Optical Gallery

The owner (bald guy working at the counter) is a crook, whatever you do, trust me when I say that this guy will bend and break the rules if he finds an opportunity to do so most often relying on people’s ignorance, lack of knowledge on how insurance policy works or how any routine eye exam procedures should normally go. He will find a weakness in you and have no shame in exploiting it, take my word for it, he will not even think twice.
To state the matter more clearly: «He will force/​trick you into paying for a yearly routine eye exam that your insurance should take care free of charge for you; provided you are covered by CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield (Note, if you are, then under all circumstances, here is my advice, just call your insurance first, verify every invoice or routine eye exam, medical exam, eye-​contacts purchases or glasses, check everything first with your insurance before consulting or making any payment he inquires you to; sounds like a reasonable thing to do, right?).»
Dr Stephens was alright after my eye routine exam, although she seemed a bit irritated working there.
The staff lady in charge of taking care of my insurance could use more common sense and honesty when I clearly showed her proof that my insurance would take care of the payment. Remember, you have a free once per benefit period (usually yearly) routine eye exam covered fully by your insurance usually, mine is CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield as mentioned previously.
End of the story, my insurance did cover my routine eye exam fully at this place and as for me, I will never step foot there again.

I went here for an eye exam and they gave me grief and tried to guilt trip me over deciding to purchase my eyewear elsewhere (ie online). They collectively gave me some marketing pitch about how businesses like theirs can only stay in business if people purchase their eyewear from them when they get their eye exam. When I explained to them that I’d rather spend $ 100 on glasses online as opposed to $ 400 – 500 for «designer» frames, they became irritated and inhospitable.
I asked for them to measure and write my pupillary distance on my prescription and they would not because they were irate that I didn’t want to purchase my frames or contacts there.
Definitely would never go back and would not recommend going here for an eye exam.

Like many of the reviews prior to mine, I too am quite disillusioned by this practice. While Dr. Stephens is very pleasant and seems knowledgeable about eye health, thus the two stars, the downfall of this place stems from the manager and his astronomical price points, disturbing sales tactics and condescending demeanor. I have been in glasses and contacts for most of my life and believe me when I say, these price points are not industry standard. I would strongly suggest taking your business elsewhere.

Dr. Stephens is the best eye doctor I’ve ever had — she’s thorough and takes her time to explain things to you. Very friendly too.
As for the store part — Meh. Overpriced just like every other glasses store. What can you expect?

Fantastic selection of frames and the sales guy is really fantastic. Low pressure sales environment and so friendly. My sweetheart had his heart set on a pair of super expensive designer frames and this guy did not jerk him around at all, gave us the lowest price, and had us in and out very quickly. I would highly recommend. Took psp insurance.

Bottom line: Quick, friendly eye consultation and exam with Dr. Stephens. Great if you have a busy schedule.
Dr. Stephens is straightforward, friendly and efficient She’s very willing to walk you through what she’s noticing with your eyesight and in a way that makes sense. The three times I’ve been I’ve never had to wait more than five minutes to start the appointment and am usually out within 30 minutes. The practice accepts ZocDoc appointments, which is extremely convenient. Good eyeglass selection. I’d recommend if you’re looking for a quick eye exam.
I agree with others that the prices can be high, so if you’re concerned about that I’d recommend consulting with your insurance beforehand. Unless you’re changing glasses every six months, it’s not that expensive when you factor in how long you’re wearing your glasses.
I don’t wear contacts, but I think it’s important to read the fine print. I believe on ZocDoc there was a note about contact lens consultations having a separate cost. I could see how folks would be surprised about the separate cost if they hadn’t know about it beforehand.

This rating is for the entire practice. The practitioner, Dr. Stephens, is personable and competent, and I would see her again if she were at a better practice. First, the practice did not have the paperwork I completed on ZocDoc, so I had to do it again. The practice blamed ZocDoc for this inconvenience. The reason I will not be coming back is the optician who helps with eyeglasses and payment. He was rude, pushy, and generally misinformed about insurance. He argued with me over the copayment repeating the amount. The nice assistant who checked me in showed him he was mistaken– no apology given. He begrudgingly provided me with my Rx and my pupillary distance and I took my business elsewhere. Warby Parker– here I come.

The best thing about this office is that it is small, they have a wide selection of top designer frames, and they care for you personally.** Thank you to Dr. Stephens for your caring manner and excellent knowledge. Thank you to Ihsan Khaul for helping me to select the best pair of glasses for the shape of face and that fits my personality. Your prompt service is very much appreciated.
**This is the exact opposite of the big box eye glass store where they treat their patient on a factory line. For them it is more patients equals more financial reward.

