Ever since moving to Sha Tin, I have been coming to Image Optical to get my contact lenses. They…read morehave many branches in Sha Tin - one at Sha Tin Plaza, one at Sha Tin Station and one at Citylink. They're all within 5-10 minutes of each other; I don't know why they've decided to concentrate themselves but it is what it is! Of the three, it's the one at Citylink that I go to the most often. The one at the station is really hectic and always crowded, since it's at the exit of the station where it joins New Town Plaza. To get the Citylink branch, take the lift to the 6th floor and go all the way to the right. It's actually pretty huge for a place I am in and out of within five minutes just to pick up my lenses! The prices are consistent with other opticial shops, so it's not any cheaper or more expensive here. The staff are efficient, but as for how knowledgeable they are about their stuff, I'm not sure because I always get the same brand and type of contact lenses and have been using them long before coming here. The first time I was here with my mother, we got the impression that they are rather 'hard sell' as they tried to convince us to buy two sets (i.e. twelve boxes instead of six). The lady we were dealing with asked us twice, and the second time a guy who I assumed was the manager came over and asked us too. I guess there isn't much about Image Optical - it's mainly its convenient location in Sha Tin Central that keeps me coming back. If you're looking for an optical shop in Sha Tin, have a look into Image Optical!

We usually go to their location in Mong Kok, but we come to this one in Jordan instead, as we had…read morebad customer service with our last visit to the Mong Kok store, and also that they only accept my mom's medical voucher at this location. Stepping in, we know why the service at MK sucks. The owner is spending her time here. Needless to say, every employee here provides top notch service. I have eyecare insurance in U.S. but I still like to come here for my glasses, because I enjoy shopping here so much. They have over 5000 styles of frame for you to choose from, from name brands that costs thousands of dollars to ones that costs only a hundred or two, from Korea, that still look very cool. You simply grab a tray, try the frames on at random, and put your maybes into the little tray to make your final decision later. Fun and pressure free. The staff pretty much leave you alone, though if you ask, they will gladly give you suggestions to fit your preference: lighter ones, trendy ones, ones that fit the shape of your face... They never try to upsell me for more expensive frames or lens options, but genuinely help me get something I'd like. They will also gladly adjust your old glasses for you or do simple repair at no charge. Chau, who's helpful with his suggestions and opinions, helped us narrow down our many choices to one. Then Paul the optician will exam your eyes. He's totally great. Humorous, personable in an easy-going manner, so you can discuss your optical needs with him. If yours is a simple prescription, you may get your glasses in 10-15 minutes, special orders may take a few days. I spent about US$400 for eye exams (for both contact and glasses, in US my insurance covers only one, and the exam includes eye pressure too when I asked), a pair of eyeglasses, and 6 boxes of contacts.

My family comes to this optical shop because of its affordable prices and large selection. It is in…read morea smaller building, away from the MTR station. We have actually been coming here for years, I almost always get a new pair of glasses every time I return to HK. It is much more affordable to buy glasses in HK than in the US (even with vision insurance!). I picked out a pair of glasses, with the prescription lens and the frame, my total was about $1000 HKD (about $127 USD). My brother purchased some prescription sunglasses and regular glasses. They have a variety or brands and some frames as cheap as $300 HKD. They sometimes can have your order finished by the end of the day or the next business day. Mine was ready the next business day afternoon (we ordered on a Friday early afternoon). The overall process is quick, easy, and no-fuss. Prices are competitive and they give you some lens cleaning cloths as well!

Lenscrafters- bit of a fancy name for a local opticians don't you think? That was before I knew…read moreLenscrafters were actually an international chain with shops in the US and Canada. That was the first time when I understood how it has suddenly become so upmarket. They weren't cheap before in the first place and I would dare to add that they were quite a snobbish choice as opposed to your local neighborhood shops. With this particular name change in mind, you won't find any students deals nowadays as they try to focus on getting the higher end brands in: Tag Heuer, Alain Mikli and Starck just to name a few. I'm a sucker for glasses- my eyes aren't actually that bad but wearing them makes me feel that much more confident and it does help when I'm doing....this actually. So I'm really picky about what I wear, what they look like and the weight etc. Lenscrafter's policy of letting you try on everything in the shop is a bonus for people like me because it takes me ages to choose a pair of glasses out from a million different ones. Any drawbacks? this particular shop is situated in a busy part of Shatin City Centre and most of the sales staff are too busy to tend to your calls. Maybe they recognize me by now...

