Focus Optical

Words can’t explain how great this place is. Focus optical has an enormous selection of designer glasses and sunglasses at very affordable prices. The Optometrists are very nice and patient and they treat you like family! My prescription lens order was very complex but they still managed to get them ready after only 3 days with unbeatable prices. Very professional optical place! Nothing negative to say.

I am writing to tell the true story which happen to me today, and I promise I will tell the truth only and would not exaggerate a bit. What happen to me today, and the service they provide does not worth a single star, I would give them a zero star review if I can.
If you don’t have time to read the whole story, please just read the following paragraph. If you are interested in what happen to me, then please read through the whole story.
Don’t go to this store, this store try to sell the glasses frame which is not a correct size for the customer and they don’t care about after sale service. The store owner got a very bad attitude and she is not professional at all. The protection film on the glasses come off in six months and the glasses frame got broken in a year.
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I am a long time customer of this store since 2003, and my wife and I have purchased eye glasses from them over 12 years. The latest glasses I purchased from them has several problems, the arms has fallen off twice and the screws is always loose. So, I have come back to this store to get it fix several times already. Today, my glasses arm has fallen off again and I lost the screw, so I asked the store owner, Lin, to help me to get it fixed again.
Actually, I have realized that the glasses I got last time does not really fit my face, in size wise. And I go to internet and do a little research and found out that even the same style of glasses has different size, so my glasses is not in correct size for me and this makes the arms stretch out a lot, which is 30 degree outwards on each arm. I think this is the reason why my glasses arm always fell off as there is excess stress on the arm.
So, I talked to Lin while she is fixing my eye glasses, I asked her «does the same brand, same model of glasses has different size?» she replied me yes and so I told her that I want to get another pair of glasses from her store and I want to make sure this time my eye glasses is correct size for me. I told her that my current glasses which bought from her is too small and the arms is going out too much. Then Lin said she is professional and all the eye glasses arms should not be parallel, they should go outwards and she would bend the arms of the glasses for the customer and make the arms in circular arc shape, like a letter «O» as she said. So, I asked her to take off her glasses to see if her glasses is in O shape, which is not. And then Lin said that it’s all my face problem, it’s the problem of my face which only O shape bending arms could fit on me. Then, I told her that there are many different style of glasses in the market and there should be one which suits me perfectly, and there are different sizes for the same model of glasses, I want to pick a correct one this time. Then Lin suddenly became mad and said the current glasses that she picked for me is correct, it’s the only glasses which suit me. And she said she is professional, I am not, and she said I don’t know anything.
After her yelling, she has finished fixing my glasses. She returned the glasses to me and I found out that the new screw stick out a lot and it is too sharp. She said that if I don’t have a kid at home, then I should not bother. Then, I told her that my glasses arms is imbalance now and I wanted her to adjust it. Then, she took my glasses and said, «If I break it, I am not responsible.» Then, Lin started to twisted my glasses and I could see she is mad and she uses too much force on my glasses. I told her to stop twisting my glasses and don’t twist my glasses from the center, (where two pieces of glasses meet). Now, Lin yelled at me that she is professional and she knows how to fix it and not me. And Lin said, she wants me out of her store and she is going to call the security. Lin said she does not want customer, and she does not care about her business. She wants to reject me.
I got my eye glasses back and found that my two pieces of glasses are not on the same plane anymore. It really looks weird when I put it on, people can tell my glasses are on different angle when looking at me. I talked to the other staff and he told me that Lin has been behaved like this, always get mad with the customer, and it is not the first time.

This place is great for eye exams and glasses! I recently ran out of contacts, so I went to Focus Optical just to get an updated prescription. Their services and prices were so enticing, however, that I ended up getting a pair of glasses as well. At other places I’ve visited, adding on perks like high index or anti-​reflective lenses would make glasses way too pricey. But at Focus Optical, I was able to add those features to my lenses for an affordable price. The service is great, turnaround of glasses is fast, and Dr. Liao is sweet and personable, as are the assistants out in the front. Also, I can go in and get my frames adjusted to my taste whenever I want. Highly recommend!

I ran out of contacts and my prescription expired a few years ago, so I decided to visit this place. I used to go to InSight Optometry in Hercules, but since I don’t have VSP anymore, I figured I should go back to my roots. I haven’t been here in 7 – 10 years but the optometrist is still the sweet and kind person I once knew. Dr. Liao was able to pull up my record from a decade ago, which made me feel nostalgic and comfortable at home.
I called today (Saturday) at 11am and was able to schedule an appointment the same day at 2pm. I was in and out of there quick. I think it was less than 30 minutes. Maybe 45 minutes max.
I don’t know the rates for an eye exam nowadays, but here at Focus Optical it is $ 96 for a comprehensive exam with contact lens fitting. That’s the price for someone with no insurance. The lady in the front desk stated they accept VSP, but I can’t confirm that since I don’t have insurance.

