Polsinelli Optometry

I’ve been going to Dr. Polsinelli for eye exams, glasses and contacts for many years now and I’m always totally pleased with the outstanding care that I receive at his office. Dr. Polsinelli is very friendly, knowledgeable and professional and he’s one of those excellent rare and caring doctors who takes the time to answer any and all questions in ways that people can understand. I feel like he genuinely cares about my eye health and vision. I call him the Optometry Ninja because I have so many issues with my vision and Dr. P. is always is able to help. I just got a great new pair of reading glasses there that are making my life way better. They are super cute and were very reasonable with my insurance. His staff is great too. I highly recommend Dr. Polisinelli and his staff!

I went to Dr. Polsinelli yesterday for my first ever eye exam and I am extremely pleased. He is very friendly, he took the time to listen to all my questions, he’s very knowledgeable and makes everything very easy to understand. I would highly recommend him to anyone in San Francisco who’s looking for an optometrist.

All I can say is — BUYER BEWARE.
I am not happy with Polsinelli’s limited selection of eyewear, I am not happy with my purchase and I AM REALLY NOT HAPPY in that Polsinelli has a NO RETURN POLICY (I tried to return one of my two purchases 2 days after I picked up the frames because my insurance refused to cover them).
Excuse: Polsinelli does not honor a return or exchange on reading glasses because when the eyeglass (scripts) are put into frames the frames have to be heated up to mold the frame around the glass and evidently this heating process ruins the frame and it cannot be resold. HUH??? I have a prescription in ONE EYE (so you only heated up half the frame) and it’s a minor prescription.
I learned the hard lesson in my business dealings with Polsinelli and as such I am here to share this experience and warn you that — Polsinelli has a NO RETURN POLICY (if you purchase sunglasses — there is a 7-​day return policy for an EXCHANGE ONLY.) For me this kind of business practice of a no return policy is sketchy and feels dishonest which means I will no longer spend my flex spending $$$ with Polsinelli Optometry.

I’m so glad I found this place! Booking an appointment online made the process so much easier. The day before my appointment, I was also able to fill out my paperwork online, which made the appointment even faster.
Dr. Polsinelli is really nice and very professional. He talks to you a lot about about what he’s diagnosing and explains how the eye works. Who knew going to the eye doctor could actually be interesting?
I waited about 10 – 15 minutes for my appointment since it’s a busy time of year, and the staff was so incredibly apologetic. I was used to routinely waiting over an hour for my previous eye doctor! Their efficiency in maintaining their schedule meant that I was able to get my appointment done over my lunch break. As an east coast transplant, I’m frequently impatient with long SF wait times. Polsinelli Optometry respects your time, and they’re well worth the visit.

I relied on these Unilocal reviews before selecting him for an eye exam… what a mistake!
One of the worst experiences I have ever had! I worked in the Optical field for more than two (2) years and know good service from bad!
He kept me waiting for 45 minutes after my scheduled appointment time. After which, he breezed through the exam as if it were speed dating! They ordered the wrong prescription, then mailed it to the wrong address!
I’ll take my business elsewhere!

This morning I discovered that a screw had fallen out of my eyeglasses. After some Googling, I called Polsinelli Optometry (I’m not currently a client) to ask if they might help. The person I spoke with said that it was no problem, and that I could come in at any time. An hour later my glasses were fixed! This was no small feat, as these particular glasses have spring hinges, and ultimately required Dr. Polsinelli himself to complete the repair. They didn’t charge me a cent for this! Everyone in the office, including Dr. Polsinelli, was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. I’m beyond grateful!

Of the near two decades that I’ve sported glasses and contacts, I’ve never encountered an optician who better exemplifies competence, professionalism and customer-​centrism the way that Dr. Polsinelli does. His eye exams are efficient and thorough, and he takes the time to answer all your questions with a detailed medical rationale. At the same time, he makes you feel comfortable in all the small ways – by making conversation with you and sharing personal anecdotes with a sense of humor, both of which infuse a sense of personalization in what can otherwise be a rote and depersonalized process. When he says he will follow up with you within a given time frame, he follows through.
All that’s to say, I love this guy and this place, and I don’t impress easily. So lucky that I found him and that he takes my insurance!

