Costco Optical

Great prices on frames and all the bells and whistles. Also great prices on contacts, if you are like me and wear both. They don’t take all insurances, but at these prices I will submit to my insurance myself! Helpful opticians. Not the hugest range of frames to choose from, but you can bring in your own frames from elsewhere as long as you can prove (dated receipt) they are brand new. And they will always tighten, clean, readjust, whatever you need as long as you bought them there. And if you buy a tiny spray Costco cleaner from them, you can get it refilled for free any time you are in any Costco. Same applies to sentence above (the tightening of screws and readjusting). You can also buy those little cloths that are good for glasses with coatings (mine has anti-​reflective computer glare coating) and they will tell you the secrets to keeping the cloth clean and your coating streak and scratch free. I highly recommend Costco optical!

So very, very helpful, friendly and great to work with. Mindi was great!

affordable, friendly, helpful, clean. I had both an exam and a glasses order. I had Dr. Bell (Sound Eye Care) for the exam and she was very nice. The staff at the optical hardware desk right next to it were also professional, friendly and efficient. One does not need an appt for the contacts/​eyeglasses portion and I didn’t know I had to take a number when I walked up, they were nice about that as well. I will continue to go here from now on!

I have to commend the staff of Costco optical. I took two kids in with me to choose glasses on a busy Saturday afternoon. We only had to wait a few minutes before our number was called. The employee did a great job of helping me find frames that I liked. My son really liked the frames he already had and she immediately found frames almost identical for him. The process to place all three orders was painless and she applied a coupon that I hadn’t known about. She told us it could be 7 – 10 days.
Tuesday, I got the call that mine were in. Wednesday I got the call that both kids’ glasses were in. Talk about fast! The ladies that helped us at pick-​up really took the time to make sure the glasses fit correctly, even changing out the nose pads for smaller ones for my 10 year old. It took time but it was worth it. They took great care of us.

This applies to the eye exam clinic, Sound Eye Care, not the area nearby where Costco customers buy glasses and may have to take a number.
I have rarely been so impressed by a combination of efficiency, quality, and excellence. I needed an eye exam for new contacts, and spotted Sound Eye Care while in Costco. Within 19 minutes I had completed paperwork, finished a preliminary screening for serious eye conditions, and completed my visit with Dr. Matthew Bell, who besides being funny and pleasant was thorough and fast without sacrificing detail. He performed all the steps I remember from past eye exams, but more efficiently.
I walked out less than 20 minutes after I walked in. I had a new prescription, a pair of new contacts in my eyes, and a pair of alternative contacts to try after a week — all for the cost of the exam. I have not seen so clearly in years and wonder why other optometrists could not have given me this vision years ago. When I decide which pair of lenses suits me best, I just have to return and place my order for more, or just order lenses online. Excellent!
If you need a lens prescription and want to be in and out quickly with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of care, give Sound Eye Care a look.
Note: You do not have to be a Costco member to use this clinic, but to get into Costco, where the clinic is located, you will need to be with somebody who is a member.

Gina in the Optical Dept. absolutely rocks. Great service from her, she looked up my old stuff (I had lost my newish glasses and wanted to reorder the same) and was so efficient, helpful and kind with a great disposition. She had all my info waiting, had checked to make sure same frames possible. She never seemed rushed or put me off. I am still in the affordable category even with my stupid loss. I don’t know why everyone doesn’t use Costco, for the big modern selection on frames and specialized lenses won’t bankrupt you. Carol M

I like going to costco for my prescription and to order my contacts! I’m a returning patient… this was probably my third exam here with Dr. Matthew Bell. It’s cheaper than most optical offices. Dr. Matthew Bell was great. The visit was quick and thorough! I told him how two of my siblings have retinal problems and he was able to explain to me what they have based off of my description and what he would have seen if I had it. We chatted a bit during the exam and I told him I was going to Kona next month and at the end of the exam he gave me some contact solution, a travel sized bottle for my flight which I thought was thoughtful.

I have always had a great experience getting glasses at this location. Ordering contacts here is a steal!
However, I am bummed that they only have a few wide frames. I was redirected to order a pair online and they will add the lenses. They won’t add lenses to my current glasses because they they’re too old. :/​ugh.

I wanted to get a second pair of glasses, and was on a very tight budget. I went to a different place to get my first pair, and they were pretty pricey. At Costco, I found some pretty awesome frames for $ 34.99! The staff was so very helpful and friendly — answering my questions in a non-​condescending way. I had to get progressive lenses — trifocal, please, and I opted for all the sides, including transitions. I love my glasses — they were such a great deal, and the overall experience was amazing. I do have to say one word of advice — they are Costco, so they do get very busy. Just grab a number and try on some frames for grins, and they will take care of any questions you may have! I totally recommend Costco!

