Brighton Eye Associates

I’ve been to Brighton Eye Associates for both an eye exam and to purchase lenses. The Eye Exam was great and the reason for the second star. The doctor was professional and I liked that. Because of that experience I went to them again when I needed new lenses for a pair of frames I already had.
Unfortunately, the experience wasn’t as good. The lenses took 6 weeks to come back. This was 3 weeks over what was quoted. Also, I called multiple times before I received a call back or was accurately told when I would get my glasses back. Anna was apologetic and offered me a free pair of sunglasses but, what good are sunglasses without prescription lenses? When I finally got the glasses I found there was a very visible mark on the periphery of each lens. At night the marks make halos around street lights or car headlights. The marks interfere with my vision which, glasses are not supposed to do.
When I brought the glasses back and spoke with Anna she told me I had to wait until the next week for someone to look at them. When I got the call It was explained that the marks are part of these lenses and that «I would get used to them». She did say I could purchase an inferior lens without the mark for a $ 25 re-​do fee. No mention of reimbursing me for the price difference between the «superior» and «inferior» lenses either.
I’ve worn glasses all my life. I have never encountered a deliberately visible mark on any lens before. What would be the point of it? I’ve also not waited 6 weeks for lenses either. I’m disappointed with the service and won’t be back for glasses or even an eye exam. Anna, while not rude, as other people have written, seems overwhelmed and unable to truly follow up with people in a timely manner.

I’ve been reading the other reviews and it surprises me that everyone has had such an unpleasant experience with Brighton Eye Associates. To follow up with my last review, I ended up ordering my contacts through BEA because it was significantly cheaper ($ 170 for a year’s worth of acuvue oasys for astigmatism) than BJs, Costco, 1800contacts, etc. Please note: I have VSP/​vision insurance and BEA takes that, while the others don’t.
I called Anna to place my order — she took the payment over the phone and had the boxes shipped to my apartment, which I received by the end of the week. She also emailed me my contacts prescription, as well as the receipt for the transaction.
I would like to say that my experience has been beyond wonderful with BEA and I will continue to come here. I think the negativity can stop on Unilocal because at this point, it’s getting out of hand. Your opinions have been heard. Move on.

Dear Anna,
Have your read these reviews on how unpleasant you are? You need to, for your sake and for the retention of patients for Dr. Banek. I find it unfortunate for you, sad really, that you do not even hear what you say or how you say it. Competition is what it is, public forums and reviews are telling and word is gold in the field of business.
Dr. Stephen Banek, I believe we have already spoken about this matter. Your apologies have come up short, as has your patient list. I will be contacting you about transferring my records to another Optometrists very, very soon.
Also, why apologize if you don’t truly think that you are being rude? Read your reviews, listen to feedback and take a few things into consideration. It may just be more than what a Doctor could order.
Sincerely,
Lisa Caldwell

I have been twice. Both times, Anna, the secretary, has been so rude I won’t be back. Gave her the benefit of the doubt last time but she is so unpleasant to deal with I will take my business elsewhere. I should have listened to the other reviews.
It’s pretty bad when your receptionist is consistently mentioned by name as the reason for lost customers. I even downloaded the Unilocal app just to leave this review. That’s how unpleasant and rude she is to deal with.
Do yourselves a favor and skip this place.

This is one of the most terrible experiences I have had and it just will not end.
I went in for my first exam just over a year ago. I decided to get a contacts fitting, which was $ 29, during my exam it was found I had astigmatism, so this changed to something like $ 80, which I would not have agreed to if I had known, but oh too late you’re already in the middle and have to pay!
Next they did some funky test on my eyes because something didn’t look right. I was told medical insurance would cover this. Guess again! A month after receiving the test I got a whopping $ 100 bill in the mail. The absolute best part of this however is that even though my eye had these «deposits» in them there is absolutely nothing wrong nor can anything be done about it, it’s just simply knowing that something is wrong, but nothing can be done about it. AWESOME thank you so much!
Next I bought new frames ($$$$) and lenses ($$$$$$$$$$). I signed the paperwork, paid about $ 750 in total ($ 180 was contacts). I then went home and pulled out my eye plan paperwork, according to this they charged me incorrectly, so I called them. The receptionist (rudest, most unkind girl I have ever dealt with) told me I got the premium lenses, I said well I change my mind I don’t need anything this expensive, and she said no you signed and already paid so you have to get these now.
So I can in almost a month later to pick up the glasses. I hated them, they gave me headaches all the time. They however told me these were the correct prescription and I would get used to them. Completely awful to say this without any help or double checking.
Anyways it is now a year later and my dog chewed up my glasses, the astronomically priced lenses are fine though, thank goodness. So I wanted to get the same frames so I could use these lenses. This all happened one week after my warranty expired. So you’d think they’d still try to help you, I’m from a small town full of small shops and usually these are the kind people, but don’t let this place fool ya, they only care about a buck. So they have my pair on display (has been up there for some years now) and they said they could potentially sell me this pair. I called back today to check and good news they will sell me this pair! Hahahaha just kidding this place doesn’t bring good news. The frames BRAND NEW cost $ 390, they expect me to pay $ 390 for a pair that has been on a wall and manhandled by thousands of people for a few years, in what world would anyone pay that??? Of course the receptionist Anna doesn’t understand this and offers no help, only rudeness and a see-​ya on the phone.
So needless to say I will NEVER return, I will tell EVERYONE how awful and rude and pricey this place is.
My favorite part though is I have 3 friends that have also gone here and they all have arrived at the same outcome as me, regardless of convenience none of us will be returning.

