Smet Regine, OD in Costco

I had a fine experience at Costco with both my eye appointment and my new glasses, all of which, including contact lenses, cost me less than a pair of glasses generally cost me. Yes, it is no frills at all, but it seemed very competent and I can see!

Dr. Smet was very knowledgeable and I found her to be swift, pleasant, and efficient. The pricing for my contact fitting was very reasonable at $ 35, probably one of the lowest you’ll ever find in this area. Maybe it has to do with being affiliated with Costco. I highly recommend her services and will return for my next eye check up.

Definitely giving them two stars because of the nice office attendant, if it weren’t for her, I’d give one (preferably 0). The optometrist (much like a few reviews below said) acts like she has much better things to do. I will not be going back here ever again if I don’t have to.
I asked if I could try on 2 Sea-​green contacts (Fresh-​look) to try the color, and she only let me have one and said it’s because if she gives me two i might not go buy the contacts and just wear those… HUH…I just paid $ 90 for my exam, clearly I’m going to be buying contacts!
I would try a different Costco if that’s the reason you’re coming here. AND I would suggest to her that she finds a different career if she’s just too good for this one.

Recently delt with Dr Nguyen. The sample contacts she gave me just were not working. After a call she was willing to see me again, at no charge, and refit me for a new set. The new lenses are perfect! Thanks for the help and extra effort!

For the four-​eyed, blind walker that I am, I need these things called glasses. While Lasik is something I’d rather do later in life, glasses come in the short list of things I need after food, water, shelter, and clothing. Without it many of us can’t drive or function. Blurry-​vision, apparently, isn’t amusing to anyone.
About every year or so I update my prescription. With the little time I had, I gave my local Costco a quick call. They had a same-​day appointment available for a Tuesday evening. They had three openings starting at 5:45 p.m. and off I went. With a no-​thrills, no frills attitude I signed-​in and went through an initial screening process of checking for glaucoma and peripheral vision. This was included with the eye exam. The exam itself was short and sweet, as I presented my old prescription for a baseline. In about 15 minutes I was set with a new prescription and PD measurement (requested). The PD measurement was kindly given; as I was frank in stating I would probably buy my next lenses online.
While I love how both Dr. Regine Smet and the receptionist were not pushy at all, I felt like I had to ask a few questions to get a better picture (pun intended) of what my options were and their costs. I opted for an extra service of taking pictures of the back of my eyes, to that I later found out was an extra twenty bucks. While I wish I knew beforehand, I was glad to ask a ton of questions about the makeup of my optic nerve and the surrounding areas as a result of these pictures. I even learned what a fovea is and proceeded to Google the living crap out of it later.
Overall, the service is straightforward. It can improve and grow in information, however. Yet I know this eye exam office is in a high-​volume environment and suffers common satisfactory, personable efforts. On the contrary, it’s not a handholding session. It’s very quick exam, and there is room to grow.
Dr. Smet is a professional and very knowledgeable about everything your brain could wonder about vision. She doesn’t seem swayed, like many doctors, to endorse one product or another. Rather, she’ll tell you the facts and let you make your own decisions after laying out your options. Best of luck seeing –insert stupid and probably lame cliché pun here-.

I am a new patient with Dr. Smet and want to say how happy I am. Dr. Smet is friendly and professional and Tanya, her assistant is a sweetheart. But I am so happy with how accurate my presciption is for my glasses, probably the most clear I have had. I also got a prescription for computer glasses which came out perfect as well. It’s a big convenience to have an optometrist available at Costco, and Dr. Regine gets 5 stars from me.

Dr. Regine Smet is simply fabulous! I’ve been a patient of hers for just a few short years. The personal attention and timely appointments are vital for my busy schedule. Costco made an exemplary choice to have Dr. Smet at two of their locations.

