Excellent care and service. They go out of their way to help. I am extremely grateful for the extra help and support. Highly recommend this group, especially Dr Wong! read more

New ownership and amazing service at Uptown! They have three locations, North Park, La Jolla and Del Mar. This is super helpful as one family member lives in La Jolla and they share our records and can ship items between locations. The staff are all super helpful and patient. Great experience and can't recommend them enough! read more

Had a great experience at Uptown Optometry! Was recommended this place by a friend when it was Dr. Larsen. Found out he's since retired but wanted to try it out anyways. I had a comprehensive and thorough eye exam with the latest technology and my appointment was actually enjoyable. Staff and Dr. Gordon Wong were friendly and knowledgeable...and it was nice perk to have his dog Chloe pop in during the appointment too. I was pleasantly surprised because usually no one likes going to the doctor of any kind. But the office has a relaxed, homey feel and I am happy with my stylish new frames. read more

Uptown Optometry - Optometrists Near Me - San Diego, California

I have nothing but great things to say about the team at Uptown Optometry! They helped me get into contact lenses after wearing exclusively glasses for my whole life, so that's been life changing. Their glasses frames selection is also great with some high end brands if you're into that! The vibes in here are also phenomenal with an 80s theme, records and music memorabilia throughout, and chill tunes playing. I'm so grateful to have found this office in my neighborhood! read more

I had been a patient of Dr. Larsen. My last visit I found out he retired and was going to be seen by another Dr. OH MY GOSH! It was fantastic. Dr. Daoud was able to see me and gave a comprehensive eye exam. She was so friendly and personable. Eye care has come a long way and is very cutting edge. I feel her manner and education is best suited for the University Heights area. Lot of young gen z's to take care of. I could not be happier and also want to thank Dr. Wong for his intervention to save this practice. Corporate eyecare is impersonal and low quality. I am so happy I am able to work with Dr.s that are based in San Diego. Dr. Daoud, sorry this has been long overdue but thank you so much for my care. Best, Brian Pinnick read more

Only reason this isn't a 1 star is the doctor is kind and seems proficient, if a bit slow and chatty, at his job. But this office - where to start?! It's run by 1 main woman who absolutely could not give 2 sh*ts about you or anyone else. She will never pick up the phone - always lets it go to vm where you hear the incredibly long message about it being slow and understaffed due to the covid crises. Then you leave a vm, and if you're lucky you'll hear back 3 or 4 days later. Hopefully you don't have any questions or need to make any changes to your appt - it's probably not going to happen. The final straw was when my contacts were incorrectly ordered - twice! I finally had to drive to the office to get them. Avoid this office! read more

The Optometrist was nice enough but took calls / texts from contractors during my eye exam - he also didn't dilate my eyes and said " I saw enough " when I asked him about it - The hours of operation are not at all convenient for those who work - they close at 4pm - not 5pm and VERY brief hours on Saturdays - and its not every Saturday - and needing to make an appt simply to go in and pick up glasses you have ordered and paid for is absurd. I most certainly will be seeking eyecare elsewhere in the future. read more

Hannah, the person that answered the phone, abruptly hung up on me towards the end of the conversation. The new optometrist, not Dr. Larsen, charges for lens replacements that are still covered by insurance. When I questioned the charge she seemed annoyed and said it was for shipping costs. I merely stated my surprise since I've never been charged anywhere before for shipping when replacing lens or frames that are still under warranty with insurance. Really nickel and diming here, now. Seems not worth it to come back if the staff act like client concerns to new policies aren't valid. And they don't seem like they'd care to be helpful. read more

The manager, Valerie is professional, helpful and knowledgeable. I've been coming here for years and always satisfied with the quality of lenses and frames. read more

I've been going to Dr. Larsen for many decades. Originally, I benefited from his annual exams which, once upon a time, were reasonably priced. But buyer beware: they have jacked up their prices 40% since my last visit. All in the name of "inflation." Last I checked, inflation was around 8%. I was appalled when they told me the price at check-out. They separate the eye exam and contact lens "fitting," (which I did not request nor receive this time but was billed for anyway), into two expensive line items. On top of it, Dr. Larsen was running 35 minutes late, so my appointment was cut short. It is sadly obvious to me that they have entered the price-gouging phase of this practice. I disputed this charge multiple times, to no avail. I won't be back. read more

Excellent customer service and very friendly. They have that small town feel but with the convenience of being in a big city.