I can’t remember the last time I was this satisfied with a business.
Some of my friends had recommended another optometrist, but I decided to give Polsinelli a try simply because it’s closer to where I live. I walked in without an appointment, got an examination pretty much right away, and purchased a set of contact lenses.
After a couple of days I realized the contacts needed to be tweaked so I called Polsinelli, got an appointment the same day, and after some additional testing, I walked out with a new set that were a much better fit (my eyes are a little quirky.)
Dr. Elio Polsinelli is very friendly, thorough, and takes the time to explain what he is doing and why. The staff are both professional and pleasant.
Highly, highly recommended.

Best eye doctor in SF! I’ve referred so may friends here and they all love it. Polsinelli is prompt, professional, and incredibly thorough. Would highly recommend this to anyone in the area!

First time as an adult visiting an Optometrist, so perhaps I don’t have much of a comparison. However, my visit as a teenager (back) east was less than pleasant, so I really wasn’t looking forward to the visit.
I found the office staff and Dr. Polsinelli to incredibly pleasant. I felt very comfortable in the office and with the eye exam. The Doctor took his time to explain all of the various tests and results that they performed on me. I left without feeling I had to purchase glasses/​lenses right then and there. Although I can get away with OTC readers (he recommended varying diopters for reading and computer work based upon my eyes), I suspect I will be going back to his office for prescription glasses at some point soon.
Definitely recommended.

This place was awesome! The place was clean and bright with a nice selection of glasses. The staff were welcoming, and helpful.
Dr. Polsinelli was great too! The exam was quick, easy, and very accurate!
I recommend this place highly. Terrific service!

I’ve been going to Dr. Polsinelli for a little more than 4 years now and I can’t imagine the day where I would ever willingly switch optometrists. When I began going here, I also made an appointment for my picky husband who was instantly hooked and has also been a loyal patient. Marta has always been so kind and they’re great at letting you know when it’s time for your check-​ups. The glasses and contact selection is always top notch. In my experience, the service from has been consistant since day one. This is my second review and once again I give it five stars.

Very rushed but efficient exam appointment.
Given trial contact lenses and later purchased contact lenses. Both were marked incorrectly right vs. left eye.
Next time i’ll save myself some money and headache and go to Costco Optometry and order myself — at least then i’ll be sure I get my right/​left correct.

Dr. Polsinelli is really great. He’s very knowledgable, thorough, so kind, and trustworthy. Someone on here put it perfectly; «he’s on it.» He’s always seen me right on time as well which is always appreciated. I can’t say enough good things about him, I feel like he truly has his patient’s best interests in mind, every time.
He’s given me great recommendations on products; seems like he’s always looking out for what’s most cost effective for the patient. Just one example, I had some issues with dry eye last year and he suggested I try a specific type of fish oil before doing anything else. He showed me the bottle, had me take a picture of it to capture the name/​ingredients, and suggested Amazon as the best (cheapest) place to buy it– I checked and he was right (about the price.) Also, the fish oil totally worked! He’s done this a few times with other products that he doesn’t carry in his office. I should also mention, I never felt like he was pushing a product on me just because he carried it which is why I trust his advice.
He’s pretty efficient with his eye exams, he knows what he’s doing! I have a busy schedule, I love that he’s efficient but never feel like I’m being rushed. He explains everything with as much or as little detail as you may need.
Highly recommend!

Dr. Elio Polsinelli is friendly, professional, detailed and generally, ‘on it’. He’s frequently listed as one of the best optometrists of the San Francisco Bay Area in various local magazines, and online sites. So, you can only imagine how full his appointment book is.
He’s fast and to the point. I think he’s an Aries, maybe a Virgo? On weekends, his office is packed to the gills, and bustling. If you book an appointment at that time he is short on help, and cannot accommodate everyone simultaneously, of course, so this causes some hiccups. I can see how some might interpret this as poor bedside manner. He doesn’t have a lot of time to chit chat or get overly deep.
Bring your patience and extra time, plus money for the parking meter, unless you use MUNI or Über or Lyft or other car-​sharing services. Make sure you’ve filled out necessary forms online, and arrive ready to look at glasses, if that’s what you’re in for. Choose on your own, or bring a trusted person to give feedback, as Dr. Polsinelli will be handling multiple patients at once. My husband found a really unique pair here.
Marta at the front desk is knowledgable, chic and organized. She also conducts an in-​take exam prior to meeting with Dr. Polsinelli.

