I've been a patient at Metropolitan Optical for over 10 years and can't imagine going anywhere else. The staff is unbelievably nice, efficient and all around good people. I've had nothing but phenomenal service every time I go -- even if it's just to have my glasses cleaned and/or the frames adjusted (I have a bad habit of falling asleep with them on). And, the glasses they do sell are on point. But, that doesn't mean you have to buy there -- after I have my check-up, I'm always given my prescription without having to ask. Which is a big difference from the bigger stores in town. I highly recommend going there, you don' t regret it. read more

Went for my annual eye exam and contact fitting. Dr. Ayalew took the time to ask about my vision history and very carefully took me through my vision exam. I received excellent service and a trial pair of contacts. Dr. Ayalew gave me several options and took my personal preferences and needs into account. FYI, there is a separate fee for a 'contact lens fitting' and the vision exam. read more

On this return visit, I found everything to be as spectacular as during my last visit. This time, however, I was unable to resist, and ended up choosing new frames. I still carry around a photo of me in cool frames that I tried on during my appointment there a year ago. Dr. Ayalew is an adept medical professional that instills trust and confidence beyond expectation. She is thorough and patient in her explanation of a course to take for best optical care. All good! read more

I wish I could give this five stars, because I've had truly great experiences with the staff, for the most part. I went a couple months ago and was given glasses. While I was there, they helped me quickly and were very attentive to my needs. After a few months I noticed that I was having some blurred vision and went back, and they determined I needed new lenses, and assured me they could have it done the next day. My only complaint is that I've now been told it'll take two days, and don't even have my original glasses, because I gave the lenses to them with the expectation of being able to get them the next day. While all of their other services have exceed expectations with being prompt and responsive, I don't feel that I can give them five stars because I don't have any glasses to help correct my vision currently due to giving me incorrect information. read more

Both Dr. Ayalew and the optical team at Metroplitan Optical caused me tremendous difficulty. Dr. Ayalew did not know how to prescribe glasses for someone with my vision issues; yet she presented herself as such. A saga ensued, but I stuck with the optical team and had a different doctor as my prescriber; Rodney, the general manager, is a thoughtful guy, and so I felt that I was at least in good hands on the optical side. I still wasn't seeing properly, though, and so I went to an expensive out-of-pocket specialist, who showed me that MO's optical team had actually messed up in making my lenses, too. I was literally seeing double for months due to their multiple errors. Until I saw the specialist, I thought something was seriously wrong with me that not even glasses could address, and it was truly terrifying. I am grateful to say that Apex Optical, which was recommended by the specialist, got my glasses right the first time. I literally teared up in relief when I put them on. When I asked for a refund from MO, I got a measly amount compared to my outlay of cash due to their errors. They are fortunate that I have chosen to put this behind me from here and have not taken legal action. If you have anything other than a simple prescription, like I once had when I first came here years ago, unfortunately, I do NOT recommend Metropolitan Optical. They cost me a tremendous amount of time, money, and emotional resources; Apex Optical is where you need to go. read more

I'm happy with the swift and thorough exam and friendly doctor. I'm unhappy with how long it took to receive my contacts. At time of payment, I was told my contacts would be ready to pick up in three-four business days. This team strung me along for nearly three weeks, promising me several incorrect arrival dates that came and went. I would not trust them again to refill my contacts. read more

While on vacation I needed a pair of contacts because I tore mine. I stopped into Metropolitan Optical to see if they could help and they totally took care of me. They called my doctor and got my prescription and the gave me a free pair of lenses. The entire staff was very polite and professional. I was totally impressed. Rodney Oo was great and made me feel like we were long time customers. read more

Brandon, karina, Rodney & Martina Super helpful and kind Honestly they recommend I do not buy some glasses which were more expensive than the ones I got bc the prescription wld not be good fit with the lenses. Kudos to honesty and kindness read more

Dr. Flocos, and his team were very professional and friendly. Answered all my questions, and were very thorough. with the pandemic they have set good procedures in place so I felt safe going in and out of the place! Deff will look forward to coming back. read more