I called today just to ask a question first before making an appointment for an eye exam. Lisa answered my call and quickly she said, she'll put me on hold so she can go to her computer, 15 minutes later i'm still on hold. I guess she has to take the bus to be able to reach her computer? I gave it another shot! She answered again and told me the same story but this time I said "don't worry about it, I'm no longer interested". I hang up! Lost a patient forever! too bad, Dr Larsen is a very good doctor. I'm nit sure what's happening in the front desk. read more

THEY ARE STILL OPEN!! Not sure who is reporting this place closed. I'm glad I called anyway. Just got my updated prescription glasses. I trust Uptown Optometry and have been going for years. Please update your website, this place is NOT closed. read more

I was sad to discover that my new vision plan, Spectera, is not accepted at Dr. Chesner's office, but at least Yelp came through for me on this one, because I'm really happy with Uptown Optometry. The office is in a very cool older building and some of the original quirks have been kept, mostly in the exam room. I arrived early, prepared for a deluge of new patient paperwork. Fortunately, that was not the case. I was helped promptly, and only waited a few minutes before Dr. Larsen saw me. I must have subconsciously remembered Michelle's review, because I asked Dr. Larsen a ton of questions and he enthusiastically answered every one. I really cannot emphasize enough how pleasant this man is. There are only a couple things I didn't like. During the exam, he would ask, "This one or this one?" while very quickly alternating between to lenses. I had to time things just right and announce "this one!" as there was no real way to distinguish between the two choices. I also am not so into the guided selection of glasses. Some places will have their glasses separated by broad price range, and have the individual glasses labeled. At Uptown, Lacey (receptionist? administrative assistant? I don't know her title, but if you call in, you talk to her) had me sit at a table with a mirror and she selected glasses based on my feedback. It's definitely a smart tactic, from a sales standpoint, because then customers try on the glasses before knowing the price. I have no idea if she actually showed me anything covered by my insurance (although my insurance is low on frames, so I was actually prepared to go higher). I had to ask specifically about the price of the glasses I liked. In the end however, I found a pair I really liked that weren't ridiculously expensive. I also purchased a six-month supply of contacts (I don't wear them much). They had enough contacts in stock for me to take half at the time of my visit, and the other half were available the following week when I picked up my glasses. They gave me a couple contact cases (always good to have a spare) and three cleaning clothes for my glasses (again, always good to have a spare). Overall, I really appreciate the friendliness and enthusiasm of everyone at Uptown Optometry. read more

Uptown Optometry - The view from Park Ave. - Optometrists Near Me - San Diego, California

Finding Dr. Larsen at Uptown Optometry is like finding gold. He is an expert of the highest degree and takes time to explain everything to you in detail. He is so very thorough with each step in the process and doesn't rush you like most optometrists. Valerie is a real gem, too. She is always so helpful and is friendly, professional, and polite. I was recommended by a friend and have had excellent experiences. I highly, highly, highly recommend that you try to get an appointment if they are taking new patients. read more

The receptionist is amazing I highly recommend Uptown Optometry! Thank you for all of your help! read more

Dr. Larsen is fantastic. He was my doctor pre and post Lasik. And, I continue to see him for my annual eye exam. He explains everything and takes his time to answer all my questions. Highly recommend. read more

My second time here and I must say I love it here....I usually avoid going to the eye doctor but with Dr. Larsen it's not bad at all... He is very friendly and explains procedures and changes is your eyes in a way that is easy to understand... The employees He has working there are also very friendly and helpful...I have never been at an eye care place and experienced such amazing service.....I'll be back again and again for sure.....found my permanent eye doctor for sure. Highly recommend Dr. Larsen and his team!!!! read more