Great office. Had my first eye exam here recently and found it very easy to set up. Exam itself was very straightforward, and did a great job of explaining all facets of the exam and findings. I’ll definitely be back.

Very professional and thorough. I recently moved to SF and went to have my annual eye exam. Firstly I was taken in on time which was great. I wear contact lenses and didn’t have any complaints but he still went ahead and did a thorough eye exam and that’s when I realized that my left eye had a prescription change. He had me try on and keep my new prescription contacts and evaluate how I felt and I could see the difference. It was great! Also during the visit when he discovered my mom had glaucoma and preferred herbal medicines he went out of his way to print out a research article on a tried and tested herbal remedy being used in Europe for glaucoma. I didn’t purchase my contacts or glasses from him as Costco had a better deal but I was very impressed and happy with his exam and prescription.
Just wanted to add that an optometrist is great to get your glasses or contacts prescription adjusted but for other eye problems would go to an ophthalmologist who is an eye doctor.

I love Dr. Polsinelli. He is great. I’ve been coming here for about 3 years now and everytime it is amazing service. If he thinks he is off about something he’ll take his time until he gets it right. He also talks to me like a normal person and not like I know all the fancy termonoloy that doctors use.
I’ve recommended 2 other people to him and both times they came back telling me about how awesome he is.
The wonderful ladies he has working with him in the front are great too even when you spend 2 hours picking out new frames (i’m horrible at picking out frames)
I’ve been coming here for years and will continue to come here so long as I keep living in San Francisco.

Dr. Polsinelli has the worst bedside manner I’ve ever encountered (I’m a nurse, so I know what I’m talking about). And that is a non-​negotiable for me when choosing a doctor. He was so rushed and short with me it was literally offensive. I know I have a lot of questions, but that’s part of your job buddy, sorry. His exam was so rushed, and his answers so abrupt, I almost got up and left. If you don’t have the time for new patients, just say so and provide excellent care to the ones you have.
AND THEN… he proceeds to tell me, «your optic nerves don’t look right, it could possibly mean you have multiple sclerosis» WHAT? WAIT! (ok so that’s not verbatim, but close enough. And for an anxious person like me, that’s all I heard). If that’s the case, there is an appropriate way to tell a patient with some tact and compassion. That is not news you drop on a person, and then rush them out the door practically in tears, and then try to sell them $ 700 glasses. I turned out to be just fine, but thanks for the scare of a lifetime and the disrespect. Stop investing money in that fancy office and invest in a people skills training course. WILL NEVER BE BACK.

Hi All!
Dr. Polsinelli is awesome! He was friendly, informative, and thorough. If you need contacts, glasses, sunglasses or anything eye-​wise, this is the place to go!
I’ve worn glasses since I was six, so this wasn’t my first walk in the park, and this was the best experience I’ve ever had. They have high tech equipment, a very comfortable and aesthetically pleasing office, and friendly Staff. I do want to remark that their Receptionist, Martha I believe, was super helpful, efficient and pleasant from my initial call to paying and leaving.
The examination is very thorough, they will try to get you to take every test in the book, but it is all included — no extra costs. You can opt out of some tests like the pupil dilation, etc. if it isn’t immediately necessary and return to have the tests when it is more convenient at no extra cost.
Dr. Polsinelli even took the time to explain color vision to me from a medical perspective (I’m color deficient) and I learned that I actually see different colors then you Norms because my cones (type of eye cell that processes light on the color spectrum) process light from the color spectrum differently.
Alright, I’m out, thanks for reading and know that this is a great place to come for all vision needs or just to buy sunglasses!
Best!
Brandon