Dr. Ayalew really knows her stuff and cares about the patient, and the staff has been nothing but friendly in all the times I've been by. I recently had an eye exam and she suggested a new contact because my eyes were drying out, and offered to schedule a courtesy follow up visit a week later to check my progress. I also ordered a new pair of glasses from them earlier this year. They didn't have the frame I wanted in stock, so they special ordered it and later that week I was walking out with a new pair. With most of the big stores, what you see is all you get. The customer service here is amazing. read more

Dr Aylew and her staff are the best, im recommending them to all my family and friends. Best optical Care read more

I've been going to Metropolitan Optical for years for my annual eye exam & glasses. I usually go in by appointment, but Dr. Ayalew took me right away when I was having vision problems, diagnosed the problem, and got me an appointment with a specialist right away. Luckily the worst didn't happen (a detached retina) but it could have, and if she hadn't acted correctly and quickly I could have lost my sight. On top of all that, Dr. Ayalew and her staff are really pleasant, and they have an excellent selection of frames. I recommend Met. Optical highly. read more

This optical office is excellent. They are prompt for your appointment, and efficient in the use of your time. I recommend for people with a tight schedule and value professional and promptness, Cheers, Nicole read more

I highly recommend Metropolitan Optical. Not only do they carry brands that actually fit diverse face structures, their customer service is impeccable. My optician, Paul, and his colleagues, were extremely considerate, knowledgeable, and helpful. Paul went above and beyond to also fix my old pair of glasses. I will definitely continue to trust my eyecare and eyewear with Paul and his team. read more

Dr. Ayalew is very thorough and the staff is great. She talked me through everything I was seeing, and the picture of the inside of my eye was just a cool experience. This is my second time at Metropolitan Optical, and I consider it my eye place for the time I stay in DC. I don't buy the frames here because they're a little too expensive with my insurance, but the whole experience was as good as can be expected. read more

This is the most uncommunicative office I have ever been to. It took me a week and a half past an initial exam to get my prescription confirmed, and then both myself and the outside contact service I use were unable for days to get either a hard copy or verbal confirmation. I have gone without my contact lenses for nearly one week due to the service at this office. read more

I was in town for a conference where I was supposed to do a presentation before 2PM today. I asked if they'd be able to fit me in before then and they got me in at 1PM. I was in and out with a new pair of contacts and my updated prescription! Love the staff and Dr. Ayalew! They went above and beyond. So great. Wish they were located in my hometown of Seattle :( read more

I just saw the review by Katrina below and had to disagree with so much that she says. I love this place. This office is incredible and my whole family comes here for their eye care. They have early and late appointments as well. I believe the earliest is 9am and the latest is 630pm with Saturday hours as well. Honestly, how can you complain about that - especially for a doctor's office?! Most other doctor offices I know do not have evening or weekend hours. I have seen both Dr. Ayalew and Dr. Mehta for my care and both are great. Dr. Mehta in particular is amazing! She is always so kind, thorough, professional, and knowledgeable. She always answers all of my questions with such patience and sincerety. I am a med student at GW so I often have a lot to ask since I am in the field. Also, being in the field, I am very well aware of patients directly asking for medications of their choice. Dr. Mehta does not like to medicate unless entirely necessary & appreciate this. She almost always runs on time as well. The longest I've ever had to wait was 10 min for the doctor, which again I cannot complain about. Katrina must have seen someone else, or else she was telling the doctor how to do her job, which no one would appreciate. In addition, the staff is always great. They are all so friendly and accommodating, especially Winona and Joe. The office has a good location downtown and nice selection of frames. I have referred many people here and no one so far has been disappointed! read more

OK - I was extremely upset by the fee charged for contact lens fitting. But, Dr. Ayalew just called me personally to apologize for any misunderstanding/miscommunication. She apologized that information was not more forthcoming about the cost for the fitting, and that it was a separate fee from the eye exam itself. She even took the time to call my insurance. I commend her for taking the time to do all of this. Now that I am better informed, and have heard from the owner, I am comfortable referring patients here - - with the caveat that they know the price structure. I also shared with the doctor my opinion that she add more information about pricing to her website, which I believe she will do. Great follow-up to what was initially a bad experience. Thank you. read more

