I had my initial visit and exam with Shelby Rogers, OD at the Lincoln Park location on 2/16/2026 and can safely say that it was the most complete and attentive eye exam of my adult life especially given the lackluster experiences I've had in Chicago over the past 25 years. Dr. Rogers gave me a complete exam as well as a comprehensive dilated eye exam which I have never received in Chicago up to this date. She asked a lot of questions and answered any of my own. The experience of having my frames fitted with lenses was easy and efficient and my glasses were ready to pick up within a week. My insurance covered everything 100% and I look forward to returning to have transition lenses made at this location. I honestly wish I had sought them out years ago. read more

Great place people and staff are great just need an better selection Medicaid glasses

Poor communication, billing errors, and no accountability-Avoid this location!! * Painful experience removing monthly contacts. * Billed to medical instead of eye insurance, - hours wasted fixing. * Staff denied mistakes and offered no apology "I don't usually leave 1- star reviews, but this experience was distressing enough that I want to warn others." On September 3, 2025, I came in for my annual exam and contact lens fitting. No one told me to bring my own contacts, so the doctor gave me monthly lenses to try- even after I said I only wear weekly. The monthly were much thicker, and painful to remove. I spent hours in distress trying to get them out. No warning, no guidance, no apology. On September 23, 2025, I discovered they billed my medical insurance instead of my vision insurance (something that has never happed in 20 years of annual eye exams elsewhere). After hours on the phone, both insurance companies had to call the office to sort it out. When I returned that day, staff didn't understand the difference between medical and eye insurance, insisted I owed an extra $30, denied making any mistakes. Again, no apology from staff or doctor. Overall, I left frustrated, disappointed, and will definitely not be returning to this practice. read more

So I have been going to this place for years. I was ten minutes late. They would not take me.

I used to love my eye doctor, Dr. Banser, who owned this practice. He retired and sold his office to private equity firm-owned MyEyeDr. I ordered my gas permeable lenses here last october--the grand total for BOTH lenses was $296.00. I recently lost one of my lenses and am told the new lens will be $330 for just one lens. They tell me the left eye is more expensive than the right eye ($178). All news to me as they have previously been the same price. They tell me that they have been pricing them wrong (apparently for the the last 20 years or so!). So, taking into account the new pricing--my lenses have gone up more than $200 for the pair (up 67%). (in fairness, they did adjust the price of the lens since it was "news" to me. The front office people were not particularly reassuring that they were competent--they certainly were incapable of explaining. So after I get my replacement lens, I seeking a new eye dr where I don't feel like I am getting jerked around. Private equity is all about making $ and care is secondary. BTW--interesting to note that the respondent to YELP reviews is not an individual who is accountable, but "patient relations". read more

This is a perfect example of how private equity is RUINING our healthcare. Don't expect above and beyond customer support any longer at this practice level--especially since Dr. Banser retired and sold his practice to PE. I will never step foot in a my eye doctor again. PE get out of our healthcare and quit hiring doctors who are more concerned about the bottom line than their patients!!!! read more

New to Chicago and ended up walking by this location since it's around the corner from my doctors office and now I'm full of regret for stopping here after receiving such a low level of incompetent service. My time and money was completely wasted after the rep told me that my eyeglasses would be returned in 1 week. It's now been 2 weeks and had I not called the first time when they were due, nobody would've ever reached out to provide an update. And even though I requested a refund for the purchase of lenses after buying frames at another retailer (because this location had the exact same frames but priced $400 more) the experience was complete trash and I wouldn't recommend anyone to do business here if their employees are going to waste tax paying working class peoples time. Effective communication is completely free of charge and not hard to give. I understand mistakes happen but had the rep just been up front about the time of return regarding the eyeglasses (especially since I explained that I was going on vacation out of the country for over a month) I wouldn't have to write this scathing review about how terrible my experience was with them. I took my prescription over to Pearl EyeVision and I'll have my glasses in 24 HOURS!!! TWENTY FOUR HOURS‼‼‼‼‼‼‼‼‼‼‼‼ Unsure how others value their time but I don't like to waste mine because it's the one thing you can never get back once it's gone. read more