This office is well-​run and organized, and the staff is friendly. Dr. Banek is thorough and knows what she’s doing — she was able to correct my prescription that a horribly inept doctor had gotten wrong, and put me in perfectly fitting contacts. The exam did take slightly longer than I anticipated, but I appreciate that she was so thorough and didn’t cut corners (unlike my previous doc, ugh). Brighton Eye Assoc is the second optometrist I’ve tried in the area, but I will definitely be staying here!

I came here this summer and had a fantastic experience. The receptionist was friendly and professional. I did not have to wait long for my appointment. The waiting room was clean and inviting. They offered me the special back-​of-​the-​eye test and explained the additional cost and they never tried to sell it or talk me into it or make me feel bad for saying no. I declined and they had me sign a form and that was that. I ordered contacts and they came to my house in a few days. I would highly recommend using this office!

I have been going here for a while now and I have to say they are amazing. The front desk girl is polite and professional, the Doctor is thorough and knows her stuff and the tech are always extremely helpful.
However, I have seen some of their cliental (mostly college kids) who I find to be the only downside of going here. These kids are rude and expect the world to revolve around them Have they never been to a doctors office before? Thoroughness takes time.
So if you are considering Brighton Eye Associates, please disregard Sunny R, Hannah F. and Mindy T.‘s reviews. They allegations are wildly inaccurate and really only reflect their immaturity and self-​centric thinking.

I would give 0 stars if I could. The person at the front desk, Anna, is the rudest glorified secretary I’ve ever met. Don’t book a Saturday appointment as she will rush you out to get to her afternoon plans. Don’t expect to get in and out promptly. I was in for 4 hours on a Saturday for a routine exam. Everyone in this office is rude, including the techs. If you don’t like your job, then find one somewhere else.
The eye doctor’s office does whatever they can to squeeze additional money out of you. I was perfectly happy on my monthly prescription, but they wanted me on dailys. Dailys were painful for me. they dried out so fast and didn’t sit well on my eyes. After trying me on THREE daily brands (and refusing to put me back on my monthlys even though I begged) they then tried me on two-​week contacts. The two week contacts were dry and irritating. All this torture, even though I never wanted to be taken off my monthlys to begin with. They are irritated and talk down when you display your comfortableness. After going to my new eye doctor (waltham vision care. worth the extra drive!!) that **PUT ME BACK ON MY MONTHLYS!** I realized why I was forced into dailys. They are legit 7X the price.
When you do switch eye doctors, make sure to check what Brighton Eye actually faxes over. I only had my current prescription faxed to my new eye doctor. I had 10 years of eye history that needed to additionally be sent. I also payed for an extensive retina exam at Brighton Eye that they did not fax. Make sure to call ANOTHER time to request they fax all documents to your new doctor.
If you want an eye doctor that has your best interest in mind, listens to you, and doesn’t try to squeeze you a 700 $ bill (after insurance…) then DO NOT GO HERE!!!

I used to love this place. Unfortunately, my attitude towards it has changed dramatically.
Today I called to reschedule an appointment that, if I’m being honest, I’ve had to reschedule a couple of times now. Aside from a flooded I-​95 incident that ensured I would not be making my appointment (I called 45 minutes before, explained, and they were gracious enough to reschedule me), I’ve rescheduled it at least 24 hours out, per their cancellation policy. Today I was met with little understanding and a lot of rudeness.
Before I go on I have to say that life has been pretty crappy lately. In the last week I’ve had to put my cat to sleep, dealt with a flea infestation that is now requiring a last minute exterminator (my reason for cancellation), and contracted a tenacious cold. I may be a bit overly sensitive, but my boss/​coworkers also think it’s a little ridiculous what happened.
Anyway, back to the story. I explained that I’d stupidly double booked myself (the eye appointment was made a month ago and I forgot with everything else going on) and that I was sorry for the trouble. She gave me two options: cancel/​move the exterminator (nope, sorry, FLEAS) or reschedule my appointment with penalties. The penalty being that I would no longer be allowed to book appointments after 3:45 PM on weekdays or at all on weekends. I’m sorry, am I a child? Are you going to take away my phone and TV privileges too? I made a mistake, which I freely admitted, and received zero compassion. If she’d said she’d have to charge my my office visit co-​pay, I’d say fine, understandable, I messed up. But no, I was treated like a child. She asked if I’d like to reschedule, and I politely declined. I’ll take my business elsewhere from now on.

