and competent. Moreover, he's seriously chill and courteous! It was a pleasure to pay him a visit. 10/10 Will go back as long as humanly possible! read more

My insurance plan lets me pick the vision provider of my choice, so I figured why not go with the best? Like many of you, I was directed to Dr. Lem by the overwhelmingly positive reviews here on yelp! The eye examination itself was very thorough. He started off by measuring my blood pressure with this cool wrist device and assured me that I wasn't just "another pair of eyeballs" to him but that my overall health mattered. It really did seem he cared and tested every aspect of my vision. After my tests, he had me watch a little bit of Ratatouille on the small DVD player until my eyes readjusted. The selection of frames was pretty good and the shop assistants were very helpful. They even perfectly readjusted my RayBan Aviators which I had taken back to the (incompetent) optometrist on Clement St. several times but always managed to slide down my nose bridge after I left the store! I left Dr. Lem feeling reassured that the health of my eyes was sound! read more

Dr. Lem was great! It's been a while since I've had an exam, so I had all of the tests done and Dr. Lem treated me really well. Right from the start, he was incredibly personable and funny. He explained every single thing he did in great detail - but didn't bore or confuse me. He kept it light, and at the same time educational. I really walked away feeling more knowledgeable about my eyes. Although working without an assistant, he was prompt and I was out in about an hour. His staff was really courteous, and they engaged me in really pleasant conversation while I waited. I felt really taken care of here, and I see now why people gave Dr. Lem such good reviews. He's really down to earth, and a genuinely nice guy. I'm glad I found him, because I'm totally coming back next time. Win! read more

I hadn't had my eyes checked for a couple of years and finally decided it was time to do something. My previous two optometrists weren't the most helpful of people so I was looking for someone new. Dr. Lem was recommended to me and I am so glad I visited with him. The appointment was punctual and professional - his staff is fantastic! Dr. Lem answered my questions and provided some useful tips. He was respectful of my time and overall a really nice guy. He is my new eye doctor. read more

I was taken aback by the fact that Dr. Lem's office is actually more of an eye glass store than a doctors office. However I quickly overcame my surprise when I sat down in his small back office and was given a thorough eye exam. Dr. Lem has a great personality - cracking jokes while I indecisively tried to determine which is better "A or B." I will definitely head back to Dr. Lem next year. read more