I’ve been a patient of Dr. Regine Smet’s for 14 years. I’m a 54 year old, Long Beach resident, husband and father of 2 teenage girls. My wife and 2 daughters are also patients of Dr. Smet’s. LIke you, I’ve read these 1 star reviews, and the experiences these folks have had, and felt compelled to say otherwise.
After 14 years of excellent, professional, kind service for eye exams, contacts and glasses, I feel qualified enough to feel confident in my review. You’ll notice others may have had1 appointment, or made 1 phone call, and felt the need to leave a 1 star review. I’ve had 14 years of the highest level of service possible. Dr. Smet is even happy to take my off hours call because one of us got something in our eye, and it hurts like crazy. She helps us thru those moments.
Yes, the office is in a Costco. And, did you know Dr. Smet also practices at a 2^nd Costco location. That’s not something Costco just hands out. So, maybe the biggest negative I could give her is, I seem to always have the urge to conclude my office visit with a 60″ LED TV purchase, or enough Hot Dogs to feed an army. But, hey, that’s Costco!
Anyway, I’d recommend Dr. Smet to friends and clients without hesitation. From me, she’s earned 5 Stars.

Cool staff.

DONT WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY HERE! I’m very fair in all my reviews and rarely give a 1 star unless your really deserve it. They deserve less than a 1 star. Costco is not affiliated with them and they should be thankful for that! I wish I had come on here and read reviews before I wasted my time and money here. I have been wearing glasses and contact for the past 15 years. I have always gone to Sears Optical. Out of pure convenience since I shop at Costco anyways I thought I would give them a try. I had my first glasses exam with Dr. Nuygen who was very short and seemed like she had better things to do than to be there. That was the quickest exam I have ever had. Didn’t think anything of it and went and ordered my lenses to be fitted in my frames. Few days later I picked them up and couldn’t even walk! The ground was so far away and I felt like I was going to fall. Of course the optical office was closed so I had to call to make an appointment for a re-​exam and chose to see Dr. Smet instead of Nugyen and her bad attitude. The girls at the frames desk placed my old lenses back into my frames so I could at least drive. I went back the 2^nd time on ¹²⁄₂ and figured since I have to go back I will pay the difference and add on the contact exam at the same time. They figured out that somehow Dr. Nuygen wrote my prescription backwards, she swapped my eyes. They did not have contacts available for me and Acuvue Oasis does not make my new strength in contacts. Dr. Smet said she would order me 3 different brand samples and to try them out. I walked over to the frames dept and gave them my new prescription for my glasses. They called me at 3 different times for all the contact prescriptions (so keep in mind that is 3 separate trips to go get them) In that same time frame I got my glasses back and the prescription seemed fine! YAY. One sample of contacts felt fine but in all 3 samples my left eye was still to blurry. So I thought ok so at least we narrowed down what brand I like which was the 3^rd set I picked up, called to make an appointment to have them re-​examine my left eye. I walk in and tell her I like the 3^rd brand I picked up. She went and looked it up and they were the Toric 55’s. I proceeded to explain to her that my right eye is pretty clear but my left eye is not. She didn’t even bother to look at my eyes and said I will order you 3 left contacts with different Axis measurements and one right eye. FINE! I picked them up yesterday. I cant see out of any one of them including the right eye!!! How the hell does someone make this so complicated?! I have NEVER EVER had a doctor have to RE-​EXAMINE my prescription they have given me in 15 YEARS!!! If they knew what the heck they were doing there would have been no need for all of this and I would have gotten the proper prescription right off the bat. Now keep in mind I first walked into their office ¹¹⁄₂₁ each prescription she has re-​written she keeps dating ¹¹⁄₂₁ and if you know anything about eye exams they make you do it a year from the last one so she is ripping me off on my prescription. The date is now ²⁄₁₅ I still have yet to be able to purchase contacts! I left them a message letting them know I’m not happy and expect an immediate call back. The unfair part is my glasses are fine so I cant expect a refund for that portion of the exam. I can ask for the $ 55 back but if I have to go somewhere else they are going to charge me the whole amount as if it’s a new exam! Dont even get me started on the girls working the desk… they are more concerned about their looks and their cell phone then anything else. They should not be in business. My next step is to ask for their licenses and background to see if they really are optometrists. AGAIN, PLEASE DONT WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY HERE! ²⁄₁₅ left a message Never got a call back. Today is ²⁄₁₇ I called them and spoke to Tanya and said I either want a new exam or my money back. She placed me on hold for a while and came back and said they will refund me $ 55.00. Now I have to go somewhere else and pay full price for an all new exam but with the nightmare I went through here I’d rather go elsewhere and pay double… triple!