The best measure of an outstanding company is how it handles problems. By that standard, Metropolitan Optical on 18th St. in DC is indeed outstanding. I ran into a series of problems with my exam & glasses, which was frustrating, but it's also life. Sometimes, things are just snake-bit. But in every instance, the store made things right, without hesitation or objection, & in fact put in a substantial amount of extra effort to do so. They did the right thing, over & over, cheerfully & with apologies. Clearly, such a string of problems was uncommon for Metropolitan Optical, & they were determined to uphold their high standards. I applaud them, and will continue to be their customer in the future. read more

I have been wearing glasses for over 32 years, and contact lenses for over 20 years. My experience with Dr. Ayalew and the staff members at Metropolitan Optical has been the absolute worst experience I have ever had -- and I have seen many optometrists/ophthalmologists in various states across the country. Before this experience, I liked going to the eye doctor and saw it as a simple, painless, stress-free process. For the past four months (May - September 2016), I have been going back and forth with Dr. Ayalew and her staff with inaccurate contact lens prescriptions. There have been countless delays, inaccurate prescriptions, and mix-ups. This has caused me to have to go into the office, call, and email multiple times to try out yet another set or couple of sets of prescriptions. In all, I received 7 to 10 sets, but they ordered/sent back at least 15+ sets. It was ridiculous, and there were extensive delays each time. After receiving many inaccurate prescriptions and prescriptions that did not match with what I was told I was getting, I finally settled on one. Of course, the "final" prescription I was given was written incorrectly (thankfully, I had started taking pictures of the prescriptions on the actual trial pair containers to keep track, because I recognized that they were so disorganized), and I had to wait yet again for an accurate prescription to be written. I would not recommend Metropolitan Optical for a contact lens wearer. read more

I've been going here for a couple of years anf they're always super quick to get me in. My only complaint was that I mentioned that I don't like rebates (when the doctor mentioned a new type of contact lense that's cheaper after the rebate). I don't think she understood what I meant because when she had the women check me out she told them to have them help me with the rebate. They gave me all the info for the rebate, then charged me for a years worth of contacts, when I personally only budgeted for 6 months at this point in time. I wasn't really asked how many contacts I wanted, I was just given a bill and told that I "should" get $65 back once I submit the rebate. I never wanted the $65 back. I didn't want a years worth of contacts. I just wanted 6 months worth that i can actually currently afford. My anxiety was through the roof and the clerk and doctor were a little pushy. I recommend being very clear with what you want. I also recommend the employees stop and actually ask you what you want. I don't want anyone else to be short on cash because of something like this. read more