Really great optometry practice. Polite and always conversational, taking the time to meet his patient's needs. Parking can be difficult, but the #11 bus runs right by here and walking or bicycling is a breeze. read more

I have a unique eye issue that I've never gotten straight answers for all my life .. until Dr Larsen! This man is passionate about eyeballs. He's attentive, genuinely interested and incredibly knowledgeable. His staff is so helpful and so sweet. I literally look forward to my visits. Thank you Uptown!! read more

I too, use yelp to guide me in finding quality medical care. and thankfully, i was led in the right direction. i have the awful habit of not taking my contacts out at night consistently. ( i know, im disgusting, bla bla bla) i also had to wait 4 months until my health insurance kicked in from my new job to set up an optometry appt to get new contacts. so i had been using the same pair of lens' for an obscene amount of time ... they're supposed to last 2 weeks) coincidently, the day before i had my optometry appt, my left eye started acting up. at work, i eventually had to take my left contact out, because it looked like i had gotten into a scuffle with chris brown. so i stumbled into dr. larsen's office (which was a convenient 5 block walk from my apt - seeing how i couldn't drive because i couldnt see), and i was immediately greeted by a pleasant brunette behind the counter. so left eye tearing up, and looking like a hot mess, i waited for my dr. to arrive. stephen larsen shakes me hand and takes me to the examination office. i tell him my story, he shakes his head, scolds me mildly and proceeds to examine me. he tells me it doesn't look good and explains in easy to understand terms that if i keep up my bad habit, eventually i'll have an ulceration in my eye, which could lead to an eye infection, which could lead to the infection going past my cornea into my optic nerve into my brain which would result in either the removal of my left eye or DEATH. he gave me his cell number in case my eye situation worsened over the weekend. wow, dr. larsen almost made me crap my pants. but it worked, because right when i got home from work, i took my contacts out. who says fear isn't a good motivator? he was extremely friendly and he didnt mention that i looked absolutely horrible walking in, which shows good bedside manner right? despite having the worse eye pain i've ever had, that was the best optometry appt visit EVER. what's sad is, that was the highlight of my valentines day. AWWWWWW read more

Let me just say, Yelp you let me down this time! I needed to find a good optometry office in San Diego and well, Uptown Optometry was not it. Why one star? 1) The appointment took an extremely long time (1.5 hours) and no, it was not because the doctor was "thorough". The doctor kept talking about how great laser surgery is and how I should get it done. Damn, I didn't want to hear about laser surgery, I just wanted a contact lens exam! He was very pushy and conceited. Well, after all of that time that he spent talking, the contact lens prescription that he gave me was WRONG! Unfortunately, I went to Costco and ordered a six-month supply for both eyes. When the contacts arrived, I was excited to try them. Strange, I thought. The left eye is all blurry; WTF!? I cleaned the lens, tried another one, called the office and asked them to verify the prescription but all seemed right.... 2) When I called the office the second time to let them know that there was still something wrong with the prescription, they discovered that yes, the prescription in my file DID NOT MATCH the prescription given to me! It was over -1 off! I explained that I lost a lot of money by ordering contacts. All they did for me was offered one free (correct) contact lens. Arghhh! This meant that I was stuck with boxes full of the incorrect prescription (which of course Costco would not take back). 3) About a year later, I went to a different doctor (Invision on 1st Ave) and had a completely different experience. It turned out that the prescription from Uptown Optometry was way TOO STRONG for my eyes. After changing my prescription, my eyesight is great. Bottom line: the worst experience that I ever had at an optometrist! It was a waste of money and time. DO NOT go here. read more

This is a very good place. The doctor is very friendly and also thorough. I was happy to find that he doesn't do eye dilation unless he detects a cause for concern in his exam (it seems like other places do this just for fun and it always stinks!). They have a nice selection of glasses at affordable prices. I didn't find anything to buy, but I plan to ask them to special order something for me once I find what I want. As an added bonus, this place is in a nice old house and there is plenty of free parking on the street right outside. As for wheelchair accessibility, I'm not completely positive about the outside, but they have a special elevator inside. read more