TLDR: The doctors here are great but the staff (Valentina, Susie and Ezra) is incompetent and only focused on sales. They regularly mess up orders and prescriptions. They argue with and gaslight their patients. Take your prescription and then order your contacts or glasses elsewhere. Avoid this staff like the plague. I have been seeing Dr. Merry Gindorf for a few years now and she is such an amazing empathetic human. She has helped me slow down the worsening of my vision with multiple prescriptions. I trust her entirely to have my best interests. This office and staff is completely incompetent, rude and argumentative. Valentina ordered my contacts. She never offered me trials which are standard when you have a prescription change. When I picked up the contacts, another employee failed to check the prescription and didn't inform me that only half of my order had arrived . I called the store to inquire about the rest of my order and was told by Valentina that she had ordered a prescription that was a year old. She failed to realize this as she was only reading the numbers on the order and never checked my file. She failed to comprehend my prescriptions and offered to order me trials of a contact lens of which was my glasses Rx for this year. I told her that neither Rx was correct and that I needed to speak to the doctor. She then argued with me and kept me on the phone, ultimately hanging up on me when I didn't know whether she should cancel the order or not. (As I stated, only the doctor knows my correct prescription.) I saw my doctor the following day and she shared that the entire office staff is incompetent and she has been trying for years to improve their behavior but that they do not listen to her. The structure of MyEyeDr is such that the doctors are the bottom of the totem pole. You are expected to trust laymen to give you advice. When I asked for an apology from Valentina she was smirking and laughed in my face. The corporate social media team reached out and promised that this would behavior would be corrected and that I'd receive a call from the manager, Susie. That was apparently all for show. Susie never reached out, and when I called to get an update on the order she gaslighted me about her employee's behavior. She is completely unaware of what goes on when she isn't around. My experience with this office has been terrible and I will not be returning. I recommend seeing a private optometrist and avoiding MyEyeDr like the plague, particularly this location. They are only focused on sales and have no understanding of service or competence in this field. Read through the low rating reviews, multiple people have experienced order mistakes over the years. This was corroborated to me by my doctor herself. read more

The best. I don't even live in Lincoln Park anymore but I go out of my way to come back for annual eye exams. I've actually seen both Dr Gindorf and Dr Banser - and both are great. The first time I visited I actually had an eye emergency and they were able to squeeze me in right away. But for regular exams they are pretty busy, so plan ahead! From the reception to the pretest to the full exam, everyone is very friendly and makes you feel comfortable. So glad to have found this place! read more

New to Chicago, I was recommended to this lovely shop by my Medicare person. Yes, employees were ever so polite, doctors as well, yet over one month of back and forth visits, I am still without any glasses. First eye exam was incorrect. One entire week until I was scheduled for a recheck by a different doctor. Another two weeks turn around even after requesting things to be expedited... " We are at the mercy of UPS!" Over one week from Florida?!? So how about Fed Exing overnight for incorrect orders? Now Texted twice by bot and a phone message by yet another asst who had no idea about the situation, I returned a third time only to find two unusable pairs of glasses. Incorrect exam?, incorrect lab? I have no idea. That's not my job. Back my glasses go to lab in Florida Also, aside from manager, I never saw the same assistant twice! Each time I was met with a new 'polite' asst , given a blank stare and had to retell my store. Way too many employees with stock palliative customer service phrases. "I'm sorry, I understand ... sbla, bla bla ...." They had zero idea of who I was or what my situation was. It's so 'corporate'! I find it infuriating! No sense of urgency, never expediting anything "we are at the mercy of UPS". Never heard of overnight service from Fed Ex? Not for every order but at least for 2 mistakes!? And I also suggest less polite customer service stock responses and more sense of urgency and sincerity to address the customer issues. I'm not purchasing an article of clothing but medically needed eyewear. I requested a full refund and now 5 -6 weeks later, I'm back to square one. Wearing old rxs , painful eyes and a new search for a competent shop. This phenomenon of being turned into a large corporate automated machines may be lucrative for the corporation but is the detriment of the consumer. Sorry but only 2 stars and 'cannot recommend'. read more

My glasses were supposed to be ready in 2 weeks! I called to check on my glasses and it turned out my frames were lost! Then another few days until frames 'were found'! Then a week to get them finally done, this is a month after order was placed ! I called again and it's another week and blaming insurance and UPS and everyone else instead of offering a solution! Worst experience ever!! read more

Friendly staff..great service. Dr. Banser is so nice and very thorough. We went through so many different trial contacts until we got it just right. Tracy never made me feel like a pest - even when I was so frustrated with the process that I wanted to give up. Great experience three years running! read more

