Ioptics

This is hands down the best optical shoppe in Sarasota! All great designer frames, funky and fresh styles! Both Sharon and Holly are great and know what frames work the best for you. So if you are tired of the boring typical frames you find everywhere else and want to take a walk on the wild side then IOptics is the place for you!

I knew before I entered IOPTICS that it was special, but I didn’t know how pleasant my experience would be. Sharon and Holly are not pushy, they listen, they are very experienced, and up front about prices. This is not a bargain basement, but when it comes to my eyes I want to have confidence that the frames will be right for me and for the lenses. If you want real quality and top-​of-​the-​line professional service, you won’t be disappointed. And I love my new Swissflex progressives!

As a former accounting professional, starting a new late second career in optics, I have visited a number of optical shops in the Bradenton/​Sarasota area. I am currently doing a directed research project as one of my final classes in the HCC Opticianry Program which requires me to visit a number of shops. I am interested in learning about the products being offered and the professionalism and service levels of the individual establishments. Unfortunately, many of the shops are what I would call cookie cutter type retail type chain stores, that are carrying the same products that all of the others do and base their sales concept on pricing. Some although fewer and fewer these days base their business concept on expediting processing of spectacles; which if the truth be told is not feasible with respect to the finest optics available these days. Excellence in optics has transitioned to digital free form technology which in a nutshell makes thousands of exacting cuts in the spectacle lenses based on the curvature and axis rotation and wearing specifications of the patient. The machinery to create these individually crafted lenses is extremely expensive and unaffordable for the independent or even individual franchise location, it takes a major wholesale lab or central hub to cut the finest available lenses these days.
All this being said, when I went into Ioptics to browse I was amazed at the exquisite collection of beautiful spectacle frames. I have been to a number of optical boutiques in the past but never seen such a varied assortment of fine eye-​wear. That being said I was greeted by an optician who was cheerful and friendly and asked if she could help me. I told her that I am in my final semester in school and learned she is the proprietor of the shop. Sharon told me to go ahead and feel free to look around and told me to ask her any questions I had that could possibly help me with my project. While looking at a her collections, several other people came into the shop and were similarly greeted in a very friendly and unassuming manner. I was able to listen in on a customer selecting a frame which included color and fashion consulting as well as painstaking attention to the patients RX needs and lifestyle, both of which are important in selection of the best frame and lenses. As the patient was consulted there was no indication that a sale was of the most importance and much attention was given to assure that the customer was indeed very happy with their selection.
I waited until the customer decided to complete the purchase and then observed the measurements and lens consultation. As the customer left I stayed and chatted with Sharon about they lenses she utilizes and learned that she prefers to do the digital free form only whether it be for progressive lenses or for single vision; as I mentioned previously I strongly feel that this is the only way to go these days. Sharon also explained to me her inspection process detail and I can assure you that it by the book and then some.
I am very impressed with Ioptics in Sarasota. It is definitely not a shop for people that are primarily price conscious, but it is one for people that are concerned with the finest optics, fashion, and friendly service professionalism available.

If you are looking for great eyewear and expert service IOPTICS is the place to go!
This store is one of a kind and owner and staff are great, I had an informative expierience shopping for eyglasses at IOPTICS.
Sharon Katzman the owner helped me discover that eyeglass shopping could be fun. She welcomed me in the store, made me feel comfortable and started picking glasses for me to try on that she thought would look good on me, while instructing me on the different shapes and sizes that flatter and compliment my face.
She helped me think out of the box and not just go right to the basic frame I would normally go to. After many pairs that I either loved or dismiised we found the PERFECT pair. Alain Mikli frames, She then suggested the lens that would best fit my needs so i could get the most out of my new glasses.
They really took care of me and mafe me feel comfortable!

I was back in NY and went into the store I use there. I asked for teal glasses and Ruth pulled out a pair that fit perfectly and were… teal!

Places like this are way out of my price range. However, it was Dr. Andrew’s birthday and he had been on the look out for some good quality high end sunglasses. I think that this place carries the most expensive sunglasses there is.
Originally we were looking for some Mykita’s which are from Germany but are hard to find anywhere in the US. I found IOPITCS in a google searching, looking up «Mykita and Sarasota, FL». As soon as they came up and I read more about them we decided to check them out. They have many different brands of high end European good quality sun glasses, and regular glasses as well.
To our disappointment, they did not have any Mykita sunglasses, only eye glasses. However, I told her what we liked about the Mykitas. That they were durable, had thin frames, etc. She told us that there was another brand that met that description, at an even better price range. When we saw the glasses she directed us to, we instantly fell in love. We would have never known about this brand/​type if it weren’t for her, but she actually listened to what we were looking for and directed us in the best direction!
She wasn’t being pushy, trying to get us to buy things that we didn’t want, she was genuinely trying to help and she sure did! She offered us bottled water as soon as we came in and greeted us immediately with a big smile. She was fantastic and has the perfect customer service skills, I could even learn from her! Again, she was so friendly and helpful.
Due to her fantastic service and the sunglasses she directed us to, we decided to buy them. We told her that we were from California and she sent us home with extra items, with some sun glass cleaner, with wiping clothes, and full directions on how to treat these glasses. She gave us her card and let us know that we can call her if we ever need anything or have any questions. We had about 4 more days left in Sarasota and she told us to come back before we left if we needed any assistance at all. She also adjusted the sunglasses that we bought to fit Dr. Andrew’s face.
Although the glasses were about $ 100.00 — $ 150.00 more than we could have found them online for, her service was so fantastic that we wanted to buy it from someone that we trusted and would help us in the long run. If we bought them online and needed any assistance, it would be non-​existent. IOPTICS was definitely the place to go to buy great quality sunglasses and receive great customer service for life.

Ioptics Eyewear-​Burns Court-​Buyer Beware!
This is a high-​end eyewear boutique with high-​end prices. Unfortunately, the customer service doesn’t match the product. They are quick to take your $$-but if there is a problem they blame the customer and refuse to help. Think twice before spending your hard earned $$ in this place