Okay, so here's the story. I have insurance...really good insurance...practically FREE insurance. But I chose to avoid the place I have to use for eye exams with my insurance. I've gone there a five or six times but they could NOT get me into contacts that were at all comfortable. Before that I'd been wearing contacts for about 15 years so I couldn't figure out what the problem was with these people. So after checking on Yelp I decided to give Uptown Optometry a chance. I called a couple of places for prices and Uptown was wayyyy more reasonable than the others. I called on a Friday and was able to get an appointment for Saturday afternoon, a miracle in itself! The office was super easy to find on Park and Polk, parked on the street and breezed in. I had to fill out a short form and then we got started with the appointment. I told the doctor what had been going on with the last place and he knew right off what the problem was. Previous place kept giving me the generic size contacts and they...duh...weren't fitting. He checked the measurements again, popped in some Accuvue Oasys and voila...VISION! Everyone in the office was friendly and laid back, the office was tidy and seemed to have a good selection of glasses, and I was done in about 30 minutes. read more

Amazing!! You know how some people have a fear of the dentist? Well, I have a fear of the optometrist. Mostly because every time I go, they tell me my eyes are worse, and I fear one day they will tell me I'm blind or that I'll have to get lasik. Not this place. I mean, he did tell me my eyes had gotten a little worse, but Dr. Larsen did it in the nicest, kindest, funniest way possible. He is incredibly personable and thorough. His staff are sweet and helpful and equally thorough. The place is clean and fresh smelling (maybe a little too fresh smelling actually, lay off the plug-ins). And the price is totally reasonable. I probobly would not shop here for frames, seeing as their selection was rather small and rather upscale and rather expensive. But if thats your style, they had some nice looking ones. If you are on the lookout for a new optometrist, do yourself a favor and try them. If you aren't on the lookout for a new optometrist, do yourself a favor and switch to them. read more

Dr. Larsen is a very personable person and his entire office is too. He thoroughly explained how my eyes have changed since my last exam (no optometrist has seemed to have the time to do this in the past!). I went in on a Saturday, had a complete eye exam, contact lens fitting, and selected two pairs of glasses, all within an hour! I'll get my glasses in less than two weeks, but they're worth the wait. I used my VSP insurance and I'm sure they're open to other types as well. The office is not overwhelming and has a great selection of frames and sunglasses. No need to go to Lenscrafters and feel like you're being pressured to buy. read more

This is my first review on Yelp, which is a testament to how great Dr Larson and his staff at Uptown Optometry are. I can't wait for my yearly appointment, it's that much fun to come and talk with Dr Larson during your appointment. Any Dr who gives you a copy of Jon Stewart's "America (the book)" to read while you wait is okay with me. I arrived to my appointment 20 min late due to my evil boss not letting me out of a meeting, but that's another story, the receptionist didn't mind at all and just seemed pleased that I was there. She had me fill out a short form and led me into a small waiting room. I barely even had time to crack open my People magazine when Dr Larson came in a greeted me. This man is probably the nicest, most personable Dr I have ever met. He is truly excited about his job and loves nothing more then to share his expansive knowledge of eyes with you. Go ahead ask him a question - you will swear you just granted a dying man his last wish. Not only is he interested in your eyes he's interested in you. He either he takes really detailed notes or he has an amazing memory, he will remember you and your conversations from over a year ago. The exam is quick and painless, with Dr Larson explaining what he is doing and why every step of the way. Your in and out before you know it, and in my case- before you want to be, the man is just that interesting. I think I might have a crush on my optometrist... His staff is wonderful too. I have a limited budget and am not able to spend much on my glasses, but I'm extremely picky and indecisive. A bad combo which adds up to being a nightmare of a client. They spent a large ammount of time and energy making sure I found the perfect pair of glasses while staying within my budget, even giving me their opinion on which looked best on me when I couldn't decide between a couple of pairs. They are extremely accommodating, helpful and patient. Who would have thought that spending an hour at the Optometrist would put you in a great mood? I always have a huge grin when I leave Dr. Larson's office. read more