I’ve been going to Brighton Eye Associates for the past year. Unfortunately I am no longer going back there because I am so appalled at their receptionist named Anna, who has managed to consistently exhibit qualities of laughably ill-​mannered and bitter individual and more importantly of incompetent even for such a simple job. I was surprised to see that she was still employed there when I went back to the office today.
Setting aside the receptionist’s ill-​mannered speech or demeaning demeanor in every interaction I have had with her in at least a total of more than ten occasions, when she was tasked to place a simple contact lens mailing order to be shipped at my place, she managed to make a mistake of ordering me twice as much than I had ordered. Now, it would have been fine in an ordinary situation but the way she handled the whole situation was beyond the realm of unprofessional and incompetent — at the time I was at first out of town on an important business trip and then on another sudden trip to a funeral of my loved one, and the receptionist made me responsible for coordinating with her a time to have the extra boxes dropped off and then picked up. First of all, why would one make a mistake in ordering extras and suggest the customer to return it to their office at the customer’s expense and inconvenience? I could not make it into their office because of my work schedule, but of course the receptionist was a no show for more than seven days after she said she would come by to pick them up from my porch. And why no show on the days that she scheduled that she would if she was making such promise as a representative of a business? After so many unnecessary and inefficient phone confrontations and threatening voice messages from her, I realized it wasn’t worth it for me to deal with her so asked my friend as a favor in the area to get the extra boxes dropped off at Brighton Eye Associates office.
Waiting time at the office — I waited for half an hour passed my appointment time last year and I remember wondering whether there was any point in making an appointment if there was going to be this much of a waiting time. The receptionist had clearly overbooked for a designated time slot and there were simply too many people in line when there was only one doctor in the office at the time. Having learned my lesson of the receptionist’s way of managing and honoring patient’s time or lack thereof, this year I came in 15 minutes later than my scheduled time. The first word the receptionist said was, not even after a welcome or an apology to deliver such inconveniencing news but simply outright rudely
«You’re 15 minutes late. You’re going to have to come back on another day.»
And that was it for me. Not having my time honored, being rudely talked to on the phone and in person, not just once or twice, but on every occasion that I had to interact with her, all for the services that I pay with my money, I simply do not have to put up with this sort of service anymore. Even though Brighton Eye Associates is in a convenient location for me, I am not going back there unless they change their receptionist to a more competent, logical, and professional individual. It’s a shame because my experience with the doctors and interns were not bad. They simply made an unfortunate mistake of keeping an ill-​fitting and incompetent receptionist for just too long.

I figured a good business would try and contact me if someone were to write a poor review, but not them. They must not care about their patients too much.

Dr. Banek is great. Her staff is also stellar. The receptionist knows what she’s doing. She greets you with a bowl of candy at the desk and offers of coffee, tea or other refreshments. The other optician is fantastic when it comes to picking out frames. He listens to your preferences on color, shape and size of frames, and quickly collects products that are so perfect, it becomes hard to choose which one you like best. He has a very good memory for clients, insurance coverage details, and the latest options in lense technology or discounts on prescription sunglasses purchased around the same time.
The office is easily missed from the outside walking on Washington. It’s bright and inviting inside. Each room is sleek and clean. Similar to some physician’s offices, the TV now runs this extremely informative eye health channel with explanatory videos and trivia on health myths and common eye problems.
Once you’re with Dr. Banek, you’ll be pleased with her recollection of your past visits. You can ask as many questions as you like and she will openly, honestly address your concerns about current eye problems and those likely to develop based on family history.
The optional eye scan is fantastic. $ 28 for essentially an xray of your eye. I’m on my fourth year with prescription eyewear, third with Dr. Banek and her staff. The xray is the best way to judge changes in your eye health. They utilize this recorded visual evidence, not just notes scribbled from years past. Much like comparing dental xrays. I highly recommend the quick, painless procedure.
They’re on the top of their game when it comes to fitting your eyewear, too. New equipment is used to measure your proportions so that your eyewear will be custom fit for your face from day one. This office has everything for health, form and function.