I’d leave minus 20stars if possible. Please read before waste your money. I went this place about a month ago and received refund just today. It is a most disorganized place with irresponsible arrogant doctors and a ridiculous front desk girl. I was upset because of their impolite services and they were acting very irresponsible for examining my eyes wrong. I can’t believe they are in costco!!!
※Warning they are no part of COSTCO!!! Worst of all!
The first day of the examination, the Dr. Nguyen was having a conversation with some lady whole time while examining my eyes. I really did not like that. After the examination, I was still seeing things blurry with the contact lenses. So, I complaint to the doctor that my vision is still not clear and feeling dizzy, but she ignored it. Instead, she told me IT’s common!!! When I went back home, my eyes turned so red and it was very PAINFUL and STRESSFUL:(
The day that I went back and DR. Nuygen re-​examed my eyes and she was freaking talking to me if I was annoying her. If she does not like to deal with her customers. she shouldn’t be working there. I could see on her face that she wanted me to leave soon so she can play with her phone again. She told me the powers are still same and told me that she doesn’t know what is my problem. And gave me different powers to try on after examining my eyea which was totally unacceptable to me. But, I knew something was wrong with the tester machine or her. So, I asked her to clean the phoropter lenses. and as I expected… my eye powers came out different after wiping the phoropter lenses.
1. IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE PHOROPTER LENSES WERE BLURRY «DIRTY».
2. SHE NEVER APOLOGIZE TO ME FOR COMING BACK BECAUSE OF SHE WAS NOT CAREFUL.
3. PUT LENSES IN MY EYES WITHOUT WASHING HER HANDS!
The front desk girl had ridiculous manners (or stupid) and told the manager (right in front of me) a false fact that I was complaining because I wasted my time and gases… She needs to think before she spit out words seriously. It was true though. I wasted my 89 dollars and time. Also, I was upset because of their impolite services and they were acting very irresponsible for examining my eyes wrong. I couldn’t trust them anymore. Infact, they never figured my eye powers. Also, they never gave me a prescription after the second exam.
I visited there for 5 times. I’m sick of their services. I decided to get refund because I did not want to deal with these ill-​mannered people. The manager (other doctor) did not apologize to me either.
※FINAL WARNING
I almost forgot to say that the doctor PUT LENSES IN MY EYES WITHOUT WASHING HER HANDS!
DISGUSTING PLACE!!! DON’T GO THERE! They are not even part of Costco !!

**warning, I’d leave zero stars, if it was possible”!
I woke up two days ago with a blood spot (large) on my eye. When it was worse the next day, I called to be seen because my family was worried about me.
Call #1, a friendly gal, she told me to just come in when I could get a ride. (Couldn’t drive myself in case I needed my eyes dilated). She warned me to come before school lets out (gets busy).
Call #2, to let them know I was on my way. She sounded different! When I got there, it was a different staff member. This gal was more concerned with her personal cellphone, than the patients. (This Optical trainee looked at my eye and said it did NOT look like a broken blood vessel, but a bad scratch).
Then, I met the not so friendly Dr. I’d seen her back in 2012, she wasn’t as burned out back then. This is where my $ 20 eye check (for the problem) turned into a full eye exam and update my prescription, at the cost of $ 109!!! They told me it had been 3 YEARS, I couldn’t believe it had been that long! That’s because it wasn’t! I turn on Unilocal and there’s my review from April 2012!!! This AM I realize she NEVER used drops and the light to check for a scratch, which is the ONLY way!!! What a CROOK!!! She also tried to get me to change the brand of contacts so she could charge me for fitting!!!
How sad it is that people use other people in distress (eye injury) to take advantage for profit!!! Now, I have to figure out how to get my eye looked at, as it worse again today!
This «dr» is located IN Costco. I do like purchasing my contacts and glasses there, but do NOT use this person! Not even for an urgent issue!
Pathetic!

Had the pleasure of speaking with a very condescending lady over the phone today by the name of Tanya. She was unwilling to help with my situation. Being new to the area, this is a place that I would never visit. She might need a training on the proper way to treat patients, due to the fact we are the ones paying her bills. Dr. Regine might think about who answers the phone and lack of professionalism in their office.