The best eye doctor in Washington. Dr. Ayalew helped me with glasses and contacts the last few years until I finally qualified for Lasik and has been so helpful with that process as well! The team at MO is so friendly and always willing to help! read more

I've been going to Metropolitan for several years now, and absolutely love the doctor there. The staff is very kind and accommodating, but for the second time in a row, they have gotten my address wrong for a direct delivery of my contact lenses. This time I was careful to slowly spell out everything in my address to the young man who took my order (I was having them delivered to my office address, which included the firm name), only to find out that apparently the package was addressed without the firm name, and with a non-existent suite number (so I have no idea WHERE it was delivered) and I have no way to track it down, since the elevators are key coded and I can't visit other companies/floors. I can forgive this happening once, but for it to happen twice in a row is unacceptable. It's wonderful that everybody is so pleasant at Metropolitan, but pleasant and COMPETENT would be even better. My rating is 3 stars, but it should really be a 2 1/2. read more

I went into this store today with a broken frame. I left with the frame still broken, AND ON TOP they had cracked my lenses! So in the end I had no glasses, no sunglasses. I had a broken frame in Singapore about 15 months ago, and literally the store I went to there took 10 minutes to locate a frame with similarly shaped lenses, pop the lenses in, and send me on my way. This time, I waited about an hour and left in a worse situation then when I started! I cannot believe how incredibly inept these people were. AVOID AT ANY COST. read more

Dr. Ayalew really enjoys her work: she has the best kind of geeky enthusiasm for talking about optics. But she's also great at explaining what she's doing and what she's learned about your vision in a completely accessible way. Add to that her ability to make the experience of having bright lights shined in your eyes feel safe and nonthreatening, and this was the best eye exam I've ever had. I know more about my eyes than I ever have and have more confidence that I'm wearing the right prescription than ever before. Completely recommended. read more

I can see better! * I went there on Day 1 * Got a pair of free test lenses ground and fitted on my old frames * Came back on Day 3 with feedback and had my eyes dilated and tested Prescription was altered and my new lens prescription was delivered in 3 days time. I am pleased with the diagnostic skills of Dr. Ayalew and the excellent customer service provided by the team. Spot on, in focus! read more

Dr Ayalew and her staff are top notch. I have tricky eyes and she nails my prescription every time - no matter how long it takes to find the best combination. She's my eye strain guru! Been a customer now about five years - and my experience is always consistent. read more

Dr. Ayalew is, as everybody says, very personable. I liked her. Trouble is, she wrote me an eye prescription that is a little off. Her prescription indicates an astigmatism in my right eye, which I do not have. And the lenses were a little too strong. This led to a bit of back and forth, but ultimately Rodney, the store manager, handled the situation well and refunded me my exam fee and contact lens cost. I appreciated that. I think my situation was unusual, though. This place strikes me as very popular and they have a great selection of glasses, so I suspect I just had some bad luck. And as I say, I appreciate how they handled the situation. So my guess is, that if you go there, you will have a four or five star experience like most reviewers. (And sure, they charge for a contact lens fitting, but in my experience, everybody does.) read more

I saw Dr. Ayalew this week for my eye appt. This was my first time seeing an eye dr. in DC so I was a bit worried and relied on yelp reviews to pick my provider. The office is only 2 blocks from my office, and I was in and out in less than an hour, so it's quite easy to use your lunch break. Dr. Ayalew was very friendly and easy to talk to, and was great at explaining my vision needs. I haven't had a chance to go back yet to look at new glasses, but they did give me my prescription without me even asking. It's nice to have the option to look around if I wanted to. Even though eye drs. are required by law to give you a prescription afterwards, a lot of places will hold on to it in an effort to make you buy through them. Choose Dr. Ayalew and Metropolitan optical! read more

I bought glasses, awesome ones, from Metropolitan Optical. I knew Rodney worked there and he has Style Karma! I worked with him before he joined Metropolitan Optical, and as one reviewer said, the Dude has Style -- in Capital Letters! Rodney is my go to person for eye wear. He finds things I would never have considered, but they end up being new favorites. Did I mention the selection in Metropolitan Optical for eye wear is amazing? Good Quality, and great that they honor VSP. read more

This folks are great. A few months ago one of my eye rests (pillows?) fell off an old pair of glasses so I could not use them. I spoke with an associate who kindly agreed to replace both rests for free, even though I had not purchased the pair through the store. Another associate checked in on me while I waited. I am impressed by their service and would recommend them to anyone. read more