The staff here are amazing. Everyone is incredibly friendly, helpful, and transparent about your vision benefits and cost. The building is accessible to people with disabilities and the staff go above and beyond to accommodate the needs of everyone they see. I was very impressed by their customer service. read more

Update: I thought they messed up my most recent invoice but they didn't. The best part is they took the time to explain everything and were incredibly nice about it. Once again, these guys are amazing! Thanks Nancy and Ruben! Everything here is amazing: the doctors, staff, products, prices and most of all experience. I truly enjoy my visits here and appreciate the warm and helpful staff. Thanks for everything! This is an amazing establishment, rare to find such genuine ppl. read more

This office is wonderful! I've gone here the past couple of years for my eye exams and consistently had a great experience. The staff here is friendly and Dr. Banser is one of those people who is genuinely really, really nice. You can tell he enjoys his job and cares about his patients. He is on time and quick with exams. He's also very understanding. I wear daily contacts and the last time I saw him I only had 2 pairs left. He gave me 10 pairs for free to tide me over until my contact order came in! My boyfriend came here for his first eye exam in many, many years and had a great experience as well. It's a great office! read more

I went to this location earlier this week and had an incredible experience! The whole process was so quick and easy! Ryan was wonderful to work with, he was so patient and really took his time to help work with my insurance to ensure I got the best deal for my glasses! I highly recommend this location!! The staff is so friendly and knowledgeable, and the location itself has a lot of choices to pick from! read more

I was in dire need of new glasses. The staff were all incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. Was in and out the door with a new prescription and new glasses ordered in about an hour. read more

Terrific place for an eye examine. Dr. Banser is friendly, thorough, and kind. Have been going to him for years and have been always been happy with him and his entire staff. They also are understanding when I ask for a prescription to get my contacts and glasses at Costco. Nothing personal just cannot beat Costco's prices on glasses and contacts. read more

I had to get my annual eye exam. Service was great,fast and very friendly. It was easy to schedule an appointment. I will a few minutes early and didn't have to wait until my appointment. Dr. Banser is very friendly,explains the tests and results. I definitely recommend this place! read more

Dr. Banser is the absolute best. He is everything and more that you could want in a professional and friendly optometrist! I have been a patient of his for about two years and he always makes sure everything I want to address is addressed in my visit! He is very personable and the staff is amazing as well. read more

Horrible experience at this place. Got there with my daughter and was told the doctor was running 30 minutes late. Why couldn't you have called to tell me that? Came back 30 min later and then after waiting another 20 min we left and will never come back again. I had my three young kids with me during a pandemic - couldn't they have been a little more customer centric? They didn't look at me or apologize. It's too bad because Dr. Banser is a really lovely doctor who we think the world of. He needs to get his staff and customer service in order though. read more

I recently moved to Chicago and needed to find a reputable optometrist. Dr. Banser more than exceeded my expectations! He is very knowledgeable, accommodating, and truly cares for his patients. I am lucky to have found him, and will continue to go to him for my annual check-ups. read more

The staff was very friendly and Dr Banser took the time to explain results and answer my questions. I arrived 10 minutes before my appointment because I knew that I'd have to fill out paperwork. As soon as I was done, they ushered me in the back to start the exam. Dr Banser was ready as soon as the initial tests were complete and he took me into a different room and did a very thorough exam. He showed me the picture of my eyes and explained what he was looking at and answered questions that I had about the anatomy of my eyes (I'm an inquisitive person). The entire time he was patient and explained technical things in a way that I could understand. Once Dr Banser was finished, it was time to look for a new pair of glasses. I usually wear contacts, so I admit that I haven't tried on glasses for many years The staff was friendly and made suggestions and recommendations which was really helpful. I can't recommend Dr Banser and Lincoln Park Eyes highly enough. read more

Lincoln Park Eyes is great! I have been going to them for years, and have worked with both doctor Banser and doctor Gindorf. They are both the smartest and nicest optometrists around. The rest of the staff is great, too. They are very accommodating when working with you regarding contacts or glasses. Everyone there is very nice and professional, 10/10 recommend. read more

I've been seeing Dr. Gindorf for years. She's always been attentive, caring and provides great advice . She's great and would recommend her to anyone. read more

was seen by F Banser. He was the most professional, informative, and TOROUGH. He only suggested the lenses, that are good for me, instead of suggesting expensive lenses and other add on's, that other establishments lure you in without any need. MOST recommended read more

