Freed’s Optical Gallery

This place is THE WORST. waste of money and time. I went here for a new contact script — it took three, two hour long visits before I gave up. I still could not see any better than I could when I first walked in the door by the time I gave up on them. Each appointment I waited for a half hour in the waiting room, then was brought to the back waiting room to wait longer. The doctor is distracted and has 3 appointments going at a time. Not to mention she never listened to me when I told her I could not see better in the scripts she gave me — she kept saying they were the right scripts for me. NEVER GO HERE!!! Its a headache.
When I moved out of DC, they did say they would mail me this (incorrect) script as needed. Although when I called to order it they said I needed to come in and get a new script as mine had expired (after 1 year after my first appointment with them.) It was expired when I left, they just never looked it up before explaining to me it would be no problem sending it. So now I’m down to a weeks worth of contacts that don’t help my eye sight anyway, and quickly needed to find an eye doctor. Luckily I found one that is the opposite of this place and they were fantastic!
I have had positive experiences at all other eye doctors my whole life, and this was a terrible experience.
Go anywhere else and you will be fine!

1993 called, and it wants its eye exam back! This was the most antiquated eye exam ever. Not only did I have to wait and wait to be called for my exam, but then I had to sit through testing on old machines, some of which looked dirty. I asked if they had been wiped, and the technician said they had, but I didn’t see them get wiped, and there was dust and other stuff on them…
Anyway, once I stepped out of the time warp of the old machine preliminary tests (including the puff of air… wow), I walked into a very dark room where the doctor gave me my exam. She took my glasses, which admittedly were 1 year old, and «read» them with her computer (which spit out the wrong prescription). So, we started from the wrong place. Then, to make a long story short, the doctor actually argued with me about which lenses made my vision more clear! I’d say one, and she’d ask if I was sure it wasn’t 2. What?!
Thankfully, my insurance is allowing me to book a new exam somewhere else. Because my experience was so bad, they are even waiving my next co-​pay!

Customer Service isn’t up to par with other doctors in town. Also, it seems that their fax machine and scanner never seem to work to scan or fax a privacy release form to send me my prescription. Ridiculous.

It really hasn’t been busy either time I have been here but they can’t keep their apt times. I’m not a fan of a dr that always makes me sit here and wait over an hour. The doctor was super rude and I think also gave me the wrong prescription. I ended up paying out of pocket to go somewhere else. Also no parking at all so it makes for a super frustrating afternoon:(

Overall, this place is fine but they need to work on their customer service. The front desk staff is never very friendly over the phone, however I never had a real problem until recently. I had a 12:15 appointment on a Friday to get my annual examination and a new contact prescription. I called around 12:00 to let them know that I was running late and would probably be there around 12:30. I know it was my fault for running late, but I thought I was being courteous by calling ahead to let them know. The receptionist informed me that because they were booked, they couldn’t accommodate me and I would have to reschedule. I pointed out to her that it was unfair that because I tried to be courteous, I was told not to bother coming, whereas had I just strolled in late, I probably would have been seen. She informed me that if I had just come in at 12:30 without informing them, I would have been turned away (I doubt that) I told her I would take my chances and try coming in.
When I came in around 12:25 the staff was fairly nice and rushed me back to start my exam, which I appreciated. Everything went fine until Dr. Kimmeth asked if I had time to have my eyes dilated and I said that I did. If only I had known what I was getting myself into…
After the drops were put in, I waited at least one hour in the waiting room before the tech brought me back to the examining room, then at least another 20 minutes there before Dr. Kimmeth came in to complete my examination. Overall, my entire visit to Freed’s Optical took THREE HOURS. All I had done was an annual exam to update my prescription and have my eyes dilated. I have no other eye issues. I know that I was ten minutes late, so I may have gotten bumped back on the priority list, but three hours is really excessive. Especially since (although they told me they were booked) I only saw about two other patients then entire three hours I was there. I get the feeling that my appointment may have been intentionally extended in retribution for being late. Either that or they have some serious efficiency issues in that office.
The only reason I am giving two stars as opposed to one is because they accommodated me when I was running SLIGHTLY late.