The customer service here was great. Cordell in particular did a great job of with fixing my frames. Service was quick and professional. Highly recommend. read more

Whereas the OD was fantastic, the service I received to get actual glasses done was terrible. In fact, the worst one ever. First they (specifically Joe, an older gentleman that's very talkative) overcharged me about $150 b/c instead of using my insurance's lab they used their own. Even when I repeatedly complained that it seemed too much, they failed to tell me I could use the insurance lab instead of theirs. When all this came to light, Joe said he had done so because he didn't trust or like the insurance's lab (Davis Vision). Then, when I tried to have them fill another frame with the new prescription, my frames were lost. They blamed the insurance lab. By now, I gave them the original frame to have it re-filled about a week ago but my insurance lab has not gotten it yet. In sum, it's been 40 days since I started the process and have not gotten my glasses done yet. Just say no to them. The Dr. is great., but that's it. I recommend that as soon as you get your eye exam done, you run away as fast as you can. read more

Two pairs of glasses need new lenses. One week later and 4 trips I have both my old glasses and lenses back. The first pair I was called to pick up and then when I got there I was told the lenses came in incorrect. I left my other pair and when I returned later that day I tried them on. Well, they messed up with prescription and I could not see a thing. Anyways, got a refund for the glasses and still have the exact same ones that I started out with. I would suggest trying another place!! read more

boo. after raving about metropolitan optical and recommending them to my friends, i did have a sketchy occurrence: i had gotten an eye exam in april and wanted to order contacts with the prescription on file. the receptionist tried to tack on a $90 "contact lens fitting" to my refill even though i have NEVER received a fitting/tried on any contacts with dr. ayalew (i was refilling with an old brand i used to use and was familiar with). it took some arguing for them to finally take the $90 fitting fee off, but the experience left a bad taste in my mouth. read more

Although the appointment was lengthy in time, the staff was very efficient and the doctor was great! They taught me how to put on my contact lenses, fixed my prescription and took care of me very well! Everyone was very friendly and kind!!! Definitely recommend this optical. read more

Staff here was extremely courteous. The doctor seemed very interested in giving me relevant information and making sure I got the best contact lenses. Her interest appeared genuine. I don't remember the name of the doctor but she was a darkish-skinned female. I do think there might be pressure for you to buy your contact lenses from them (rather than an online discounter), but I guess that's how they manage to make a good deal of their profit. read more

Dr. Ayalew is wonderful. She really listens to your concerns and preferences. She also keeps up with the latest technologies and trends but with a clear eye toward whether the new products will really help her patients or not. Love the service, love that they do not push products or services. There is a clear focus on patient health. read more

Cordell is the best! He showed me how to put contacts on and it only took about two minutes!

In 11 years of care and service, Dr. Ayalew and her staff have always been extremely professional. I've been wearing glasses since age 6 and contacts since 1974 so I have a long history with opticians, optometrists and their employees. Metropolitan Optical is the best! read more

Dr. Ayalew is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about her patient care. She conducts an excellent eye exam, explains everything clearly, and answers all of my questions. The office staff is the friendliest and most helpful staff of any doctor's office I have ever visited. Ask for Joe if you need frames. Every frame in the store is stylish -- he will make sure you get the pair that best suits your features. read more

The doctors there are amazing. Everyone is super nice and patient. The receptionist is lovely. Nothing negative to say at all. My eye exam was quick and effective. After my follow-up, I wanted to buy my lenses somewhere else so I emailed an employee to email me back my prescription. I emailed him around 10pm, and he responded right away despite it being way after closing hours. The next morning I had my prescription emailed to me. read more

Two sets of sunglasses needed small repairs. They immediately repaired them and did not even charge! Super friendly staff as well. Highly recommended read more

Excellent, friendly, skilled service. Dr. Ayalew is fabulous -- knowledgeable, personable, clear and patient.