I went to the Eye Doctor for the first time this past weekend. They promptly saw me and Dr. Banser was great. He is so friendly, caring, and was attentive to detail. The office was clean and all the staff was very friendly. I would say my only downside is that there is not free parking, but because of how good the service is here, I don't think it matters much. I would definitely recommend this place and I will definitely be back. read more

Can't say enough awesome about Doctor Banzer! He's always so happy and helpful. And the staff are always great at reminding me if I'm up for a discounted pair of glasses or sunglasses. The parking feels complicated the first time you go, but it's super easy. Just pull into that little valet spot at the corner and the staff validates. I'm always excited for my eye appointments since I found Doctor Banzer. Just a really comfortable place to go. :) read more

Dr. Banser is the best optomotrist I've ever been to. He was extremely knowledgeable , and answered each of my many questions patiently and thoroughly. Very glad to have discovered him as a newcomer to Chicago . Highly recommend! read more

Had a great experience. Barely had to wait to be seen. Dr. Banser extremely kind & knowledgeable. Would recommend! read more

My experience here was terrible. The guy in the front was so rude. He treated me like I don't belong there because this place is too prestige for someone like me. He suggested I should go some where like lens crafter. I guess he thought the Gucci, Chanel and Burberry that they DON'T carry is too expensive for someone like me. Super racist! I would never ever recommend this place! Especially if they are not white! read more

I've probably purchased four pairs of glasses from Lincoln Park Eyes mostly because it's location is convenient for me. They have higher-end brands like Tom Ford, Tumi, and Oliver People's right in my neighborhood, which keeps me coming back. The buying experience however, this is their weak point. The staff, for some strange reason, is on top of you with judgement stares which makes an already stressful situation of picking out glasses invariably more unpleasant. Once you buy glasses it's been my experience that the follow up is unreliable, and their hours for for pick up are inconvenient. I imagine I will continue to use LPE's for my annual eyeglass purchase, but if you don't live in LP, I'd say look elsewhere because the staff at this place is bizarre. read more

It's bizarre to find a doctor and staff that actually care. Dr.Banser was super friendly and throughly examined every aspect of my eye health and took the time to find the absolute best prescription. Staff was awesome and helped me pick out the best frame. Great experience- go here! read more

I had Dr. Gindorf as my optometrist and she was so helpful and explained everything that was going on with my eyes. I can even e-mail her and she sends thoughtful responses. Everyone is so friendly. read more

Stopped in yesterday to check out the new store, and was very impressed. The store is beautiful, and the opticians were really friendly. I was also impressed that the doctor come out and introduced himself, too. As a veteran of the eye care industry, these things are very important to me. I did not receive an exam here, and did not make a purchase either, but thought that the general demeanor of the office deserved a good review. read more

I can't say enough positive things about my experience here. Dr. Banser is everything you could want in an optometrist-professional, knowledgeable, kind, and patient. Wonderful staff here as well. Highly recommend! read more

Great experience! Was looking for a place close to me in Lincoln Park to get an eye exam and I found Lincoln Park Eyes, called them and made an appt. for the same week! The opticians were extremely friendly and helpful, and Dr. Banser was very nice, professional and helpful with explaining everything to me during the eye exam. Now I can see clearly again! I highly recommend Lincoln Park Eyes! read more

My first visit at Lincoln Park Eyes exceeded my epectations. I was seen for my appointment promptly and my appointment was not rushed. Dr. Gindorf took the time to explain the issues I was having with my eyes, including the causes behind it and what would help alleviate it, which I very much appreciated. The entire staff was friendly and I will definitely be returning to Lincoln Park Eyes for my future eye exams. read more

I saw Dr. Banser earlier this week. He was great, answered my questions honestly and did not try to upsell me on anything (which unfortunately I can't say for most doctors anymore) Will definitively be going back for next years vision check. The woman who was working out front and who did the preliminary tests for me and verified my insurance/etc was incredibly kind and very helpful when's I was trying to pick out new glasses. Overall, great people and great place to get your eyes checked. Would strongly recommend if you're looking for a new eye doctor. read more

I really like the skill and confidence of Dr Banser and his staff. The office is friendly and welcoming, and I was given clear instructions and information from start to finish. There was no pushyness her, just good advice and attention to detail. Dr Banser took the time to really make sure I could comfortably see with the new recommended prescription. read more