Costco Optical

It has been 45 minutes and probably 20 more minutes to go for my turn. Very slow and under staffed.

Not a good experience at this optical location. The staff seems friendly but don’t seem to know how to adjust the glasses properly. I just bought a pair of new glasses from Costco and needed some adjustments as expected with all new glasses. After several trips to have it adjusted, one of the guy finally said that best that I go to the Sunnyvale Costco to have it adjusted properly because they have more supplies and better trained staff. So I went to the Sunnyvale location and it was fixed immediately by Priscilla and Vanessa. If you want to have your glasses fix, definitely go the Sunnyvale location instead of the Mountain View.

Hadassah is the best! She knows her stuff, and super helpful — really took the time and effort to help us find what we wanted.

I had an overall very good experience. I went in (with an appointment) and only had to wait a couple of minutes. Then my eye exam only took 15 minutes and the doctor was very friendly and helpful. Very cheap and I recommend it to everyone.

Costco is definitely the first place to go if you want affordable glasses. You will get more for your bucks. They have a variety of designer brands for a fraction of the price. The savings on lenses alone will pay for the membership… not just one year, but almost 6 yrs of memberships. For example, their single vision hi-​index lenses with anti-​reflective would run about $ 105, Lens crafter charges $ 420. Not to mention they now have HD digital progressive lenses, Shamir Office Lenses, Drivewear transition polarized, but also have the latest Signature Transition 7… All for incredible prices. Ofcourse, there are higher technology when it comes to progressives, anti glare coatings, and thinner lenses, but they will also cost you moons and stars… Costco is not one the high end fancy private doctor places where you can expect a personal shopper. They serve by number. It’s best that you have your frame picked out by the time that they call your number. Ofcourse, when time permits (down time), you can get that hold my hand service if needed. Oh and I hate to see how some of those customers used and abused the services here. They demand to be help without waiting. Or they would pull a number, go shopping, then come back to expect their place in line. They expect replacement for typical wear and tear or even personal damage. C’mon, people! Costco is open for business, not a charity. They would help you out within their means. That goes for everything else in life. Don’t push it. Being courteous to them, will only benefit us as consumers. By taking the time to write this, I hope that readers like you will benefit from the dos and dont

Good staff and friendly attentive doctor. Quite competitively priced services and products. No high pressure sales tactic to try and sell more than what you want. Decent selection of lenses and glasses.
Overall a good experience

I’m confused since usually Costco gives a superb service and an impeccable costumer service.
Although I’m a loyal and happy costumer of Costco — it’s the first time I’m purchasing something from the Optic Center and I’m sadden to say it was an unpleasant experience and a complete disappointment.
I bought a pair of sunglasses and was teased by my friend who laughed and asked why am I not going for a cheep $ 10 brand name sunglasses at one of the discount stores instead. I answered that I want the quality that Costco sells.
I used these sun-​glasses mainly for driving and treated it with a lot of care. When not on my eyes they were in their original hard case. After about 30 days the silicon nose pads broke to pieces. I was extremely upset about it, came back to the optical desk and requested to return the sunglasses.
The woman at the desk took my glasses to the corner far from where I stood, wiped them with cloth again and again, and examined them for a long long time. I was bored and turned to look at the televisions next to the counter, so I have no idea what she did with it for such a long time. After a good few minutes she came back pointing on a very tiny almost unseen dot on one of the lanes, claiming there’s another one on the other glass (I couldn’t see it even though I tried hard). she said I can’t return these sunglasses because «something bad happened to them» and that is probably what caused the nose pads to fall apart as well (ha!?). She said all she can do is to replace the nose pads.
She also took the hard case in her hands claiming something happen to it as well (the case is in a perfectly new condition it is the exact condition it was at the day I bought it).
Needless to say I was surprised and shocked. After she pointed out the dot I could indeed see it, but it wasn’t the reason for returning the glasses and I never noticed it before. It was in a different place, away from the nose pads and had nothing to do with it, nevertheless her hint about that point showing that something happen to the sunglasses was insulting.
I waited for the manager, which in her turn upon arriving stood with the other employee whispering in the far corner for a few seconds. Then she came to me and said the same without even listening to me. She said she can only change the nose pads «OUT OF COURTESY» (wow thanks really) and that she will be kind enough to do it for free THIS TIME. I told her I don’t want an expensive sunglasses that force me to come back every 30 days to replace it’s nose pads, it is unacceptable especially that it happen after such a short time, but she said if I have a problem with the product quality I should take it to the manufacturer. hello?! I did not buy from the manufacturer, I bought from you and YOU should stand behind what you sell.
Finally seeing that I’m going nowhere with these people, I agreed to change the nose pads into a plastic hard nose pads instead of the soft silicon I initially bought, since out of the conversation I understood it is common that the silicon pads fall apart. It feels different then what I bought. The dot is still there, but I cant see or care about it. I am actually happy with the lanes as is — it is the nose pads that destroy the sunglasses altogether. I am not happy with it

