Spex in the City

I had my second adult eye exam ever yesterday with Dr. Hamilton (the first was with another optometrist in Oregon) and I was extremely impressed. I am new to issues with my vision and Dr. Hamilton blew me away with his thoroughness, in-​depth explanations, and focus on over-​all eye health. He took the time to explain to me what was happening with my eyes and gave a likely projection of what would happen in the future. The other exam I had a few years ago covered none of this and I ended up with an incorrect prescription. The staff was welcoming and answered all of my questions when it came to ordering new lenses for my existing frames and how the process would work (including costs incurred) if I wanted to switch to contacts. I will definitely be back to see Dr. Hamilton again!

After my second eye exam and third pair of glasses I give Kudos to Dr. Hamilton for not just going through the motions. He forces you to understand what is going on with your eyes. His staff is held to high standards, and as a result, the same people have served me in his office for the past year. And nobody on the team, including Dr. H, take themselves too seriously!

This place was okay. Not one of the best shops I’ve been to in my 38 years, but it’s because of the doc, not the staff. The doc was dismissive and condescending toward a concern I brought up about waste regarding daily wear lenses and actually rolled his eyes and sounded annoyed. He said they were recyclable. While they are made of recyclable material, the size of the lens cases the single use lenses ship in are too small to be processed by many recycling facilities, so they often end up in the trash anyway. I didn’t like his attitude.
After 30 years of not finding comfortable contact lenses for my really weird prescription he was certain I just hadn’t been introduced to the right lens, even after I assured him that I’ve tried multiple new lenses most years. The lenses he ordered me were tolerable and I was tired of glasses so I ordered them, but they were not ideal and the quality actually was worse with each new box. I thought maybe he ordered them from somewhere discounted that isn’t the manufacturer site? They weren’t great, or even good.
I went to another optometrist and BINGO! Right away he found a lens that is comfortable in spite of my astigmatism and dry eye issues. Friendly and no attitude to boot. I won’t go back to Spex in the City even though they have friendly staff.

Horrible customer service, expensive glasses for what you get, lengthy return time on the glasses… read on if you would like to know the facts. :(
I’m not one for writing bad reviews-​I don’t believe I’ve written one ever. With that being said, it must be done. I wanted to really enjoy Spex as they have a decent selection of glasses, are in my hood, are a small business, and the owner patiently helped me find three different, unique pairs and totally dared me to change my look, but I’ll still have to rate them a one star because of my overall experience. A year ago, I ordered the glasses you will see in the photo. The glasses took seven weeks to come in, and I had to contact them to check on their status. Come to find out, they had been sitting there for a week already. Because the owner felt bad, he gave me 50% off on my next pair. Since I needed a new pair of sunglasses, I thought why not. These came more quickly than the time before, but the lens is damaged. I tried to take it in, and the owner thought I was seeing things and needed to get my eyes checked (I just had them checked). I will be taking these frames back to Costco to have them replace the lens, so I can actually wear them.
Shortly after this, my first pair of glasses became severely scratched and the frames «diamonds» popped out. These glasses you see below seem pretty cheaply made even though they were quite costly even with insurance. I’ve had glasses since I was in 4^th grade, so I know how to take care of them.
I gave them a go one last time with my last pair. Needless to say, it went much like the time before. I ordered the frames in September-​the lab lost my frames. Once again, no one called me to let me know. I had to choose another pair, and I’m unhappy with these. I got these in December-​four months later. Frankly, I chose them out of frustration. I will not go here again. I should’ve just gone to Costco like I usually do. Cheaper, better made, awesome customer service, and timely return on my glasses. Costco has fewer options than this place, but that’s ok. Good luck to you if you decide to go here.

Good people trying to do good things, but they failed pretty bad with the prescription (twice and needed a recheck), and they cut the lenses wrong, too – for three pairs of glasses (one sun, two normal, all single lens). Lack of communication internally and with customers drew out the transactions for two months. Manager was gruff even though I was willing to work with them to try again.
Luckily, I found Paris Miki Optical in Uwajimaya’s market. Twice the selection, all coatings included, turned the job in an hour, and very efficient and professional.