I've been going to Metropolitan Optical for annual eye exams for several years now. I've also gone in twice for eye-related medical problems. In general, I have had positive experiences here. I do wish they would open either earlier or later, even just a couple days of the week. The hours are 10am-7pm, but (unless this has changed) the last appointments are usually around 5:30. So, unless I get a Saturday appointment, it's impossible not to have to take at least some time off from work. Also, even if you get the first appointment of the day (10am), don't be surprised if you have to wait a while. I've had a couple experiences where the doctor doesn't even arrive until 15-20 minutes later. I feel like either the doctor should already be in by 10, or the office shouldn't schedule appointments until say, 10:15. They have a very nice selection of frames (and sunglasses, too). My glasses have always been ready promptly, and contact orders come in fairly quickly. They always call to let you know when things are ready, or if there's a problem or delay. Dr. Ayalew is very professional and friendly, and I prefer to see her when I go. I've seen two other doctors here, one I also really liked, but unfortunately I can't remember her name (I *think* she might have been Italian-American, but I'm not certain). This was also a couple years ago, and I'm not sure if she's still with the practice. The other one, who I saw on my most recent visit, was (I'm fairly certain) Dr. Mehta. I was honestly turned off by Dr. Mehta's personality. She didn't introduce herself, and she gave off a vibe that she was annoyed for some reason. Also, even though I had the first appointment of the day, and arrived on time, I had to wait 15-20 minutes to see her. I was actually there because of an eye condition/irritation that I had previously seen Dr. Ayalew for about a year ago. I am aware of how to manage/treat it and generally have been able to take care of it on my own (Dr. Ayalew was fantastic about explaining it to me and teaching me how to manage/treat it), but this time it was worse than normal, and I was hoping to get a new prescription for the ointment Dr. Ayalew had previously prescribed (the tube had expired by then). I tried explaining all of this to Dr. Mehta, i.e. same symptoms, prescription worked great last time, pretty sure it's the same problem, yet also want to make sure it isn't something else/worse. I really felt like Dr. Mehta was annoyed by everything I said. Obviously, I'm not an eye doctor, and I wasn't trying to tell her how to do her job, I was just trying to be helpful (or so I thought). She flat-out refused to write a prescription for the ointment I had previously used (I seriously felt like I was some kind of eye ointment junkie trying to weasel a fix out of her...I mean, come on now!), even though she essentially concurred with my suspicions about the cause of the irritation. Instead, she gave me a prescription for eye drops, explaining that she "likes to take things slowly," and that if the eye drops didn't work (even though I was only supposed to use them if the over-the-counter eye drops she gave me to try first didn't work), THEN I could get a prescription for the ointment. Which would likely have entailed another office visit, having to take more time off from work, and generally being a bigger pain in the a** than necessary. On top of all that, when I tried to ask a few questions about the prescription eye drops, how/when to use them, etc., again she seemed visibly annoyed. I'm not sure if she's a new doctor or maybe just new to the practice (she looked fairly young, and I'd never seen her there before), but she could really stand to work on her patient-doctor bedside manner. However, aside from that one not-so-positive experience, I've been pretty happy with the quality of service and treatment here. Unlike my experience with Dr. Mehta, Dr. Ayalew has always been very receptive and encouraging of questions, and she always takes the time to address any concerns. For example, at my last eye exam, she suggested a new type of contact that had recently come out (I think it was supposed to be more breathable for the eye). It sounded like a good idea, but it turned out that the lenses really irritated my eyes. There was no problem when I explained the situation to her and asked if I could switch back to my old brand. The staff is very friendly and helpful, and I'm usually able to get an appointment at a convenient enough time for me and without having to wait weeks and weeks for it. Wynona is especially super friendly, and she is very knowledgeable about the intricacies of insurance plans. She was also wonderful when I was getting contacts for the first time, a few years back. It took me forever to get comfortable with putting them in and taking them out, and she was extremely patient and encouraging the entire time. A great help! read more

AWESOME STAFF AND IS ALWAYS PROMPT. I absolutely love Dr. Ayalew and Dr. Ahmed. The manager and the remaining staff are always professional.

Scheduled 3 appointments for a follow up contact exam and she was 45 minutes late for the 1st, 30 minutes late for the 2nd, and 30 minutes late for the 3rd. Did not seem concerned or apologetic that she had clients waiting. Tried many times to give her the benefit of the doubt; but when she can't even apologize or acknowledge the inconveniences she has caused, I refuse to come back. On the other hand, the front desk staff are very helpful and considerate. They always were concerned and understanding, but at the end of the day there was not much they could do about her tardiness. If you are going to come make sure you don't have any pressing plans or appointments afterwards... You will have to cancel them or be late as I had to. read more

I've been going to Metropolitan Optical for at least ten years. I have recommended several friends to Dr. Ayalew, all of whom have been very happy. Dr. Ayalew is friendly, knowledgeable, and will take the time to answer any and all questions. I have always found her staff to be as polite and helpful as can be, and they really take their time with you to make certain that you are happy with your frames (if that's what you need). read more

Had an amazing experience here! I had a prescription already and just needed some new frames and lenses, and WOW what a selection! It can be overwhelming, but never fear, Anthony and Rodney are here! These guys LOOK amazing, and I trusted them whole heartedly to find me the perfect, fashionable frames and they didn't dissapoint. I look as fabulous as they did (if at all possible!) the entire experience was seamless, and I got my frames quickly and they are perfect. Thank you to the entire team! read more

I've had nothing but good experiences at Metropolitan Optical. The office staff is so friendly and personable (Winona--I believe it is--at the front desk, is so sweet and very helpful.) Dr. Ayalew is great. She's very smart, really easy to talk to, and has a great sense of humor. She seems to genuinely enjoy talking with her patients. (My co-workers have even remarked how much they love her!) I've only ordered contacts there, but plan to look at their glasses soon. Finally, I was given my lens prescription without even having to ask. (Other places, I think, keep the prescription so that you're more likely to order your lenses or glasses from them.) read more

