English Rows Eye Care

I received the most thorough eye exam I’ve ever had and was highly impressed by Dr Smith and his staff.

Dr. Smith and staff are second to none! Referred by a friend, I have been thoroughly impressed. They are friendly, prompt and thorough. Stocking a wide range of frames, his staff ensures you get a pair of glasses that fit your face –and personality! After having an awful experience with a different (and highly rated) local eye doctor, finding Dr. Smith has been a God-​send. Highly recommend him.

I have been going to Dr. Allan Smith for a while, no complaints, he is a wonderful doctor and I would like to keep going to see him. His staff is really good too, at least most of them.
However, I had the worst experience today. I went on my lunch break to pick up my contact lenses and give my frames for prescription lenses. The only person to tend to me was someone called Annette. She could not answer any of my questions, was rude, had such a bad, high handed attitude and the worst and shocking thing was how she made fun of my accent.
Needless to say, I got nothing done and walked out of there feeling lousy. Wondering if this is the right place for me.

Doctors are fine. The front desk, however, thinks they’re something they’re not.
We’ve bought 3 pairs of glasses + contacts in the last year (easily over $ 1500). They have a toy chest that my daughter discovered. One of the front desk employees, a woman whom my 3yo daughter described as the woman who runs the orphanage in Despicable Me, took a great amount of pleasure telling my daughter that «those are for boys and girls who get eye exams :)»
Needless to say, she was crushed. The car ride home was spent explaining to her how some people are nice, and some people are not.
Unless those are gold and diamond crusted Matchbox cars in that chest, I think you could have spared a plastic toy for the 3yo child of a customer who was dropping hundreds and hundreds of dollars in your store.
Unless, of course, you think you’re something you’re not.
When my wife tried to get an appointment in before the new year, she was actually chuckled at for even suggesting something so preposterous. She wasn’t asked if there was a better time, an alternate time, something that could have made her happy… no. She was laughed at and made to feel small — like my daughter.
«Attitude» is the word my wife keeps repeating, even as I write this. «Better» is the way to describe what they think they are. Better than their customers, no doubt.
After all, being the gatekeeper of a box of plastic toys is such tiring work. Silly non-​exam taking kids! And let’s not forget how hard it is to stifle the contemptuous laughter when people dare to attempt a last minute appointment.
Keep acting and feeling like you’re something you’re not — such as the only place to get exams, contacts & glasses — and we’ll happily spend our thousands and thousands each year somewhere else.
:)

This place is so great! I always have a problem finding a good eye care place. The staff is very nice and helpful. I hardly had to wait for my appointment and the appointment it self was probably 20 minutes or less. In my opinion I feel they could have more options for unique glasses but luckily I called before my appointment and requested a specific frame. They actually ordered it for me to try on and said there was no pressure if I didn’t like it! Turns out I did love the frames I chose so it all worked out. Dr. Allan was extremely nice and made me feel comfortable. I would definitely come back here.

I’ll just start by saying that ALL medical offices should be run this way. Dr. Smith and his entire staff are fantastic.
This was my second annual checkup. I showed up right at 10:15 for my appt… and they were ready for me at 10:15. No wait. Let me repeat: NO. WAIT. !!!
The office is super-​modern with the latest technology. Tried the Optomap machine today instead of having my eyes dilated… (TOTALLY worth the $ 40, BTW.) Dr. Smith is thorough and explains every step of the process, and he’s just a really nice guy to boot.
My daughter (then barely five years old) had her first eye appt ever here last year and it was a terrific experience — which is SO important for a kid. My husband now goes here as well. We rarely have the same medical professional for everything but we have our entire family’s optical needs covered here.
Was also quite impressed with the frame selection. (Last year I was fitted for contacts so I didn’t go through the frame selection process here back then.) Originally I wanted Tory Burch or Ted Baker frames (neither of which they carry) but the selection was still really broad — Brooks Brothers, Prada, Versace, Ralph Lauren, Elizabeth Arden, Ray-​Ban, etc, etc. I took FOREVER picking out frames and still couldn’t decide — too many good options — but the associate that helped me was SO patient and pulled a LOT of styles I wouldn’t have chosen for myself. (When I say patient, I mean PATIENT — I took selfies, was texting pics to my husband for his opinion, etc — like 45 mins worth of selection and trying on and back-​and-​forth.) She took my feedback on my current Gucci frames into account — I wanted a thinner bridge, nothing too rounded or too large, no metal, no flashy colors, no huge metal logo or obvious sunglasses-​looking hinge on the side, etc. and literally selected several pairs I would never have picked up on my own. I ended up with a Ralph Lauren pair she picked (one I didn’t even notice at first) and I couldn’t be happier.
Was shocked at how reasonable the price was for frames, etc. too — mine ended up being totally covered by insurance, so with my co-​pay, my desired upgrades (thinner high-​index lenses, tougher coating, etc.) and the Optomap exam, my entire appt AND new glasses only came to $ 150 outside of my insurance. By FAR the least I have ever spent getting an annual exam and totally new frames and lenses, but with *significantly* better quality of care and service.
(Side note: They also didn’t freak out when they called two days ahead to confirm my appt and I realized I’d been booked into a business trip the same day… got me rebooked for less than a week later and were completely pleasant about it. Huge bonus points for someone who travels frequently, particularly without much notice.)
Would definitely recommend English Rows to anyone.