If it goes well, it goes well. Otherwise, expect frustration and first-​world suffering.
Be prepared to be in charge of your own customer service. Be prepared to wait 5 (five!) weeks for a pair of glasses that are scheduled for no more than 10 business days. Be prepared to be received as a nuisance when you’re not happy about these issues.
As summarized in all the other reviews — there’s a very very good eye doctor here who’s very smart while the owner and customer-​service side of things are very random in terms of quality. Either you get the service as promised or you get swept under the rug and ignored if things don’t go according to plan.
I came in here since it seemed to be the better of the two options I had under my vision plan at the time (Davis Vision). Eye exam was good. Casey and the owner helped me along to select the frames I wanted. Then I was sort of forgotten about while they had a conversation with some other customer. They apologized when they noticed I was idling around after figuring out which frames I wanted and said the lady they were talking to was from New York and was chatting them up. I said I was from New York too and that they would have had about 5 more minutes before I became ‘the customer from New York.’ We laughed about it… sort of. Looking back, this was the first sign of more non-​amusing things to come.
It was June 30^th and I wanted to make sure I got my glasses before I moved out of Seattle. I ended up moving on July 10^th and the glasses weren’t ready. They said the lab made an error and needed to re-​do the order. Two more weeks. OK. As long as I got the pair before my first day of a new job on August 3^rd, no problem. They said they’d ship them to me at no charge. Then they cheaped out big time and sent them the slowest way possible (USPS Parcel Post). It took over a week for them to arrive. Then I noticed the postmark was 4 days later than they said. That’s right, Unilocalers, they shipped an already-​late order four days even later and then sent it as cheaply as possible. When calling to find out the status of all this, even the staff were surprised to hear this case was still ongoing.
I finally received them and, as expected, the only people speaking with me were front-​end people when I called. The owner was always unavailable or had some other excuse to dodge me. No partial refund was allowed since «everything was a co-​pay.» Direct voicemails addressing the owner were ignored. They offered a ‘free warranty’ in case I scratch the lenses in the next few years. I didn’t want to risk waiting another five weeks if that were to happen so they finally relented and let me send back a different pair of frames to get the lenses updated. It was turned around in less than a week (good!) but even that had a problem since there’s now a small gap between the frame and lens on one side. I’m a little tired of this place so off I go…

This review is not based on Dr. Hamilton. He’s the best Optometrist I’ve ever had. It’s based on the terrible staff. I’ve been going to Spex in the City for 3 years. For the first 2 years, I was always having to deal with a rude and bitchy receptionist. The only pair of glasses I’ve ordered from them took 6 weeks to arrive. And most recently, I arrived for my appointment that had been scheduled for 3 months, and I received blank stares from the staff, was told that I must be in the wrong location and that I can’t be found in their system, therefore I’m not a patient of theirs and don’t have an appointment. After I explained to them that I’ve been going there for years and I am in the correct location, they suddenly find my chart and tell me that they don’t have a doctor there until the afternoon. No attempt to schedule me again. No apology. I give up on this place. It’s a shame because Dr. Hamilton is great. Unfortunately, you have to deal with shoddy staff.

Before I went to Spex, I thought eye doctors were interchangeable gatekeepers of my contact lens prescription. After an appointment with Dr. Hamilton, I now believe eye appointments have a purpose besides authorizing refills! Dr. Hamilton is without a doubt the most knowledgeable optometrist I have ever seen, and he explained everything he was measuring clearly and simply as he went. I really appreciated that he made it a priority I understand my eye care. Furthermore, it’s obvious that Dr. Hamilton is abreast of translational and clinical research in his field.
He explained why the contact brand I had been using my whole life was inferior to some of the other options available and gave me copious samples. When there was a problem with my insurance about covering the visit, he smoothed it over quickly. I will certainly be recommending Spex to my friends!

Ok. I’m changing my rating for Spex after numerous very positive experiences with ordering my contact lenses from them. Really prompt and speedy and efficient service!