In short, I will NEVER frequent this establishment again and I would advise you to do the same. DO NOT GO HERE WITHOUT READING REVIEWS. If it was possible to give this company no stars, I would. I should have paid more attention to the ratings before going there. Please know that if this company received any positive feedback here on Unilocal,it’s probably someone from inside of the company actually writing counter reviews to save the business. I am not one of those reviewers that come to Unilocal just to report my negative experience… this company is truly awful.
Pros
1.) They seem to always have availability if you need to quickly schedule an appointment. (I wonder why)
2.) The ONE doctor there is actually pretty great (WHEN she is there.-Dr. Stephens)
Cons
1.) They charge you OUTRAGEOUS prices for exams that you probably do not need
2.) They convince you that you NEED these different exams while you are there, in addition to whatever you went there for, and in speaking with other doctors, they are confused as to why it was suggested. I am a healthy 26 year old woman whose eye sight has actually (USUALLY) improved from year to year though when going here, my eyesight has seemingly digressed.
3.) The guy who is in charge of the store… BEWARE. He will charge different prices from patient to patient depending on how great your insurance is. He will also try and charge you at least $ 50 more than other reputable companies. Contacts online, with shipping and a year supply, were $ 100 cheaper than what he quoted me. When I mentioned this to him, he offered me a $ 40 rebate which was still not as great as what I was offered online. When I asked for my prescription to be released to me so I could order them myself, he claimed the doctor had to send them and that she was not available to do so until the end of the week. I have HAD it with them. Do NOT frequent this establishment!!!

If you’re reading this page, you’re lucky b/​c I didn’t before I came here and I regret it. Believe the people who talk about the «contact lens fitting fee» scam — they’re telling the truth.
I went in today and it was first off odd that the doctor was checking me in but didn’t identify herself until we were about to go back. But then I happened to notice a small, out of the way sign on the front desk about the lens fitting fee and asked before I went in. They kept saying we could talk about it after, but I wasn’t going to fall for that so I told them I was on a budget and didn’t want to be charged something I couldn’t afford so they finally told me about it. They wanted me to pay $ 180 OUT OF POCKET for updating a a contact prescription. I was going to use the same brand b/​c I have difficult eyes (astigmatism and dryness) and told them so, but they said it didn’t matter. They’re supposedly covered by Davis Vision but what’s the point when they charge that.
If you have Davis Vision insurance, head over to For Eyes with Dr. Simon — I haven’t been yet but the general eye and contact lens exam is $ 139 without insurance and they take $ 59 off for the general eye exam being covered by insurance. Save yourself $ 100! I’m sure there’s better deals out there, but I’m under the gun with FSA (major procrastinator).

I will never go back here.
As is the consensus of customer reviews. I wish I had read them beforehand.
They charged me $ 136 for the «contact lens fitting». And as if I couldn’t feel anymore robbed I just read a review from a month ago from Kevin S. that states he was only charged $ 50 for his contact lens fitting. And even that customer agrees the charge is «non-​industry-​standard». When I questioned the fee they tried to dismiss me and tell me to take it up with my insurance.
This place is solely out to get your money. Especially the store-​front man who I had to be firm with about how many contacts I am going to order and that I was not interested in new glasses.
I’ve never walked out of any type of doctor’s office so upset.

I just had an eye exam and browsed for my first pair of glasses. I thought everyone was friendly and professional. Dr. Stephens gave me detailed and helpful answers to all of my questions, and she was very personable.
The store seemed to have a decent selection of trendy designer glasses (Prada, D&G, etc. $ 200 – 400) and basic frames. They will also give me 35% off (based on my vision insurance).
In response to the negative reviews about the staff: I had a very different experience, so it’s possible that someone different was working on those days, or they changed their policies. The salesman gave me a couple of pairs to try on, then let me browse at my leisure since I was having trouble deciding. I later called and he said it would be no problem to email me my prescription. I did not feel pressured at all while deciding whether to purchase glasses there (I am still deciding since it’s my first pair).
Overall, I had a good experience and plan to return!

Normally, I always look at the reviews for a company before I give them my business. This time I failed to do so, and I paid for it. Dr. Stephens is a good doctor. My experience with her with okay. However, store-​front guy is as shady as they come. He came off like a sleezy used car sales from the beginning while trying to sell me glasses and contacts. He seemed perturbed when I told him I wasn’t ready to buy at the moment and he got even more upset when I refused to put down a «deposit» on glasses that I wasn’t even sure I wanted. My next interaction with this jerk came when it time for me to get my contact lense prescription. He kept trying to tell me how great the deal was that they can offer and even after I purchased some lenses, he kept trying to delay in giving me my prescription. Stay away from this company. There are much better optical providers in the DC area.

