Michael Chin, OD

I’ve gone to Dr. Chin for two years now for my annual eye exams, and to get new frames and glasses. Would recommend him to any friend!
PROS:
1. Dr. Chin — His exam is comfortable and doesn’t feel rushed at all. It feels like it’s taking his time to get it right, which is appreciated. After my exam he helped me choose out some glasses as well after I shared with him what I was interested in. He made sure that the glasses I picked were a good fit for my face shape and the distance between my eyes, which was extremely appreciated since he pointed out some things that I wasn’t aware of before.
2. Location — This is right off of Mountain View downtown!
CONS:
1. The selection of glasses seems a bit limited, but that’s not that large of a problem for me since I’m not that picky with my frames — I just need something that fits.
TIPS:
1. Michael O Chin is an optometrist, which means he does routine exams, not surgery. A bit more about what he does and doesn’t do on his website (under «about»)
2. He accepts a good number of insurance plans (the list is on his website under «services») Be sure to check though. Remember to use your FSA if you have one.
3. You can make an appointment by calling them.

I’m impressed by the professionalism and customer service by Michael and his staff.

Very happy with the quality of eye care and the time Dr. Chin spent on my visit (around 45 minutes). I found them based on Unilocal reviews and I will highly recommend this place. I also bought my glasses from them and so far, it has been great.

There are a surprising amount of optometrists and eyeglass stores on Castro, but this one is by far the best. Dr. Chin knows his stuff and they have a great selection of frames that aren’t overpriced like everywhere else. Great service too. I went in at 7:30 PM on a Friday night after their closing time and they kept the place open and let me shop around with no rush at all.

Dr. Chin is a very experienced optometrist who makes eye appointments a real pleasure. He is very professional, explains what he is doing, answers questions clearly and is very thorough. He also has a great manner with children. As a bonus, he also offers very convenient appointment times, including on Saturdays. I highly recommend Dr. Chin.

Overall, a good experience!
When I first got in, they had me fill out a form. There was also an option to fill out your address on a postcard so that they can send you a reminder. I like that on the form, they ask you if you wear contacts/​want contacts/​are interested in eye surgery. It’s a nice unobtrusive way of finding out whether or a patient wants to proceed with certain products/​services.
Dr Chin was very personable and professional, and most importantly, knowledgeable. He performed a thorough exam with clear cut instructions and explanations through out. After the exam, he also helped me pick out a pair of frames by asking me what I was looking for and proceeding to choose out a few select frames for me to choose from. The selection of glasses isn’t as big as other offices I have been to, but I t think that’s fine. I am NOT a fan of shopping. I like to go in, get what I need, and then GTFO.
One side note: The receptionists were fairly friendly, but could be a bit more professional and more interactive with patients. During my first visit, there were two receptionists. The first girl gave me the forms, and the second girl came in to switch shifts with her.
The first girl was a bit more professional and helpful. When I came back to pick up my frames, she had me try them on to make sure that they fit, and noticed that they were a bit tight. She tried to loosen them up a bit, and told me that it was a bit difficult with the frames that I had chosen and to try the glasses out for a few days. If I had any issues, then I could come back so they could adjust it for me.
The second girl just kind of sat there while I was choosing frames. Again, Dr. Chin was helpful in helping me choose a pair and I appreciate that, but in my previous experiences at the optometrist, the front office staff usually are proactive about customer service and care. So it’s not like I want her all up in my space and forcing a pair of frames on me, but I would suggest just asking the customer if they need help choosing a pair of frames rather than just sitting there. If they say no, then at least you tried to help. When I picked out a pair, she took my card, swiped it, and gave me my receipt. Then we kind of just had this awkward turtle moment (at least on my end) where I just looked at her, and then finally asked when my frames would be ready when I realized she wasn’t going to tell me.
To end on a good note, great doctor who knows his stuff and relatively friendly staff! The staff just needs a tad bit of work on that professionalism.

Wow, I can’t believe I haven’t updated my review since 2007. This month I will have hit 7 years of going to Dr. Chin’s. I think the fact I’ve been going to him for this long (every year I get an eye exam, contacts, and glasses) means that he is the real deal and a keeper.

Great guy. Very patient and knowledgeable. Answers all your questions and doesn’t make you feel rushed. Very thorough and takes his time with all his tests.
Also, doesn’t push products or procedures on you. I think he ‘sees’ being a doctor as a service and not as a business.

Dr. Chin is the most thorough eye doctor I have been to. I absolutely trust his experience and wisdom and wouldn’t go to anyone else. The only downside is his front office staff. They aren’t as professional or thorough. I would prefer reminder calls to help me schedule my follow up. Other than that, I strongly recommend Dr. Chin.

I have been seeing Dr. Chin for about 10 years and highly recommend him. Dr. Chin is very calm, gentle, professional, and explains what he is doing. I never feel rushed. I also appreciate his demeanor. I appreciate that he isn’t pushing me to a stronger prescription. I’ve had other doctors do that in the past and it’s very annoying what it does to my eyes and my head. He also asks questions about my lifestyle, like what time of day I am running, in order to advise me on eye protection, UV risks, etc.
I am not going to rate Dr. Chin based on his selection of glasses because I don’t care about that so much. I’ll look around. Also, I’ve never had any issues with his staff. My experiences have always been professional.

