Cambridge Optometry

Great Optometry Practice! Reasonable time for an appointment, with my limited availability. Friendly staff from the moment you walk in. Although my current glasses remain sufficient, they do seem to have a large retail area with some nice products. I would expect boutique prices. I worked with Dr. Threlkeld, and can say with certainty he cares about every person that walks into his office. Not only did he carry on thoughtful conversation, he offered informative and efficient testing throughout. He was not there to sell me on anything I didn’t need, which is one of the most positive aspects for me personally. If you’re like me and you wait 5 years between vision appointments, this is the place to go!

tl;dnr: Five stars for Dr. T. Negative one star for receptionist (s) who won’t take my contact order by phone, won’t call me back, and won’t help me lock in an appointment.
My wife and I have been going to this office since 2008, and continued as regulars even after moving from Palo Alto to SF. We’ve continued to make trips down for appointments during working hours because we do think Dr. T. is a great optometrist.
Unfortunately, I haven’t had luck actually seeing Dr. T. in the past year because customer service has become quite poor. Four separate calls with receptionist ended in failure. Twice receptionist declined to field a contact lens order, and her promised return call never materialized. Twice I tried to call for an eye exam appointment, and after telling me certain days in question were busy (which I get), she ended the call before I could ask that she suggest alternative open dates. That’s crazy — scheduling an eye exam should not feel like angling for dinner res at a snobby SF restaurant.
Bummer, because I liked Dr. T. But, optometrists are abundant in the bay, and customer service matters.

I made an appointment with Dr. Threlkeld last Fall upon moving to Palo Alto, based on all the positive Unilocal reviews. Needless to say, there is wisdom in this crowd. They are all absolutely outstanding!
Dr. Threlkeld was very patient and thorough and I felt I was in great hands. They got the glasses right the first time round. Earlier this year, I had some health FSA bucks left and decided that I might as well spend them on a second pair. However, I fell in love with a set of frames I spotted whist walking past another optometrist’s office. Although Cambridge Optometry does not stock this particular brand, they called around and managed to find a way for me for to get the frames I fancied!
Later, they were absolutely awesome answering many emails from me requesting one document or another to meet the insurance bureaucracy’s insatiable appetite for paper. Natalie has been an epitome of efficiency and courtesy.
No questions — these guys are amongst the best in the business!

My husband and I have been in need of new glasses for awhile. But since we have very basic vision coverage, we have put it off. Our last experience at a low-​price optometry inside a wholesale warehouse club was not good. Let’s just say, you get what you pay for.
When we found out our son also might need glasses, we decided that now was the time for all of us to do it. We looked online at several places nearby work and home, and made some calls. Melissa and Natalie were so incredibly helpful to me on the phone. They went out of their way to find out information for us, and called us back.
After calling a couple other places, we decided in Cambridge Optometry mostly because of the treatment plan described (no dilation) and the customer service.
Dr. Threlkeld was OUTSTANDING. They were understanding and accommodating of my 8 year old son, who has some anxiety in new situations. He explained everything he did very thoroughly, and even offered some less expensive options for me as I now need progressives.
Marina helped with the fitting, and I have to say that I’ve never had someone pay that much attention to me during a fitting.
In the end, my husband, son, and I were more than pleased with our experience here.
We HIGHLY recommend! Thank you, Dr. Threlkeld and staff!

I’ve been a patient for about 4 years. Fantastic practice. Dr Threlkeld is thorough, very current on the latest developments and technology, yet it doesn’t come out as anything other than genuine care for his patient’s well being.
I’ve had several sets of glasses done here, including a set of Oakley sunglasses, and also new lenses for my everyday glasses. They didn’t pressure me to buy new frames and pricing was fair and reasonable. The real proof of their commitment came when i wasn’t thrilled with the first pass at the lenses. Dr. Threlkeld was completely committed to doing what it took to make sure I got what I needed. Thank you! I will be a long time patient.

When we moved to Palo Alto I decided to finally go see an eye doctor and chose a place close to where we lived and with good reviews. Dr. Threlkeld is friendly, professional and very knowledgeable. He is also great at explaining how each machine and test works and is super patient and thorough. I’m so glad to have found this place and to have been treated by Dr. Threlkeld and his wonderful staff! Now to find someplace as good (if possible) in Cambridge, MA.

Excellent husband and wife team. Everyone in this office are all very helpful and kind.

10 stars for these 2 wonderful women that were so very kind and professional by far ! I pass this office every Tuesday as my work leads me to the 3^rd floor My glass’s broke and needed fix ASAP so I took the chance and intro self and exsplained my needed repairs and worrys
The moment I walked in the welcome was warm and friendly
«I wasn’t expecting that «
Mariana fixed my nose pads for me and took the time to find right parts & made sure the fit was right .
«I really admire details and w/​integrity in ones work»
Natalie was also a optician she was very hospitable and informational a true asset to this Office!
Thanks again and ill f0rsur return to buy my next pair of glass’s from these great professional women !

I love this doctor’s office probably an unhealthy amount. Dr. Threlkeld is a fantastic, careful, thorough, patient-​centric doctor. A couple of summers ago I was having some issues with my eye and the doctor never rushed me and had me come in a few times to make sure we knew exactly what was going on when the first tests were inconclusive. And then, when my eyes changed again, he was able to help me out, even though I’d already ordered glasses and contacts.
The people on staff are also great. Everyone is super friendly and extremely competent. Additionally, they always have a great selection of glasses and sunglasses which make me lament my tiny post-​grads arts administrator budget. One day, beautiful red Prada statement frames! One day!
I recommend this office to everyone. Literally. Have glasses/​contact? Boom. Recommended. ²⁰⁄₂₀ vision? Wellll, that’ll probably change in the near future, scientifically speaking, of course, so BOOM. Recommended.