I have purchased great glasses there on three occasions. The prices are right and the quality is good. I however am consistently poor service by one person in particular and next time there I will certainly get her name. When my number was called and I saw it was her I cringed because last time she left me feeling very frustrated with her lack of customer service skills and overall knowledge. This time I asked her to take a lens out of a pair of glasses purchased there (the wearer had cataract surgery in one eye and that is what the Dr recommended). She practically threw the loose lens and glassframe at me when she was done. I had to ask for an envelope or something to put it in. I swear next time I will wait for the next person to take care of me, I will return there but I don’t want to deal with her anymore.

Lens coatings are peeling at two year mark. Clerk says they have better coatings now but can’t do anything for me due to out of warranty. Prior lenses from Japan had no such problems. Only conclusion to draw is Costco quality deficit. Also bought prescription sunglasses at same time that gave me a headache and just felt wonky. Went back and was told I could have polarization sensitivity. Yeah, right. Couldn’t wear them for two years and took them back in as new condition with my other failed lenses and got the same story. I had triple checked with my ophthalmologist and insisted Costco was bonkers. I wouldn’t take no for an answer and they finally figured out that they had put the wrong lenses in left for right. After the swap they were perfect. But what a complete PITA. I need new glasses now and just don’t want to go down this road again.

I was there yesterday for a optical appointment (excellent, see that review), and decided to make a detailed report on what is available in the optical department. They have over 400 pairs of frames with the average prices between $ 60 and $ 100. I saw some house branded frames, and big names like Hugo Boss, Gefferey Beene, Armani and Coach. They have cabinets full of different brands of contacts.
You do have to have a membership. They do get really busy, but they do have a take a number system so everyone gets a turn. I have never felt rushed there and the customer service has been great. They were even gracious when I brought back a pair of glasses that I got in April. They check the prescription in the lenses against the prescription, and then checked my previous prescriptions, and found that the new lenses were weaker than would be expected. That is my ophthalmologist’s fault.
In April I got out of there with a new pair of glasses, with all the bells and whistles (progressive bifocals, Transitions lenses, anti-​glare, roll and polish, frames, etc) for about $ 250 cash price, no insurance– a steal!

I will start this review by saying that I have never gone out of my way to write a poor review, but I was so appalled by the service that I felt I should share my experience.
I work in the healthcare industry (currently finishing my doctorate) and I value patient centered care. I walked in and the doctor did not ask anything about my eye history. He jumped into what he assumed my history was based on the prescription of my glasses. I did not get a word in edgewise throughout the entire appointment. He spent the whole time trying to impress me with jargon on how much he knew. I would have been far more impressed had he taken the time to find out about my history and to assess my current needs. I felt like I was talking to a car salesman rather than a doctor of optometry.
I was appalled to see that they had the list of patients for the day hung on the cabinet in plain sight. They is a HUGE HIPAA violation and I am still considering calling to speak with the manager/​owner. As someone who works in healthcare I am very cautious to protect my patients’ right to privacy. Having that information displayed in a public area is against the law.
I will say that the woman at the glasses counter was friendly and I ordered sunglasses, but I would NEVER have another eye exam at Costco. It is not worth it to me to receive significantly poorer care than a private practice so that I can save $ 40.

I was stopping in to pick up a pair of glasses for my son. They have a place set up for contact pick up so I stood there waiting. I was
Completely ignored and a lady named Martha asked for the next number and I said I was picking up glasses. She was SO RUDE! She said I had to take a number for that! I asked what the difference was between her going in the drawer to give me contacts or glasses??? She did pull the glasses out and handed them to me which took all of 15 seconds but yet she said I needed a number an would have had to wait for a long time. That is poor customer service and she had a scowl on her face the whole time. People like Martha make me want to go elsewhere.

I had gotten glasses at Costco before, and was pretty satisfied. I went someplace else this time around, thinking they may be more affordable for me as my medical doesn’t cover optical. In short, I returned those glasses in less than a week and went straight over to Costco with my prescription.
It wasn’t too busy that evening. I found a cute frame, but it fit me a little funny, so I wasn’t sure. «Daniel» adjusted the nose pads for me, had me try them again… I was sold. He had my old lens history in the computer as to poly, trans, anti glare… asked me if I wanted those options again, I said yes. Everything said and done, he said I would get an automated call in about a week or two when they came in.
3 days later, my glasses came in. I received a nice case and a microfiber cloth… I’ve gotten decent cases with glasses before, but never gotten a mircofiber cloth, even when I got glasses at costco long time ago… much be new… but I appreciate it! The gal that helped me seemed to enjoy making sure they were comfortable for me. Picked up right away that I had my contacts in and told me, that if the prescription didn’t seem right when I finally wore them, to come back and they’ll get it taken care of.
I don’t know why I strayed from Costco for glasses… they are super affordable, contacts are affordable, if you have a problem, you just come back and they’ll take care of it with no attitude. Staff has never been rude to me.
I’ll be back in two years for my next exam and pair of glasses!