The separate optometry practice in the back here is separate from the mini-​optical store in front of it.
Prices here are great, just like almost everything at Costco. This one sits out kind of in the main store rather than a separate optical store. Decent selection for how small it is, but you are not going to find high-​end designer eyeglass frames like Prada here. The frames here are for the more cost-​conscious eyeglass consumer. However you can buy your frames elsewhere and have the lenses put in here like I did and save money. Contact lenses are the same selection as elsewhere, though I am sure they are probably cheaper here (except of course the internet). They did a great job on my lenses including anti-​reflective coating.
For fitting and adjustments on your eyeglasses, your mileage may vary depending on who helps you. Not to be ageist, but the younger optician did not know how to adjust my glasses nearly as well as the older, more experienced optician. I asked the former to do something and she said it could not be done. Later I asked the latter to do it, and she did it without comment. Enough said.

The counter people are nice, but now I’ve had two bad glasses experiences in a row.
Within the [ ]s that follow is my update of my original review. The original review is after that.
[ Grrr! First of all, Costco didn’t replace the unsatisfactory glasses that I mentioned in the original review. I took them back twice to complain. Although the counter people were polite each time, all they did was manipulate the frame this way and that, and check that the glasses were per my doctor’s prescription. I asked the counter guy the second time if he could have their optometrist examine them because something was wrong, but he (courteously) refused. He said that if my ophthalmologist said they were wrong, Costco would replace them, but that would have incurred a charge for a visit with my opthalmologist.
The twisting of the frames made things a little better, but the focus still felt off. I should have gotten another pair somewhere else, but I never did. I just made do with the unsatisfactory glasses for the past 8 or so months.
Recently the lenses on my glasses got seriously scratched, so I really needed a new pair. This time I decided to order from Zenni Optical online. This caused me to dig out my past two Costco orders, both the 2013 one that I’m unhappy with, and the previous, 2011 one. When I looked carefully at the two orders, I realized that my pupillary distances (PDs) were reversed between the two orders!
I now suspect that the 2011 order had the PDs right, but that somehow the person who entered the 2013 order reversed them. Pupillary distance is not on the ophthalmologist’s prescription; it was measured by Costco, so the error is on them. If they had re-​measured my PDs when I came in with my complaint about bad focus, or compared the numbers on my 2013 order to my earlier order, perhaps they would have found the error and saved me from many months of suboptimal vision experience.
I am so annoyed that it’s doubtful that I will order glasses from Costco again. I am not upgrading my two-​star review.
Now I am just hoping that the reversed PD was in fact the problem and that my Zenni glasses will give me a more satisfactory experience. ]