Thanks fellow Yelpers, what a terrific reference! Dr. Ayalew and her staff are all really awesome. Dr. Ayalew really cares about her patients. She made sure to comprehensively analyze my eye healthcare, addressed even the tiniest of issues, and suggested a whole range of improvements. I really like the fact she doesn't only suggest one or two brands of eye drops or solutions, but offers a whole variety to ensure the best match. On top of the great care, I was in and out of my appointment without a wait AND they saved me money! I went in totally prepared to buy new frames, new lenses, new contacts, new everything - which seems par for the course with new optometrists. But Dr. Ayalew said my current prescriptions and frames were fine (a nose cushion had fallen out but they replaced it!), so I only had to refill my contact prescriptions. Really terrific experience. read more

I went to see Dr. Ayalew for the first time a month ago for a nagging eye issue. I had no trouble getting an appt. within a week or so. The location is convenient to Farragut West and Foggy Bottom. The office is modern and clean and the staff is friendly. Dr. Ayalew is a gem. She is prompt, nice, and extremely knowledgeable. She gave me an Rx for eye drops, a new prescription for glasses, and a supply of disposable lenses. She corrected my prescription from -3.50 to -2.50 (thanks, My. Eye Dr.) Since I had a new prescription, I decided to treat myself to a new pair of glasses. Russell, who is from Australia, was very patient and helpful. They have a nice selection of cool & hip frames. I found a one-of-a-kind, fashion-forward frame that I get compliments on all of the time. Two days later my glasses were ready, and Russell took great care to make sure they were adjusted perfectly. After following Dr. Ayalew's treatment plan, the swelling of my corneas was gone and I was seeing the best I have in years. She gave me one more week supply of trial lenses to make sure the new Rx stuck and I set me up for another check up in two weeks. These check ups were all complimentary, by the way. In the meantime I had gotten an email invitation to come in to the store to try out their new state-of-art imaging machine. The results will blow your mind. I really trust Dr. Ayalew and she knows her stuff. I feel lucky to have found such an extraordinary doctor. Love her! read more

I will start out by admitting I am new to wearing glasses and they were my first. About 2 years ago I went in for an eye exam and had some money to spend. I wound up getting 2 pairs that cost around $1400. They were very nice in getting me started. Then a couple of months ago I went in to get another exam and a new prescription and had to sign a waiver to install the new lenses in the frame that I had purchased there so that if they broke the frame, they would not be responsible..... Hmm, sounds ticky tacky but then on my 3rd trip today to replace a lost pair, after selecting the new frame and paying for replacement frames and lenses, they did not check for VSP insurance. After I asked them if they did, they said no and had to void my sale and do it all over again this time saving another $100. I don't have anything else to compare this to but I didn't leave Metropolitan Optical with a warm and fuzzy. To add to this, just received a call and they said they ordered the wrong lenses and would have to wait another day and that he could give me temporary lenses to which might create a prism affect and bother my eyes Called the next day which is today and asked if they were ready, took my name and said and put me on hold for exactly 5.20 minutes when another person picks up and asks how may I help you. I gave my name again and they said, oh the correct lenses are here and they will be ready in an hour 30......We shall see They werent ready when they said and had to make yet another trip. I am now pissed and he tried to do some additional extra selling at the end. A very crappy customer experience! Most likely because of Yelp I am raising my experience because I received a nice call from Rodney who is the store manager and he was very polite and nice. He must have read my post and was very apologetic and I really liked his demeanor on the phone and I wish I had dealt with him all along... Scratched my glasses on my headsets at work and needed my lense replaced. Went back to ask for some assistance. Rodney was very helpful as well as another tech and my new lenses were replaced in a day. read more

Phenomenal experience here! Came here for an eye exam and new glasses. Dr. Ayalew is phenomenal. Super-smart and thorough. She really cares about your visual health. She also spent quite a bit of time making sure she got my difficult prescription just right. The optician picked out a great set of frames I would have never chosen for myself, but they look great on me and I LOVE them! My glasses are extremely well-made, stylish, and were ready in a week. Just incredible customer service from start to finish. The staff is incredibly friendly, thorough, and they know their stuff. I'm extremely pleased and will no longer go anywhere else! read more