Came by last weekend to check out the possibilities of getting a new optometrist. So this review focuses on my appointment for today in which I met the wonderful and kind Dr. Jane Liao. I liked her very much. She’s a Taiwanese lady that grew up in Brazil and somehow graduated from U.C. Berkeley’s school of optometry. Dr. Jane strikes me as a very brilliant woman and also very cool.
I needed to update my contact lenses and also update my optometrist since I now own a home in Albany next to the Pacific East Mall where Dr. Jane can be found at least once per week, generally on Saturdays. I have a follow up appointment for next Saturday. She gave me the latest technology in contacts, the Acuvue Oasis style. So my one paid appointment gets me a free set of contacts with a free follow up appointment next Saturday. I gave her $ 96 for the entire work up with two prescriptions: one for glasses and one for contacts. Upon careful examination, Dr. Jane determined that I have normal pressure in both eyes with some slight clouding of the left lens. Not too bad for a mid-​60s client. My brother by this time had cataracts in both eyes. I apparently have worn sunglasses much more often and have a perfectly clear right lens, and a left lens that can still be resolved to ²⁰⁄₃₀. My brother was so happy with his cataract surgery, but I’ll not be following that pathway for a little while yet.
Dr. Jane is the mom of two small children and lives near San Jose. Once they are both in school, I’ll likely have more appointment options as she’ll visit this office more than once per week. For the time being, I’m very happy to have her within walking distance of my Albany Hill home on Saturdays. Thank goodness she’s practicing so very close to me.
For people who want to do things in Pacific East Mall on a Saturday afternoon, you must have patience in order to park in the lot. I recommend parking on the street just south of the Mall. Also don’t go to Central Avenue to get back on the route ⁸⁰⁄₅₈₀ freeway, or you will be in a line of 30 or 40 cars having to wait through many green light cycles. Instead drive south on Pierce Street to Buchanan. Take a right at the light and enter the route ⁸⁰⁄₅₈₀ freeway with no hassles. As a resident of this street right next to the Mall, I always come home by exiting on Central Avenue and turning right on Central, then right again on Pierce Street. I leave home to get on the freeway by going down Pierce to Buchanan and then right to the freeway entrance. Very smooth if you go in this clockwise manner. The counterclockwise pattern causes slow frustration. Word to the wise.

I just got my prescription glasses from Focus Optical. They were really fast, and the service was great. They have a good selection of frames, though it is a bit of a jumble. The staff really seems to care about the fit of your frames, and how satisfied you are with the final product. It is not a great deal, nor a rip off when compared to other places. Just very good service, and a fast turnaround.

Me and my husband got glasses here and collectively spend close to $ 1000. I wear mine everyday at night for 1 – 2 hour and started noticing that one of the lenses, the anti-​reflective coating was coming off. So, one of the lenses looks very blotchy and blurs my vision a little bit. Today, I went in to ask the owner lady about it and she basically told me that I have to get my lenses replaced out of pocket. I emphasized that obviously, something was wrong with the way they were made or else, why would just ONE lens be doing this? And so soon after I got them? She looked at me like I was crazy. No apology, no nothing. I will never ever come back here again.

Ok it is the fact. I went to Walmart Optical, tried an no name frame and they quote me frame + lens = $ 320 + tax. And I was almost want to get it but somehow they were saying that is the last frame and I have to get that display and they will give me $ 10 off. And I decline that offer. So I have been searching until my friend refer me here. I got an Oakley Frame with same lens (high index, anti-​glare, transition) for $ 346 tax included and I paid cash. They knocked it off $ 7 more bucks. So I am very happy about it. The glasses was a little slow. Which the owner already told me it will because of the July 4^th weekend. Since I am not in rush anyway, I don’t have a problem. I got my glasses today and using it right now. It is very comfortable and it is new frame. :-) Thank you, I am very happy with what I got and the deal is great. Highly recommended.

I really appreciate the prices and service at Focus Optical. It is in the Pacific East Mall, aka Ranch Plaza. After looking at a few other companies for a pair of prescription reading glasses, I went to Focus Optical. Within a week my glasses were ready and the pricing could not be beat. They are open to discounting their
frames and lenses and the service was wonderful. Highly recommend them. We had no problems with the service. They were very helpful.

Very poor customer service. They only care if you have money to spend other than that they are just a bunch of typical cheap sales people, must be an asian trait (I’m part asian so I know). Had me wait nearly an hour serving undecisive customers when I just wanted to know if I could get my sunglasses repaired (this is not a fabricated lie). Taking advantage of sales they have here is the only reason to buy but that’s rare because the people here are Chinese, I’m just sayin.

This is the best value around for eyeglasses. While english is a second language for them, their Walnut Creek lab always makes good glasses for me and my wife. We also pay about 50% of what the same glasses would cost in San Francisco. We’ve been going to Focus optical for 7 years and have never had any problems. Its worth pricing out that pair of glasses here before paying through the nose somewhere else.

One thing I’ve always appreciated about Unilocal is how I can use it to help out small businesses. For eyeglasses, steer away from Lens Crafters or Site for Sore Eyes, and check out Focus Optical in Pacific East Mall (aka 99 Ranch Plaza). The staff is helpful, the selection of designer glasses is large, and the prices are very competitive. What may easily cost you $ 400-​$ 500 at other places can be found here for about $ 300. Also, the price of 1.60 high index lenses + anti-​glare coating is about ¹⁄₃ what Lens Crafters charges.
What truly impressed me was how they dealt with my buyer’s remorse. I bought a frame that was too large and came back the next day for an exchange. Because my lenses needed to be trimmed and reshaped for the smaller frame, I was ready to pay the extra cost. Although they spent over one hour refitting my lenses, they didn’t charge me a dime.
I know this mall is frequented by UC Berkelely students, so here’s a note to all fellow Cal Bears: The next time you head to 99 Ranch, stop by Focus Optical and you’ll be surprised by how the service, selection and prices will beat what you’d find at Tang Center or Minor Hall.