Dr. Hamilton and his staff members are honestly as good as it gets! Let me start by saying… reading through Unilocal reviews, I had mixed feelings about going to Spex in the City. Some people raved about the clinic, while others had terrible experiences. But these bad reviews always seemed to do with scheduling, never with the Dr.‘s abilities. This is ultimately how I made my decision because I can deal with schedule mixups, but my eyes are important and I need a good optometrist! Also the few bad reviews seemed to be a bit outdated. Anyway… here are my honest thoughts about Spex in the City:
Scheduling: I called, they answered, everything went smoothly and I received great customer service aka he was very nice on the phone and seemed competent at his job
Before the appointment: They called 2 days before to remind me, which was great. I had it in my calendar, but they seemed to have the right time/​date on their end. So to me it seems as though the clinic has figured out the scheduling issues perfectly!
Parking: there is a tiny lot underneath the little square with several parking spots. There is 1 hour parking outside on 65^th for free. Paid parking on Roosevelt (up to 4 hours). I ended up parking 2 blocks away by Ravenna because it was free and a 2 hour time limit.
Checking in: A cute, small optical shop with very funky, trendy, classic, and standard frames to choose from. Felt cozy, but not crowded or uncomfortable. The gentleman up front (not Mario, but the other one whose name I can’t remember -.-) was helping someone else, but asked Mario to assist me with checking in. They gave me new patient papers, I filled them out, and was called in by Dr. Hamilton 5 minutes past my appointment time.
Dr. Hamilton: I was okay with the appointment starting late however, because I could tell that the woman before me seemed to be asking a lot of questions, but Dr. Hamilton wasn’t rushing her to leave or cutting his answers short. So, before I even saw the Dr., I could tell he knew what he was talking about, was good at talking to patients and making them feel comfortable, and explained everything very thoroughly! Basically my first impression was great – this guy has been doing this for years and knows what he’s talking about! Throughout the visit, my thoughts on him were all accurate. He was very up-​to-​date about recent research on eyes, especially when it came to contact lenses and solution. Turns out the solution I’ve been using (Kirkland) is pretty much toxic to the eye and can cause some serious damage, like most chemical contact solutions… why has no optometrist ever brought this up?! I’ve been wearing contacts for over 8 years! He also adjusted my prescription because apparently I got «ballparked» by the last optometrist I saw so my glasses have been straining my eyes and causing headaches! The Dr. himself is very down to earth, honest in his clinical talk (and other conversation), and is really just super knowledgeable about everything eye-​related (like it should be!). What I loved most is that he didn’t try to show his intelligence by throwing scientific terms at me; he explained everything very thoroughly and made sure I understood what he was talking about. Bottom line… BEST OPTOMETRIST I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED.
After the visit: The only con I can even think about with this whole experience here is that the frames are a bit pricey. But they are very unique! You are paying for amazing service and quality of care. I have them holding onto 2 frames for me that I am still deciding on because I am going to look elsewhere for frames that they can order in for me (I am way too picky about glasses… woops). The guy whose name I can’t remember looked everywhere (and in the back) for frames that would be perfect! He was very patient and good at looking for the kind of glasses I want. Anyway… then I paid my copay (they take check and card; didn’t ask about cash) and left happily :)
Bottom line: Only come here if you want the perfect prescription, great advice on contacts/​solution and other eye care, patient and fast service, and a very knowledgeable and experienced optometrist to help you take care of your eyes!

I don’t have anyone else to compare them too & I get a bit of sticker shock from the eyeglass market in general so I hesitate to give them five stars. However, you could easily pay more for glasses around Seattle. I enjoyed my eye exam & Mario (the proprietor) is a charmer. I will be going back in the future & would be happy to change my review to 5 stars as I get a better understanding of this market.

My wife and I have been patronizing Spex in the City for nearly four years. We have had our eyes satisfactorily examined there by Dr. Hamilton. The owner, Mario, as well as his staff, provides outstanding service, even when we stop by only to get our glasses adjusted. Mario has earned our trust and loyalty.

It took nearly eight weeks and seven trips to the store for me to receive my contacts and glasses. This was due to an incorrect prescription, poor communication, lost frames, and scratched lenses. I paid several hundred dollars out of pocket in addition to my insurance. They even mailed me a package with a glasses case but no glasses. When I did receive my glasses the prescription was still wrong. At this point I am no longer willing to deal with them and can only warn others to avoid this business.

One of the only places that takes my vision insurance, and with such a great selection and helpful staff, I was in and out of there in 15 minutes. Much less painless than when I’ve had to buy glasses in the past.