Came in yesterday for exam. Lacy at the front desk was very nice and very helpful. Made buying frames easy and comfortable. Dr. Larsen was very thorough and quite informative. It was a learning experience as well easy and painless. I would definitely recommend Dr. Larsen to any of my friend or anyone that asked. Looking forward to getting my new specs. read more

This office is shady. They don't explain charges ahead of time. They asked me about getting a contact lens prescription in which I agreed to. However, they did not tell me that my insurance doesn't cover it. After my eye exam, they just dropped a bombshell and gave me an invoice for 70 dollars. I was shocked and said W-T-F in my head. So we had a debate on the charges and their customer service. The representative was rude to me and did not give me a logical reason why I owe them 70 dollars. They did not admit it was their fault for not explaining charges to me ahead of time. They directed the blame at me by telling me that I did not ask the proper questions. This is piss poor customer service. However, they finally relented and did not pursue settlement for the bill. At any service establishment, prices are given ahead of time or explained to the customer. Restaurants have prices on menus. Auto repair places give prices on estimates. They tell you ahead of time if the estimate is free or not. All charges are explained and you sign it before they begin work. I wonder why Uptown Optometry does not adhere to traditional service standards. read more

I had been going to the same optometrist for 25 years, and once he retired I knew I needed to find an office closer to home. Stopped by Uptown at almost closing time one afternoon just to scope out frames, and the staff was friendly and helpful. I made an appointment, got a nice reminder call, and even though there was an issue with my insurance they resolved it right away without involving me. Loved Dr. Larson, loved that he introduced himself as Steve. Great exam, nothing unusual. Glasses took less time than they had expected, and they are perfect. If I might say, the folks who complained about being charged for an eye exam also need a head exam. Why on earth would you not expect to pay for any kind of medical service??? I have found my new optometrist--loved the experience and will highly recommend! read more

I feel kind of bad giving Dr. Larson a two star rating but i have to. His examination was excellent and Dr. Larson is a very qualified optometrist. The problem was dealing with his staff. I was told that it would only take a couple of weeks to get lenses for my eye glass frames. It took over a month and his staff was just very off putting during the whole experience. Unfortunately because of my experience of poor service I will not be back. Especially since there are other Optometrists to try in San Diego. read more

I decided to try Uptown Optometry because of the glowing reviews on this site. For the most part, I'm pleased with my experiences there. Dr. Larsen is very friendly, and he took the time to explain the intricacies of my eyes and my particular conditions. My previous optometrist never properly explained any of these things, so I never felt like I was totally informed when making decisions. So, for the doctor and the exam, I give 5 stars. However, as with pretty much any optometrist, he also sells the glasses and contacts he prescribes. I don't quite understand how optometrists got in this business. You don't normally go to your doctor and get your prescription in the same place...and there's a reason for that. Anyway, I made the dumb mistake of buying my contacts through his office, and I was grossly overcharged. The contacts I ordered (toric) cost $60/box at his office. I later looked online and found out that the suggested retail price of these lenses is $47/box, and it can be found for as low as $33/box. A modest markup for the convenience of ordering in the office is reasonable, but I spent almost twice as much as I could have spent on my lenses. I'm willing to support a local business, but not at such a steep markup. I brought this to the attention of the woman who works in the office and orders the lenses, and her response was, "well, I don't know what to tell you". Be advised that you are not required to buy lenses in the same place you got the exam. You have a legal right to get a paper copy of the prescription and walk out, no questions asked. I will absolutely recommend Uptown Optometry to my friends, but I will also be sure to warn them not to buy contacts there. read more