Joining so many below in expressing gratitude and appreciation of the professionalism and quality care of Metropolitan Optical. Dr. Ayalew has skillfully tended some tricky eye allergies at points, as well as provided solid, basic care over the years. Rodney, and his colleagues on the staff, recently demonstrated significant patience, and integrity, in getting the frames exactly right on my reading glasses. Ongoing kudos and respects ~ read more

Doctors do not get any better than the AMAZING Dr. Ayalew. She has the patience of a saint and has done such a fantastic job finding just the right prescription for my incredibly sensitive, severely migraine-prone eyes. Not many doctors would keep testing my eyes weekly, adjusting, and giving me free lenses to get the best fit possible. After a less than perfect experience at My Eye Doctor last year, I am so thankful to have found someone phenomenally competent and devoted to what she does. By all means, if you want a doctor who cares and excels in her profession, please see Dr. Ayalew. read more

I never write online reviews. However, I felt the need to express my gratitude to the wonderful staff and Dr. Ayalew at Metropolitan Optical. Drew helped me with a very complicated prescription. He was kind, patient, and worked hard to get my lenses just right. He was knowledgeable beyond belief. Drew was also personable, funny, and determined. Other people helped as well, and they were equally amazing. However, I worked the most with Drew because of the complications of my prescription - again, Drew is fantastic. Dr. Ayalew was equally wonderful. She explained the complications with my eyes in terms that were relatable. Additionally, she worked with me to get the prescription just right. I the 20 some years I've been wearing glasses, I've never seen so good. I can't recommend this place enough. I will only be going here for my future eyewear needs. read more

You don't go to the optometrist thinking you'll particularly enjoy the experience, but that's what happened to me. Dr. Ayalew was just what you'd hope for in a doctor--exceedingly competent, friendly, and enthusiastic about her profession and patients. My bar was quite high going in: My most recent optometrist was a family friend who'd been seeing my parents, siblings and I for years; on top of that, my sister is in optometry school and has made us all rather discerning when looking for optometric care. Dr. Ayalew passed the test with flying colors. Good to know I've found my optometrist in DC. Note: The only reason this isn't a perfect 5 rating is because the staff member I worked with checking in and selecting glasses, while very friendly, wasn't entirely on the ball. I think she may have been in training--if so, I'm sure once she's up to speed it will be a 5-star experience all around. read more

Dr. Ayalew knows her stuff. I had gone to her for years but then needed to see an ophthamologist about a problem in my right eye. The ophthamologist also wrote me a prescription for new glasses and on a whim I took it into a flashy, high-end optical shop. Finally got the new glasses and felt that I wasn't seeing as well as I should. Took the new glasses back and they checked the prescription w the ophthamologist, adjusted it a bit - new glasses still didn't seem right. So I went to Dr Ayalew and she examined my eyes, examined the lenses and was able to determine that the new lenses weren't digitally ground and told me what to ask for at the optical shop. An amazing courtesy, not to mention a display of technical knowledge about lenses. Now I don't bother going anywhere else. I have Dr Ayalew examine my eyes and get any new eyeglass prescriptions filled there as well. If they don't have the frames I want, they'll order them. Some shops do a cursory eye exam but their focus is on selling glasses or lenses. At Metropolitan Dr Ayalew does a careful, thorough exam with the latest equipment, always up-to-date knowledge, and knows what lenses will best correct. They're also very good about repairing bent eyeglass frames and other minor issues - you can just stop in. read more

Since I work nearby, I actually only came here on a lunch break to see if they would be able to help me fix my Warby Parker glasses that had just arrived (yeah, I'm one of those hipsters...) Amazingly enough, the whole staff was kind enough to take a look at my glasses, answer my questions, and even spend time adjusting the stems and making sure they fit my head perfectly. And they did it for free! Big thank you to the staff - will definitely be coming back if I need anything in the future. read more

Must go. Forget My Eye Dr and any other place. Super friendly staff, super convenient office hours, great location (ridiculously close to Metro). Definitely blows any other place right out of the water. Did I mention MUST GO? read more

I have been going to Metropolitan Optical for over 20 years, It used to be very easy because I was near their office on a regular basis. I like Metropolitan Optical so much that I go far out of my way to have my eyes examined and buy new glasses. I would not go anywhere else Everyone is great and there is no waiting. The entire staff is wonderful read more