I have been going to this office for years – and for good reason! Dr. Threlkeld is an absolutely superb optometrist as well as one of the nicest guys you will meet. After visiting a number of different optical offices, I have found their selection of frames to be the best. The excellent service provided by the staff is just icing on the cake.

I went to Cambridge looking for a pair of prescription Oakley sunglasses after finding them listed as a provider on the company’s Website.
I called ahead and was told to just come in anytime with my prescription and they would help me. I asked if I could make an appointment and was told there was no need. I took the time of work to drive down, find them, then parking etc. When I arrived in person I was turned around as I needed to make an appointment…
Wasted a valuable hour of my work day.

Amazing office! Dr. Threlkeld is a great doctor who really listens to you and have your best interest at heart. Along with his team, you are well taken care of. The office is extremely friendly and super helpful. If you are in the area in need of an optometrist or even just to repair broken glasses, this is the place to go.

I am so happy we found this practice. Both of my kids, aged 6 and 10, see Dr. Cindy and Dr. Ben for regular eye exams and glasses. The entire practice is warm and receptive as well as accommodating. Yesterday my daughter was fitted for her first pair of contact lenses and Dr. Ben was so patient and intuitive about the whole process she was confident in a snap. They are thorough and professional I know that we are good hands.

An easy five-​star review. I’ve been going to see Dr. Threldkeld for almost 8 years. He’s a talented and comprehensive optometrist, always taking the time to answer questions and provide a detailed assessment of your eye health. He is thoughtful and pragmatic, providing candid advice about insurance benefits.
His staff is super friendly and accommodating. On a recent trip, they expedited shipping of my new contacts at no charge, which was unnecessary, but really appreciated.
HIghly recommended.

I just switched to Cambridge Optometry and was really glad I did. I just wear contacts and my previous optometrist started charging an extra contact lens fitting fee even though my prescription is stable, whereas Cambridge Optometry included the contact lens prescription as part of the exam. I like that Dr. Threlkeid takes pictures of your retinas and then explains on the photos what he is looking for with regards to various eye diseases. After discussing the work I do, Dr Threlkeid had a suggestion for an alternate lens for one of my eyes, ordered a free sample, and now I see better than I have for a long time.

me, my son and our eyes love Dr. Threlkeld and staff! great energy, informative and helpful with insurance breakdowns!

Most awesome and friendly office ever! Emily has bent over backwards to help me find some sick frames, and Dr. Threlkeld is super smart and hilarious.

I highly recommend this place. After moving to the bay area, I didn’t think I could replace my childhood optometrist from SoCal… But Cambridge Optometry, you have made my eye balls happy!
I made an appointment the moment I got eye insurance. I was Dr. Threlkeld’s last patient of the day. Although I had to wait a few minutes after my 4:00 appt, I was quickly reassured that I was in for a great and educational experience.
The best part of the exam? NO AIR BLOWN IN YOUR EYE BALLS! Dr. T told me the machines they use at their office are actually better than the typical air in your eye test. I was also able to see a scan of my eye with all the details like veins! It was pretty neat and although I can’t remember the big and technical words for eyes, I was very impressed about how thorough the exam was and how he actually spent time with me rather than rushing me out the door at exactly 5pm.
After trying a trial pair of contacts, I called in to order my new eyes. I picked them up during my lunch break that same day. Great customer service, clean environment and if you’re lucky there is a bowl of chocolate truffles at the front desk. Too bad I get my eyes checked only once a year…

This place was recommended to me by Tiffany T. — aka my partner in Unilocal.We both work at the same place so I asked her for a good place that took our insurance. I’d been wanting to get some contacts for a while. Making an appointment was very easy. The receptionists are very friendly and helpful. They do everything for you — insurance-​wise.
Even though I was «late» to my appointment — a slight communication error on my part — the Dr. was nice enough to squeeze me in. My eye exam was done in less than 1hr. I like how they combine the glasses and contacts prescription test in one. I even got my contacts right on the spot. I even got an extra pair to try on and wear out. It was great doing everything all in one. No hassle at all! I think I will come back in January to get a new pair of glasses.
This place is great if you have insurance with Stanford.

My frames and prescription were getting old, and I wanted to update my glasses to a more professional/​sophisticate look. So I went to my primary health care provider to get an update eye exam, only to be notified after the exam that they do not accept VSP. I went to numerous commercial establishment only to be told the same thing– ‘We do not accept VSP, but you can purchase your glasses from us and file a claim with your insurance.’ I HATE filing rebates, what makes you think I would like filing a claim?
Skip that headache and come here, they accept VSP and will do the paper work for you (+1 stars)! They were also very nice not to demand and charge me for another eye exam before helping me select my glasses (+1 star). Plus, I didn’t need to make an appointment to go select frames, I just walked right on in (+1 star).
I almost didn’t come in here as I was expecting astronomical prices and pushy sales people. In addition, my friend also couldn’t come with me at the last moment to help me pick out the frames. But have no fear, Michael is here (+2 stars)! His wonderful customer service made all the difference in my visit! There was a no pressure sales approach and I really love that!
The wall of frames can be intimidating, I didn’t even know where to start! Michael helped narrow down the choices with a few key questions and then we quickly tried on close to 15 pairs of frames. He is patient, honest, and has good aesthetic sense to tell me when he thought I tried on an unflattering pair of frames. We narrowed it down to five frames and he priced out everything for me. He chose out frames that were completely covered by insurance and some that weren’t. In the end I have a pair of glasses that I completely adore and my wallet isn’t too injured. Until next time Michael!