I heart Dr. Larsen and the entire staff at Uptown Optometry. What can I say that hasn't already been said? The staff is extremely friendly and Dr. Larson broken down my cup-to-disc ratio in detail - and in terms I could actually understand! Amazing. I'm just glad they don't use that crazy ass leaf blower air machine thing to test the pressure in your eyes anymore. That thing is for the birds. So, in conclusion. If you need your eyes checked, go here. Period. read more

:-) I highly recommend... If they served me sushi and champagne in the waiting room, I would have given them 5 stars.. until then, they get 4.5. You won't be disappointed. Dr. Larsen is personable, knowledgable, THOROUGH and quick. What more can you ask for from your eye doctor? Oh yeah.. sushi and champagne.. (but who does that?) I made my appointment.. Told them I needed to use my work insurance.. they checked it out.. kept in constant communications with me via my cell phone, and did a fine job. I'm sending my partner to him as well. Not only did I get my prescription, and eyes checked, I got an education on the status of my vision. He actually told me why I don't do well with contacts.. and what types of glasses I should get (yes.. it all makes sense.) My wait time was short, the service and front desk person "LACY" was very friendly and attentive... I was told to expect my glasses in 2wks... (cons: they have a small selection at their office.) 4.5 Woofs.. It's all good at Uptown Optometry. read more

Dr. Larsen has helped me sooooooo much. When I first became his patient, I was highly addicted to allergy eye-drops. If I didn't administer drops several times a day, my eyes would turn red as beets. Hence, the addiction. Dr. Larsen weened me off it and gave me excellent recommendations in treating my sensitive, allergy-prone and dry eyes. And through the most cost economical means available. He is absolutely wonderful. Personally, he is super cool, and has a great sense of humor. The business staff is okay too, and while they have teetered on the edge, they haven't fully ever demonstrated the haughtiness often displayed medical front office people. My grateful eyes give Dr. Larsen 5 solid winks, i mean stars! read more

I've been seeing Dr. Larsen for several years now, and he he is by far the best optometrist I've ever had - and I've had glasses since I was 4, so I know what I'm talking about! After my last optometrist told me that I needed bifocals at age 27, I decided I wanted a second opinion, so a friend referred me to Dr. Larsen. He told me that he could understand how the other doctor could draw that conclusion, but thankfully he was wrong... which was great news considering there was no way on earth I was going to get bifocals at age 27! He's friendly and knowledgeable, but I think what I like the best is that he's practical. He's a straight-shooter about if/when lasik would make sense, whether the more expensive contacts are worth it, etc. Like him a lot. read more

Highly recommend!! Great customer service. The front desk girls are wonderful. Waiting room has a great selection of glasses to look at plus it's extremely clean and organized. Dr. Larsen is extremely good at his work. He makes people feel comfortable and is informative. He answered all my questions to help make me feel confident about my eye sight. The entire staff really cares about their patients. I'm thankful for this office! Bonus!!!! Parking out front and great location. read more

My husband and I are new patients and we both really like Dr. Larson. He was very friendly and we can tell he's very passionate about his career. He explained everything thoroughly and truly cared. Dr. Larson seems very down to earth and introduced himself as Steve. I love that! took his time with us and we never once felt rushed. He listened to my husband's concerns and again explained things. He's a really friendly man and made the appointment very pleasant. read more

Appointment was on time and everyone there was nothing but smiles. Steve was very informative and made sure I was in the loop during my entire visit. Best of all he never tried to sell me on buying frames from their store. I told him I'd like to shop around and use my prescription online and he said without a pause, "Sure that's a great idea." I hate when health (and eye) professionals try to sell you on their product, like the dentist trying to get me to pay $900 for a teeth cleaning that could be "life saving". There was no pressure here with Steve Larsen. Cheap and great service here at Uptown, will go again! read more

I've been a patient here for 12 years and would recommend Dr. Larsen to anyone. He knows everything and explains your condition and answers questions in a friendly manner. The front desk staff has always been courteous and professional. I never have to find my insurance papers because they have everything on file and do the research before I come in. Love them! read more