It was nice to finally see an Optometrist that is as knowledgeable and helpful as Dr. Allen! Very positive experience there. Highly recommend!

I was thoroughly impressed with the staff. They are very knowledgeable, efficient, helpful and caring. Customers are treated like family.
Dr. Smith is very knowledgeable and thorough in his discussion on findings and solutions. I would definitely recommend English Rows Eye Care. You won’t be disappointed.

Dr. Allen Smith is a fantastic doctor. I have been going to him for several years. I had an eye emergency while he was on vacation and he still assisted me with advice and directions on what to do. He truly cares about his patients.

By far the best experience I have ever had at an optometrist, or likely any medical office. The staff was helpful and very friendly. Dr. Smith makes you feel as though you are his most important patient. I discovered English Rows Eyecare because it was the closest Optometrist to my home that accepted my insurance. I am very glad that I stumbled into it and would recommend this office to anyone.

Great customer appreciation! I just returned from a «Ladies Night» event at English Rows Eye Care. Champagne, Wine, Cheeses, Chocolates, Strawberries, Spa Services and Designer frames on display. How cool is that?! If only all my doctors hosted fun events like this…

I had to find a new Dr for my wife, since my Insurance decided to change my network, of course with out me knowing. Anyway after asking the insurance for a listing of approved Drs. I chose Dr Smith based on his ratings. The office is close by and very nice, the time to see the Dr was quick. He did not disappoint they scheduled a appointment quickly and were able to see my wife immediately and helped alleviate her eye pain. Dr Smith Suggested to change her use of contacts and prescribe drops for her. I then made appointment to see him myself since I have floaters and had not done a checkup in 2 years. Appoint time was very flexible, even when I had to change it twice. The Optomap can was great as opposed to getting drops to dilate my eyes. Quick flash each eye and done. With drops I would have had to wear shades and wait hrs for the drops to wear off. It was a blessing in disguise that my insurance change, since I am confidant we’ll be seeing Dr Smith more often.

Dr. Smith and everyone who works at English Rows Eye Care is Outstanding! I am really picky when it comes to finding an eye Dr. since bad vision and cataracts run in my family. You only get one set of eyes, so my eye care is really important to me. Dr. Smith always has the newest technology and is very knowledgeable about all the products and options available for his patients. His office is very clean, and the staff is very friendly. His prices are fair and the staff is always happy to help you work with your insurance and find the best deals for you. He hosts different fun event nights with prizes and raffles, and contributes to a variety of community activities and charities. I wouldn’t think about going anywhere else !

I have been having headaches and wanted to get my eyes checked. I had an appointment at Rosin Eye Care or so I thought. Once I went to my appointment I was told I was late. I said «No the appointment was for 3:30 not 3:00»
First of all I know what I said when I made the appointment, the girl who rescheduled it was confused because originally I had a 3:00 but had her change to another day and time. 3:30. Needless to say it was just a mistake. However… the way they handled it was wrong. There was no one in the lobby and they wouldn’t accomodate me at all.
So I called around and English Rows Eye Care heard of my situation and squeezed me into their books. No issues at all! When I got their their lobby was full and they still found time to accomodate me.
The girls were so nice and helpul and all had great personalities.
I will no longer go to Rosin eye care. If you are looking for state of the art practice check them out!
Thank you to Dr. Smith and his staff!!!

Doc Smith and his staff are incredible. I don’t have the easiest eyes to deal with, and have never been able to wear progressive lenses. Doc and his staff took the time and effort to get me into lenses that I could use. Believe me, it was no easy task, and others before had given up. He now is our family eye doctor, and I recommend him to anyone who needs eye care.

Awesome eye Doc. Great service and not overpriced. Living in Lincoln Park and driving out to Naperville is not something I would do but because of Dr. Smith expertise it was well worth it.

My visit in July was very relaxed. Everyone was very helpful and described each activity and the background as to how it all fit together. And they commented on the changes in technology which really impressed me.

Dr. Smith had been taking care of my family’s vision for years and we are very happy with the service. He is very helpful and patient. The staff is professional and nice. Modern office facilities.