I have been living in the Boston area for 2 years now, and desperately needed to get an eye appointment as soon as possible. Because the normal office I go to is in CT, I turned to Unilocal to help me out with this feat.
I noticed Brighton Eye Associates had great reviews, and was conveniently located in Brighton Center, very close to my apt. Thank you fellow Unilocalers for leading me to this office as it was a great decision to go here. I had an excellent experience.
I booked my appointment online with Zoc Doc which was very convenient. I also got a reminder text sent right to my phone with the address and time of the apt two days before.
The office staff really takes an extra effort to make sure everything is all set up with your insurance company so I don’t need to worry about submitting something later.
Dr. Banek was very warm, easy to talk to and very knowledgeable. As others have stated before, Dr Banek sends a personal email reminding the patient of all the specific things talked about during the visit. (Chances are, I am handed a physical piece of paper it will be lost as soon as it goes into my car. I love that it was emailed to me.)

Why 5 Stars?
A. Brighton Eye is conveniently located in Brighton Center
B. They embrace technology! I am surprised that doctor’s offices seem so far behind the times. But with Brighton Eye, I can book appts online, receive appt reminders, calendar integration, etc.
C. Anna at the front desk is awesome, fun and truly service-​oriented
D. Steve… you can just tell he dreams of eyeware and can fix the most contorted frames in town.
E. Dr Banek — She may look like she needs a fake ID to get into Devlin’s but she is smart, compassionate, responsive and professional.
F. Everyone else there is equally awesome
G. A personal email from the doctor following my appt! WOW! AN EMAIL! I was beginning to think doctors did not know how to use email.
H. Oh, and they have the latest and greatest equipment to peer deep into your soul. Be careful, though, I think they can read your thoughts!
I. These guys put the BRIGHT in Brighton!

I always have a good experience here. The office is right up the street from my house and I try to be very loyal to local places. Doctor Banek is great and always offers up the information you need and a smile. She’s super nice! The receptionists are always very polite as well. They even offer you coffee, tea, or apple cider while you wait for the doctor!
And not for nothing, but their deals are awesome, too. Right now they’re offering $ 100 worth of services/​product for only $ 40, and an additional $ 10 off coupon. Amazing!

I had such an excellent experience at Brighton Eye Associates from beginning to end!
I booked my appointment online with Zoc Doc which was very convenient and even had to change my time once with once with no problems. I was able to fill out most of my paper work ahead of time and the friendly office staff contacted me for the additional information.
The office was very pleasant and even though I was positive my insurance didn’t cover vision Anna (the great receptionist) offered to check just in case. And I was covered! I was so impressed that she took the extra effort to check and get everything approved so I didn’t have to submit something later.
The exam was very thorough and there was no wait. All the staff were friendly and knowledgeable!
Dr. Banek was amazing! She took lots of time with me and gave great explanations about my eye anatomy and specific recommendations for improving my dry eyes! She was very warm and easy to talk to. I didn’t feel at all rushed during the entire appointment!
The part that really impressed me was the follow up email I received this evening from Dr Banek reminding me of the specific things we spoke about! Not just a form email at all!
I was extremely close to my last optometrist and when I moved I thought there was no chance anyone could fill her big shoes but Dr Banek and her office really exceeded my high expectations!!!

Been going to Brighton Eye Associates for a number of years now. Dr. Banek is the best! She and her staff make me feel comfortable while making sure my eyes are healthy. She’s really into technology too, so you’ll be sure to get the most advanced treatment.

This was perhaps the very best eye doctor appointment I’ve ever had. My first eye appointment with Dr. Banek was as good as it gets from start to finish. They happily accommodated a same-​week appointment, it was easy to find parking right in front of the building, there was no wait for my scheduled appointment, and Dr. Banek and all of her staff were as nice and knowledgeable as can be. She even gave me information on an infant eye program for our baby on the way, even though she is not part of the program. Brighton Eye Associates also happily accepted a Unilocal voucher that I bought online without any gruff, which unfortunately can sometimes happen when using Unilocal/​Groupon vouchers at various places. Dr. Banek even followed up with a friendly personal email afterward. It really doesn’t get any better than Dr. Banek and Brighton Eye Associates!
P. S. Steve is great too — very kind and responsive to unexpected issues, he exemplifies the very best of what one should expect from a local business, and just an all around nice and professional guy. Much appreciation Steve! As long as we live in the area my family will go to Brighton Eye Associates for all of our eyecare because of your excellent customer service.

I’ve always had a great experience with this office. Dr. Banek is professional and friendly, and I was the center of attention the entire time I was there (a very good thing!). I had a $ 70 copay for my visit and then the cost of contacts that I ordered.
In response to an earlier review complaining that Dr. Banek would not prescribe more 2-​week soft lenses due to «abuse», I have similar wearing behavior (3 – 4 weeks) and on my previous visit was similarly criticized for it (which is fine, because honestly, it’s a negative behavior). This time she did not make a big deal out of it and instead provided me with some astringent Clean & Clear to give them a deep clean every so often. In other words, she understood she wasn’t going to reverse my behavior and instead wanted to help minimize the negative effects of it. A smart, professional decision, in my opinion.
I didn’t want anyone to avoid this office because of that anecdote – BEA truly delivers. Give them a try.