Despite having moved to a better space, and having found a moment when this place is not busy, it still is my least favorite resource for dealing with a set of frames that need to be adjusted repaired. In this case, my frames were bent due to a pair of baby hands taking my glasses, and I was amazed that they refused to work on them. This is somewhat consistent with past experience where they also seemed very uninterested in this sort of service. Anyway, the next day I took my frames to my regular optometrist, and they were fixed in a matter of minutes for no charge. Sorry, I just can’t recommend this joint.

I walked in with a broken pair of glasses and the optician was kind enough to fix them on the spot! The staff were all friendly and polite, keeping me updated about the optician’s progress. I didn’t even have an appointment but they were kind enough to help me immediately.

I am a loyal customer whenever I receive good customer service/​products from an establishment. However, this is not the case with Freed’s Optical Gallery. They are unprofessional, cold, unreliable, ect… scratch that. I can sum their services up with one word… Bootleg (low quality). On February 9, 2012, I provided Freed’s with a prescription and I was told my told that my glasses would be ready in 2 weeks, so I have been waiting patiently for my glasses until Monday, February 27, 2012… that’s when the sh! t hit the fan. I called to find out if my glasses were ready and was put on hold for 2 minutes. The young lady came back to the phone calling me Mrs. Thomas… who the F#@* is that (this is not my name)!!! I told her that my name was not Mrs. Thomas and she put me on hold again without an apology. After 2 minutes, she finally came back to the phone and said that it would be another week because the «lab was backed up». Needless to say but I went off… yes gawd. I told her that it was ridiculous that I had been waiting for almost 3 weeks for my glasses. I called my insurance to explain the situation, so the representative decided to get down to the «nitty gritty» and he dug deeper. He called me back and said the lab was waiting for my frames and my lenses were ready. O. o
Freed’s called my 30 minutes after my insurance rep called and said my glasses would be ready Friday, March 2, 2012. I told the girl that I wanted a refund if my glasses were not ready by Friday, so I get a call today saying my glasses are ready for pick up. I went to Freed’s on my lunch break and was told to try my glasses on. I did as I was instructed and noticed the nose guards needed some serious adjustment. I pointed this out to the two young ladies at the front desk and they said the optician was not there and would be in until next week… really!!!
Woo Lawdy… that was a mouth full! Needless to say, I will NOT be going there again… I think not.

Consistent with other reviews, this place was the worst in terms of customer service, consistency, interpersonal skills and I dare say any level of skill. My first appointment I waited for 45 minutes and because of that, I didn’t have time for the glaucoma test (although that is part of the annual eye exam I paid for). My Rx for my contacts was significantly reduced, I was told I have a astigmatism and was put in a pair of contacts that could not be more uncomfortable, unless they were made out of grounded glass shards of course. I had never even heard of the brand and come to find out, they were recalled BEFORE I was sold another 6 months worth. Not quite sure what 6 mos. worth is, however, because the doctor told me they were two week contacts and the staff insisted they are monthly wear contacts. Guess it doesn’t matter when you are wearing recalled contacts to begin with, all relative… So now I have had to pay for an out-​of-​pocket eye exam (since insurance only covers an annual one) and I was told that the contacts I was wearing were dangerous, my prescription was too weak and there is no sign of the astigmatism I was told that I have. Is it possible to give negative stars? If so, this place deserves it. The DO (Dr. Kimmeth) and the rest of the store are extremely dismissive, abrupt and incompetent. There is not one good thing for me to say about this place other than it is across the street from my office. Truth be told, I would rather walk 10 miles barefoot during a blizzard for my next eye exam.

I’ve been inside of this place once. It’s literally 2 blocks from my job.
There were 4 employees out in front when I walked in. I stood there for 10 minutes until I realized that they couldn’t care less that I was in there. I was completely ignored as were the two other people standing there waiting.
It’s a shame, I wear glasses and contacts and probably would have spent a pretty penny. I walked out and walked 5 blocks out of my way to IDocs over on F St. Spent my money there and had terrific service.