(Following is the original review.)
I go to a private ophthalmologist for my eye exams, but I started buying my glasses at Costco in 2009 and I’ve been getting them there ever since because they were the cheapest place to get my prescription filled in person, even though they don’t take my insurance.
Last year I procrastinated and didn’t order my glasses for three months after my exam. I always figured that was why the glasses I got from Costco never seemed quite right, and their guarantee is only for 90 days after the prescription is written. When I went for my exam this year, though, I asked my ophthalmologist to check my glasses from last year and she said they had gotten the axis completely wrong on one eye.
Still, I went back to Costco this year with my new prescription. The lady who took my order was nice and seemed like she knew what she was talking about, but I picked up my glasses today (there was a different person on duty) and was shocked that I saw WORSE with the new glasses than with the old ones. The counter person took them away and tweaked them somehow and then they worked somewhat better, but were still not great. Still, I took them in case it was just a case of getting used to them. Well, I’ve had them for some hours now and I’ve come to realize that the focal points are too far apart for my eyes. If I close one eye and focus on some print, then close that eye and use the other, I have to turn my head and even tilt it a bit to get the same print in focus with the other eye.
I don’t know if the problem is that they didn’t follow the prescription, that they marked my pupil locations wrong, that they let me order frames that were too wide, or what, but the new glasses don’t work right and I will have to replace them. I just hope that Costco will make this right, will re-​do the glasses, and not make me spend more money. If they do fix the problem without charging me, I’ll update and say so. If not, I don’t think I’ll be going there for glasses again.

I just had a very wonderful experience with ordering my husbands contacts. He uses two different persciptions in the left eye… one for reading. Redwood City was clearly overwhelmed with applying the special discount /​years worth. Hadassah in
Mountainview was amazing, very helpful and bright. What a pleasure. Thank you

This is really a review for the optometrist at costco optical in Mountain View.
I had no problems with the costco optical eye exam whatsoever. Appointment scheduling was easy, doctor was competent and attentive, prescription was right. I did not order the actual glasses at costco, I used zenni optical — cheaper and faster, but I am super happy with the optometrist

Short girl with braces was very helpful and friendly.
Light-​skinned lady didn’t greet me and acted so coldly towards me.
Light-​skinned lady wins and I’m not going to Costco Optical in Mountain View again.

Dr. Nguyen is great! Very reasonably priced for eye exam, good selection of glasses frames at much lower prices than what you’ll find elsewhere. Quality is still very good despite the lower prices and you will not be disappointed with the overall experience. Even if you don’t have insurance, you still end up paying a lot less than elsewhere.

I do NOT recommend Costco Optical. They are a sub contractor for Costco and do not offer the same excellent quality assurance or customer service. Glasses were VERY poor quality, and Costco Optical would not replace them.
Because of recommendations from friends, I tried Costco Optical. This was my first order with Costco Optical and my last purchase from them. I’m going back to a professional optical shop.

Pros:
–really helpful staff
I’ve lost 2 pairs of glasses in the past. I think we were offered some type of insurance in case I lost them again? I can’t remember.
–good selection of glasses
– pretty cheap for people with no insurance. I believe it’s 49 dollars for a check up to get glasses and 89 dollars for contacts.
– If you buy the Lens cleaner kit you can come back and refill the bottles with the solution for FREE!
– after getting my glasses the lady helped size them to my liking. idk how to say it better but she made it so it would fit my face better? lawl
Cons:
– takes HELLA days to get your glasses. 2 weeks +
– the prescription they gave me was wrong! I got my eyes checked at Kaiser and my opt. looked at my glasses and said they were the wrong prescription! wow…

Pros
— — — — — — — -
–good selection of eyeglasses at very cheap prices
–great value on lenses
–friendly helpful staff
Cons
— — — — — — —
–my glasses were delayed, sent back unfinished, re-​sent, then came back a whole month later unfinshed again and completely damaged. they were expensive and 3^rd party. so i got reimbursed for a new frame and they covered my lenses. i liek teh way they handled it, however the experience itself gets 3 stars taken off.

Slower than a drunk turtle with the turnaround time, but they do a good job, they stand by their work, they have a quality selection of lenses, and they have outstanding prices. I brought two frames to Costco that I had bought elsewhere, and they made me lenses for both for about $ 150 less per pair than I had been quoted anywhere else. You can do this on the internet, but Costco actually seems to have good quality lens products. Their frame selection is sorely lacking in the style department, but then again, I’m a fashion whore. It’s an affliction.