I just called and tried to make an appointment here. I’m new to the Seattle area and in search of a new eye doctor. Here is how the conversation went:
Me: «Hello. I was hoping to make an appointment for tomorrow, if possible.»
Man who answered: «Tomorrow?»
Me: «Yes, if possible.»
Man: «No.»
Me: «No?»
Man: «No, we’re fully booked tomorrow.»
Me: «Okay…»
Man: «Thank you, bye.»
Umm…rude?! I guess they’re not interested in getting new customers.

I actually logged into Unilocal for the first time in years today bc i loved the service so much at spex in the city.
I am a mom of a young child who doesn’t have a babysitter except for a few hrs on Mondays. So when i called Mario told me the drs are not in on Mondays. I told him my problem and he found me the nearest appt. And after joking together about kids he even offered to take care if my little girl while i was in the appt. I decided to go on a Saturday though and told him it was too bad that it was so long from now since one contact lens went down the drain. He told me to come in and he’d give me a pair to wear until the appt.
I went in and he couldn’t have been nicer. He not only gave me a spare pair but he gave me a couple boxes of new comfortable dailies to try out until my appt and back up monthly contacts in case this happens to me again. He also tightened up
My glasses which i just gave him to check my Rx. In addition he gave me lens solution a cleaning cloth and a case for my glasses that i had worn into the store and didn’t want to wear out. I thanked him for his many kindnesses that are not all included here and he said he wanted to see me come back. I assured him he would see me again.

I made an appointment, but then got 4 calls from them. Each employee who works there called to ask me the same question. Then they called to see if anyone called me back. It’s called communication: do it with each other.
When I arrived early with my son, we started looking at frames. A guy came in and had his appointment time (30 minutes after mine) wrong. They had him go in first, and did not even ask me if it was O.K.
Seriously, you make a woman with a child wait, because some guy got his appointment time wrong?
At this point, the skill of the doctor is not relevant.

This placed messed up appointments twice for my family.
The eye doctor is great but there are better options out there.
Maybe getting a new receptionist and doing a remodel would help bring this place into the 21^st century???

I’ve had glasses all my life and Spex in the City was a –truly– transformative experience. I loved the way that Dr Hamilton told me the purpose of every small check and procedure. By doing this, he got me to understand why for a prescription an eye exam is so materially different from getting your glasses scanned. I learned that a doctor’s friendly manner at its best gets you to offer information about your health that you wouldn’t have ever known to say.
A word to all the **school teachers** out there under NBN: this IS the place for you. Elizabeth in the front end is very knowledgeable about your insurance and will make the claims process nonexistent. Dr Hamilton also makes it a priority to look out for us. I was told that five star reviews get tossed out when Unilocal averages ratings, so here’s my four. What you should know though is that I’m still thanking my lucky stars for stumbling onto a place that gave me far and away the best eye doctor /​glasses experience that I’ve ever had.

I would strongly recommend Spex in the City to anyone looking to establish care with a new optometrist. Dr. Hamilton is both fun and professional. He comes across as very confident and able. I have been working with him to get fitted for my first ever pair of contacts and it has been a pleasure. He spent my eye exam teaching me interesting facts about my own vision and joking with me. I felt very at home. I even learned an interesting fact about the potential dangers of contacts and swimming in natural waters.
Dr. Hamilton listened to closely to what my contact needs were and took this in to account when he helped me select the brand and type to use. He mentioned some ultra-​thin new contacts coming on the market the end of June he felt would be the best fit for me. I was intrigued. When he offered to put me on a list of interested clients and promised some trial boxes I was delighted. He also provided me enough samples to meet my modest contact needs until they came out. (I planned to wear them less than once a week) Overall I was very impressed with the level of care and concern.
The office is easy to locate set near the Roosevelt Whole Foods right on the bus line which is super convenient. They carry a wide selection of frames from classic to fun and funky. They even have some in bright attention grabbing colors which I love and often struggle to find. His receptionist is really nice. She is warm and friendly and explained my eye benefits so I could best fit my choices to coverage. She also is the one who taught me to put my contacts in and out. She was a wonderful teacher and I got the slippery buggers in the first time. This helped build my confidence in contacts.
My overall experience with Spex in the City was exemplary. I plan to send my fiancée here next year when he needs new glasses and an exam. I am glad I took the leap and visited them.