I would agree with previous posters — the customer service here is very bad. I did not actually get an eye exam here — but I tried. I scheduled appointment here because it was very convenient to my office. When I arrived for my appointment the individual at the front desk did not greet me, I had to appoach her and let her know I had an appointment. She did not look at me or say anything. I told her my name and she looked in her appointment book and said, no I didn’t have an appointment. After I asked her several questions she finally determined my appointment had been marked in the book on a different day. She insisted that I was mistaken. (I would never have made an appointment on the day it was scheduled in her book because I had all day plans that day.) She said I could reschedule. The whole experience was rather unpleasant so I just told her that I did not want to reschedule and that I preferred to take my business elsewhere. Her reply? «Oh.»

Walking into Freed’s Optical is like going to the Carnival as a kid only to find out there’s only a bearded lady and popcorn there. Well because of the location I was expecting something upscale, and when I walked in it was like I fell down a rabbit hole into a 1970s basement. The carpet is green and the seating area is one long bench with the material covered in plastic… yes, like at a grandma’s house. And there were pages of The Express all over the seating area… just like on the Metro.
As I signed in, the lady sitting at the desk did not greet me so I spoke and she said «hi» without looking up from her desk. That desk must have been pretty damn interesting with all those pencils and paperclips on it because she was FOCUSED. Anyway — the prescreening area is a little corner in the back and everything just looks junky and dirty. The assistant says «I see you have on glasses, do you also wear contacts?» I responded that I do, and she says «do you have them in right now?» What in the Everest College? Why would I have on contacts while I’m wearing glasses? So my confidence in the office immediately died.
Dr. Kimmeth is nice, but she didn’t wear a doctor’s coat… and that bothered me. Because I like police officers to wear uniforms and eye doctors to wear white coats with their names on them in italics. So the eye exam went as normal, but you know that thing you look through and press your forehead against? It was sticky *shudders*. She gave me some contacts, told me to put them on in the bathroom and come back in a few weeks and tell her how they worked. I went back to my buddy at the desk to ask her if I pay now and she said «I don’t have your folder». I should have said, «OK, I guess its free then» and left. But I have morals so I found the other assistant and gave her my card.
The worst part is, that was the only eye exam my insurance would cover. Tragedy. But, at least they had eyeball painted gum in a Halloween bowl.

I like Dr. Kimmeth just fine, but I have to agree with a previous poster that the customer service here is awful. The front staff are slow, unresponsive, not helpful, and act like you’re putting them out if you ask for anything. I often just wander behind the counter and try on glasses on my own without waiting for help, but if you want to try anything in the designer cases you have to wait until someone deigns to help you. It bites, because the place is really near my office and super convenient, but if they weren’t, I would never use this place.

It’s a bold statement, but this place might have the worst customer service in town.
Fresh from the ophthalmologist – script in hand – I entered Freed Optical hoping to buy a new pair of glasses. Nothing complicated, just needed to select a pair of frames, hand over said script, and pay the several hundred dollars (thanks to the crazy-​thick lenses required by my near-​legally blind eyes). A fairly routine procedure, just need to locate frames that fit my face.
Upon entering, I spotted a lone employee administering an eye exam. I waited patiently for about ten minutes; finally, another employee appeared – looking bored out of her mind – and seemed less than thrilled when I informed her that I was in the market for a new pair of glasses and would like to try on some frames. With an agitated sigh, the employee motioned at the glass cases behind the counter and said, «Go ahead.» Um. Go ahead? I asked, «Should I just start trying them on?» An ‘I could care less WHAT you do’ shrug was my response. I went behind the counter and approached the first case. It was locked. The clerk was mid-​beeline for the store’s backroom when I asked if she would please open the cases. She replied, «One second» and disappeared. That was enough for me. I’d wasted enough time and I’m a big advocate of patronizing local businesses that treat their customers like… customers!
Rescued by Unilocal,I walked a few blocks over to IDOC Optical and had an excellent experience (staff was friendly, extremely helpful, and ridiculously patient as I tried on nearly every frame in the store).