I have been going there for many years. I had an appointment with Dr Ayalew recently and the experience was excellent as always. The exam was thorough and on time. The staff was very knowledgeable and helpful. read more

I first starting seeing Dr. Ayalew in 2008 when I had LASIK surgery. Dr. Ayalew was in charge of all my post-operative care. My surgery did not go very welcome, and I felt very fortunate to have Dr. Ayalew to get me through the first year. She went above and beyond the normal scope of care and paid careful attention to my full recovery process. I continue to see her annually to check my vision and eye health, and I continue to be pleased. I also like how Metropolitan Optical uses digital appointment reminders and other online services. read more

Dr. A is amazing. She was so thoughtful and smart and explained more to me than any other doctor ever has. She herself gets 5 stars. Everything else about my experience was so bad they get 1 Star. First the woman there was so unhelpful when I wanted to pick out glasses. I almost didn't buy any because she had no interest in helping. Then another guy came and seemed more informative and seemed to really help me so we picked out some. (The week prior another lady there helped me pick out some and was supposed to save them for me for the following week but she didn't so I had to start over). Anyway, I was clear that I've had trouble buying glasses before because my eyes are so bad and that I wanted glasses that would work with my high prescription. I asked a bunch of questions because what the guy was telling me about which frames to pick was opposite of what everyone else has told me in the past. He convinced me to buy large bulky cute frames and promised they would look good with my high prescription. I shelled out the almost $500 for them. After they came I hated them right away and they kept adjusting and trying to make them better but I had to go back at least 5 times. In the end, I hate the glasses, they wouldn't return them, and I never wear them because they are heavy, look horrible, and most importantly, I can't see as well out of them as I can my old glasses. I would recommend going here only to see the doctor, but not for anything else. I am still frustrated every time I see the glasses and remember how much money I lost. read more

I've been going to Metropolitan Optical for 15 years and the place is just the best. Dr. Ayalew is very good, very smart, and one of the best. She explains everything clearly and provides real insight into what is going on with my vision. The staff is just super. One time I broke my reading glass frames just before leaving on a trip. The lenses were small to begin with, but the staff worked hard to find a replacement on site and then reshaped the lenses to fit. They did all this work the same day. Real life savers. The eyewear selection is large and prices are good. Never have any problem finding what I like. read more

I have been seeing Dr. Ayalew for years and feel extremely confident that she is first-rate. Also, the whole office runs well and the staff very friendly and helpful. I am not as thrilled with the frame selection available, but sometimes have bought frames elsewhere and then had them made through Metropolitan Optical which works out ok. Location of the office also very convenient if you work or tend to visit the downtown. Also accept a variety of insurances, which reduces the hassle factor. Highly recommended. read more

I've recently started going here because they both take my insurance and are open outside of business hours. I've had a really positive experience - very nice and helpful staff, a decent selection of frames, and completely competent. I'd definitely recommend them. read more

so awesome. the doctors to the assistants!! I actually have fun getting my eyes checked

I have been going to Metropolitan Optical for over 20 years for all my glasses, contact lense and eye exam needs. I just went in this afternoon to have 2 broken pairs of glasses fixed. I wanted to drop them off and explain the issues, and then call in on Monday and elaborate on the issues since I had to get back to work and then try to get home by a certain time. Instead, there was just one person working there (a little, dark skinned man), and he didn't even acknowledge me when I walked in. I was left standing and waiting for over half an hour as some odd computer guy who happened to be there tried to make conversation with me, which made me feel very uncomfortable as his questions and way of conversing were quite strange. The dark skinned man was in the back room laughing and carrying in with the customer, and I was feeling more and more uncomfortable as time went on. I felt that the fellow could at least have acknowledged my presence and perhaps warned me that the customer he was with might be there a while, thus give me the opportunity to come back another time instead of standing there waiting. Finally I asked how long it might be till he could attend to me. I explained the problems with my glasses and I suggested leaving them since I could see he wasn't quite finished with the other customer. But I could tell that this guy was an argumentative type and had an attitude. He was not polite to me and a real smart alec and just nitpicked my explanations. Finally he took one of my glasses and said he would put the missing screw in, all the while standing and arguing with me about my choice of words in explaining what was wrong with the other pair of glasses, instead of actually DOING anything with the ones he was holding. After a while, I said, please don't stand there arguing with me, either fix my glasses, or give them back to me. It ended up with me totally losing my cool, which never happens, and after being a customer there for so long and being treated so poorly, the whole episode really unnerved me. Finally, the guy rudely thrust my glasses back at me and refused to fix them. To make matters worse, some woman who came in AFTER me, decided to join in the fracas, having no idea what it was about and how long I had stood waiting unacknowledged and how unprofessionally this man had treated me. It ended up being an awful situation, with me basically fleeing the store. So the lesson learned is that there are other opticians in town. Just because I have been going there for years and years, doesn't mean I should keep going and be abused. I can go somewhere else where the personnel treat the customers in a courteous and professional manner. I am warning others to AVOID dealing with this small dark skinned man and perhaps avoid Metropolitan Optical all together. read more