I procrastinate. So when I realised it was the end of my insurance benefit year and I needed an eye appointment, I scurried around trying to find an opening. And I got one… on the 31^st of December! I was placed on the schedule and was seen within ten minutes of my arrival.
I have since seen Dr Elizabeth Bell several times this year for conjunctivitis. Dr Bell showed such care to my poor angry eye and exhibited such attentiveness that I made the decision that she was going to be my new eye doctor!
The front office staff can run hot and cold but have never been rude. The equipment and room was spotless. Parking is plentiful unless you go during a peak time at Costco. I recommend this office for your optical needs and think that you’ll be satisfied after your first visit!

Costco is great because they have contact lenses for a decent price ($ 24 – 25 for brand name, disposable) but the 2 things that kind of suck:
— They cannot hold contacts for you unless you pay over the phone.
— You can only order over the phone and pick up your order using a Costco credit card or an American Express card. This sucks for me because I don’t own more than 1 credit card and have no plans to get another card in the future. I could have paid using my boring, regular ‘ol debit card today, but I guess it’s drive-​to-​the-​store, pick-​a-​number, wait-​in-​line, pay-​in-​person for folks like me. Poop.
Good things:
— If you see a Costco optometrist, your prescription (glasses, contacts) will be in the computer system so you don’t have to worry about lugging around your optical prescription for 2 years each time you get new glasses or new lenses.
— The service is pretty fast, just avoid Sunday and Saturday afternoons!
— The optometrists are pretty awesome. I have pretty horrid vision and the doc I saw was able to give me an option as to having really strong contact lenses to see really far away, but also warned me that it can cause headaches and an option to have lenses that were updated from my old Rx, but good enough to see far enough to see signs when driving.

Sadly, age has caught up with me. Age and three years in seminary where I spent my days and nights either reading a book or staring at a computer screen. All of this adds up to me needing my first pair of prescription glasses… sigh.
At the recommendation of my in-​laws I went to Costco for my eye exam. Granted I am new to eye exams, but as far as I can tell they did a great job. The Dr. answered all my questions, like «Why does that machine need to blow air into my eye?» She interacted with me like a friend I had not seen in a while, which made me feel very comfortable. And the price was good, $ 65 for the exam.
After walking into LensCrafters for frames and then immediately walking out (prices there are waaaaaaaaaay overpriced). My wife and I went back to Costco to check out their frames. I found a great pair for $ 40, and with the lenses my total only came to about $ 120 (a similar pair of glasses at LensCrafters would have been around $ 350)!

An optometrist in Costco? Kind of sketchy, right? But actually it was probably one of the best experiences I have had with a medical professional. The office staff was extremely friendly when I phoned in. They offered me an appointment the next day.
The office itself is pretty basic. The waiting area is right outside a sliding glass door. It’s nothing ritzy, but you’re not there to sit in waiting room chairs anyway.
Dr Bell was extremely professional, answered all of my questions, and made sure I knew that all my appointments with her for the next 3 months would be included in my first visit price. Sometimes I feel like optometrists like to skimp out on the follow up visits, but Dr Bell was very adamant about me coming back. I’ll have to follow up after I’m completely done, but after the initial visit, I’m glad I took the advice of a fellow Unilocaler to try her office out.
Contact exams are $ 95, basic is $ 65. You have to pay more for some other tests ($ 10).

Without the aid of modern optometry I would be legally blind! That said, I have been going to optometrists for most of my life and have been wearing glasses since I was 9yrs old. So I have alot of experience here!
The independant Optometrist, Elizabeth Bell, located in this Costco, is the best one I’ve experienced! She is knowledgeable, translates things into laymans terms and doesn’t treat me like a 5yr old and scold me relentlessly for my contact abuse!
Instead she actually gets it! She understands how hard it is to wake up and not be able to see so works around that issue with me by ensuring I have the best, most breatheable contacts out there. Then kindly works out a plan for me in which to encourage me to wear my glasses at times to help my eyes breathe. In addition, I can just get a vision exam here, and don’t have to go through dialation or other tests which is a huge bonus! The total exam only costs around $ 95.
Then I simply go over to the Costco side, only a wall separates the two, and easily place my order for my new prescription. The process takes a total of 10 minutes to order and the staff there are very friendly and helpful. I end up paying far less than I used to for contacts and they arrive within a short few days. The glasses I just ordered were only $ 150 vs the $ 350-​$ 500 I used to pay at my previous Group Health Preferred Optometrist!
Lastly, Dr. Bell gave me the unfortunate news that I am now in need of readers. I only need a +.75 which is not a very common prescription however instead of recommending that I order them through Costco and spend $ 60, she told me where I could attain some for a mere $ 15!
Seriously, if you are looking for a pleasant optical experience and for prices that don’t make you reel, this is the place to go.