They have a really impressive selection of frames, from as low as HKD100 to a few thousands for…read morename brand. They are displayed out in boxes, you can just walk around the store and try them on by yourself, then set aside the ones you like in a tray for final decision later. I like this much better than having to ask a sales rep to take things out from a case. You can also bring an old frame in to update with new lenses. The service is very nice and efficient too, with no pressure to spend more than you want to. They have boxes of drinks of the table, so you can quench your thirst as you try on the frames or wait for the optometrist. Their prices are really good, a few friends I know, and I myself included, come here to get our glasses when they come for a visit, as the price is much better than in the US even with insurance coverage.

Wonderful selection of eyeglass frames with excellent customer service. Will shop here again when…read morevisiting Hong Kong and will recommend to all friends and family.

I was delighted that the owner Vincent did not push me to buy new glasses when my frames broke. He…read morepicked out all the frames that would allow him to transfer my lenses at no cost except for the new frame. In addition he did an excellent repair job on my second pair of glasses without any charge, and I now can wear those without them falling off. A really helpful and skilled man who is not pushing to sell, but to oblige. Recycle, repair and save the planet!!

Inside Melbourne Plaza is an entire floor dedicated to opticians, with a whole slew of mom and pop…read moreglasses shops. One in particular is my favourite, William's Optical Co. in Melboure Plaza. To be fair, they are much of a muchness compared to all the other opticians. They sell a range of glasses, from Ray Bans to cheap Chinese brands, contact lenses form all the big manufacturers, can get any of the specialist lenses - all fairly standard stuff. However, the husband and wife owners are so friendly, I find myself going back for the banter alone! It's also easy to get an appointment there, I often just walk-in and find that I can get an eye test. What I do particularly like about these folks is that they are a bit more logical and flexible with their operation. Anyone who has tried to shop in HK will have come across the "so solly, cannot, la" attitude of the staff, and I put this down to an inability for people to think for themselves. Here, they are able to make practical and sensible decisions to better my customer experience, which I wholeheartedly welcome. Let me give you an example; I wanted to buy some specialist contact lenses, which have a three day order time on them. It just so happened that someone else had ordered exactly the same lenses, and they were ready in store for their collection. However, this customer was out of HK, and not due to collect for another week, so the optician gave me their lenses and ordered another set for them. Made a lot of sense, I got my lenses immediately, the other customer got a fresh from manufacturer set, everyone's happy. This shop is "can do, la"!

Like so many Hong Kongers, I have really bad eyesight. It's awful. Fortunately, I managed to find…read moremy way to Lenscrafters, where I got a pair of decent glasses for a reasonable cost. To be fair, it is a chain store that sells specs. Not much more, not much less. The service I got in the Wan Chai store was very good. The staff were pleasant and friendly, starting with the optician, who was thorough in his examination of my eyes, through to the floor staff who did well not to snigger when I picked frames that made me look like Chinese Elton John. What I did like was the ability to come back repeatedly to adjust my frames. I get that all opticians will do this until they fit right, and then there is the argument that they should just set them up properly in the first place. For my last pair of specs, they just could not seem to set the frames up properly without them dropping off my face, or cutting off circulation to my brain. They did get it right eventually, but after three attempts. The turn around time for appointments and glasses is good. You can pretty much walk in for an appointment, and so long as the optician isn't at lunch, you can be seen. If your requirements are simple, just frames and lenses, you can get a pair in a few hours, or certainly the next day. If you are like me and go for high index transitions etc., expect to wait at least a week, if not two. As with most of HK, the glasses are very reasonable (again, especially if they are standard). A regular set of specs will only set you can a few hundred HKD at most. For me, I spend into the multiple thousands of HKD, but that's because I am so lazy I don't want to have to move to put on sunglasses, let technology shade my eyes for me!