Small selections of glasses but prices are more affordable than most places. I probably came in on a bad day because Dr Chin wasn’t very friendly. The testing equipment was greasy and smelly, which completely grossed me out, so I won’t be going back next year.
As I was waiting for my appointment, I overheard the receptionist read out customers’ personal information such as birthday & SSN, while verifying their insurance with the carrier over the phone. It always eeks me out how careless merchants and medical offices are with customers’ sensitive information. Better privacy protection laws in the US please!

This is my first visit to Dr. Chin. With all first visits to the doc, its always a nervous experience since you don’t know how well the doctor treats you and if he lives up to your expectations. Dr. Chin is very friendly, professional, and performed a thorough eye exam. I have been to optometrists who are really bad, after 15 yrs of optometrists you can tell the good ones from the bad ones based on how they perform your eye exam. Every optometry has pretty standard eye exam routines, how hard can it be right? For some reason certain doctors do better than others examining their patients.
Dr. Chin is very professional, he gets straight down to business when you get into his office. He performed one of the most thorough eye exams I have had in awhile. He then described my situation and gave me my results along with his opinions. He listened and answered all of my questions. And last, he doesn’t try to upsell his patients by selling any contacts, glasses, etc.
Woohoo, I will be back next year for my annual checkup!

Went to Dr. Chin’s office yesterday for a routine eye exam and had a great experience. Dr. Chin is friendly and thorough and pointed out ways I could change my lifestyle to better take care of myself. In addition, as a poor college student, I found his services to be quite affordable. Thanks!

A great experience.
I’ve had trouble getting really comfortable with contact lenses my whole life but with Dr. Chin’s help I’m finally able to feel comfortable and see great.
My problems, before seeing Dr. Chin, were two-​fold:
— With my astigmatism, my selection of lenses was limited and I hadn’t managed to find one that was comfortable and stable at the same time. Many that I’ve tried would rotate easily and cause blurry vision. But Dr. Chin helped find a pair that was rock stable.
— I’ve never had really clear vision through my contacts. But through a comprehensive process (over two sessions), Dr. Chin found me contacts that got me better than ²⁰⁄₂₀ in both eyes. It wasn’t easy as I couldn’t get lenses in my exact prescription.
I highly recommend getting your early exam here.

Thank you Dr Chin for being so patient and thorough. I just happened upon Dr Chin’s office whilst I was out hunting for some new contact lenses and I’m really happy that I did. He was a courteous and welcoming man and it was clear that he was passionate about his craft and his patients. Gave me the best lenses I’ve ever had too. All in all a lovely experience with the optometrist and I don’t think I’ve ever had cause to say that before.

I’ve been going to Dr. Chin since 2006. The contacts he gave me fit really well. In fact, those were my first ever contacts. Since 2006, I left the country multiple times, and all the other optometrists I saw elsewhere, couldn’t provide me contacts which would come even close. He’s also very thorough in his exam, and provides useful advice about ensuring less strain on your eyes.
Overall, I’m very happy that I stumbled upon Dr. Chin back in 2006; I wouldn’t go anywhere else for my eye check-​ups.

It’s very odd to see a bad review about the receptionist for Dr. Chin on the same day that I called for my first appointment. I too talked to a gentleman, but my experience was not the same as Ramona’s — at all. He was very accommodating and friendly. He needed to check what my insurance covers and told me he would call me back in a few minutes (he was clearly swamped with lunchtime calls). Indeed he did call me right back and had all the details for me.
Although I have not seen Dr. Chin yet, I have nothing but good things to say about this office so far.
R — When a doctor’s office gets hundreds of calls per week, I’m sure it’s appreciated that patients/​clients be able to articulate up front why they are calling. Also, knowing the difference between an optometrist and ophthalmologist will help you call the correct office. Sometimes being nice to others first helps too.
Will update after my first appointment.

I highly recommend Dr. Chin. He takes his time with his patients and is very thorough with his exams. Will definitely be back to see Dr. Chin for my next eye exam.
Good frames selection, but not great. Otherwise no complaints!

Pros:
— He spends a lot of time with me on my annual checkups. He doesn’t seem rushed.
— He tries to get me as many contact lenses as my insurance will allow.
Cons:
— The contact lenses that he’s prescribed haven’t felt that great in my eyes. He’s put me on two different brands, and neither have felt great.
— The staff isn’t so good at fitting frames. My frames don’t sit straight on my face. I went back, they tried to fix them, but a couple weeks later they were crooked again.

I am a bit biased. I worked here for over a year and Dr. Chin taught me a lot about glasses and eyeballs. My only sadness is that I wish I could have played with the equipment more.
He’s pretty anal-​retentive as a boss, but his attention to all the little things makes him a great optometrist. Personally, he’s been the most thorough optometrist that I’ve ever been to.