Pretty much had the same experience as majority of the reviewers on Unilocal.The rating is probably more reflective of the gentleman working the front of the store, than the eye doctor.
The eye doctor was nice enough and informative during my exam. The gentleman at the front of the store was dismissive when it came time to check me out and explain why my bill was $ 110 more than I expected. He wasn’t the least bit interested in hearing what I had to say, let alone helping me figure out the answer to my question. He dismissed my confusion and briskly directed me to work out whatever issue I had with my insurance because he did nothing wrong. Once I walked out of the store and got two minutes to take a breath and look at the receipt he provided me, I realized the total was much more that I expected because he ordered more contacts that I wanted. They did credit me back for the overage based on ordering only what I wanted after a call back to the store once the day of my exam and another call the following day.
I also had some trouble getting an Rx for my contacts. Doctor wrote me an Rx for glasses though when I called the store to inquire about my refund, after a little bit of back and forth, she emailed me the Rx for contacts. She seemed a little frustrated, so was I. Just not at all understanding why their preferred method is to get me my contact Rx at the time that my order comes in. I wanted my contact Rx the day I came in for the eye exam. That was the whole purpose of the exam. I’ve never had that happen to me before, though they might have a good reason for operating this way. No one explained it to me.
All in all, not what I’m looking for from an eye doctor. Will find somewhere else to go next year since there are a handful of eye doctors around this area.

These guys are great! I love a business that can do it all. Forgot my former prescription but they were able to check my glasses while my eyes were examined. I was in and out in 40 minutes. I have the Fed BCBS vision plan and got new prescription polarized ($ 75 extra) sunglasses ($ 130 insurance credit, they gave me frames marked at $ 280 for $ 70 cost to me) and one new Anti-​glare lens in my existing reading glasses ($ 110). They helped me find a cheaper version of the sunglasses I liked best and only upsold me by $ 25 in the end ;) Spent down the rest of my HSA and no more eye strain!

I was hesitant to give this a «one star» rating only because my experience with the female eye doctor was great. She seemed very knowledgeable and easy to talk to.
The rest of my experience was an unpleasant one because of the man who runs the store and I’ve found that my experience is eerily similar to other reviews.
— Talks down to you and will not give you your space when browsing
— Pressures you into trying on the most ridiculous frames — pays no attention to the style you say you are looking for
–Overcharges you but makes you feel like you are getting «a deal»
— Has no regard to your prescription concerns. After getting my glasses I was having a hard time adjusting and couldn’t reach the doctor to ask her a few questions. He scoffed at my concerns and told me it doesn’t matter what prescription you have, your eyes will soon adjust. His exact quote «You could wear my glasses and within in a year you would get use to them — it doesn’t matter»
— When I went in to ask for my prescription, he was hesitant to give it to me. He said «why do you want your prescription, your not going to get your glasses at another place are you?» He reluctantly wrote the prescription down for me but told me it wouldn’t make any sense to me anyways.
— When i first got my glasses, they were completely crooked. Using his hands he just bent the frames and was like «there –it’s fixed now». When I tried to fix them myself because they were still crooked, I ended up having to go back to try and get them re-​adjusted. He proceeded to yell at me, telling me that I didnt know what I was doing and insisted on «straightening them again» but in the back so «I couldn’t see what he was doing».
— You spend a fortune on the glasses and they don’t even give you the case it comes in
It was my first eye doctor/​glasses experience and unfortunately I felt I was taken advantage of and not treated very well.

I was looking for an affordable contact lens exam and was referred here through 1800 contacts. I had a very pleasant experience and was happy with the attentiveness of the eye doctor. I even found parking (in dc?!?) right outside of the store. Sometimes I get dissuaded by negative reviews easily, but in this instance I went here without reading Unilocal reviews and I was very satisfied. The eye doctor I saw before would charge me $ 200 for my contact exam and didn’t even provide the same level of service. Side note: I’ve only seen the female optician.

I came across Optical Gallery through my insurance and have visited the office twice. Each time was pleasant and easy! I can’t ask for much more than that. Staff and doctors are friendly and helpful. They have a nice selection of sunglasses but I prefer an eyeglass shop in Pennsylvania to purchase my actual glasses. I am a little more selective when it comes to my frames. I have purchased a nice pair of Coach sunglasses at a discount from Optical Gallery that I love.
I ordered contacts but got caught up with time and asked if they could mail them to me. They were at my door within 2 days wrapped nicely with candy and a personal note. They also included a coupon. It was like getting a $ 25 gift card… thanks!
I appreciate the kind service and so far my experiences have been nothing but positive.

I had a very bad experience here. The man that runs the store portion will take you and your insurance for a ride. Trying to get a straight answer on what anything cost is like pulling teeth. It was like dealing with a snake oil salesman. The actual optometrist that does the exams is great if that is all you need, but if you want to buy glasses or contacts as well, look out.
I had all three. The frames were not ready on time and I had to go back and get them fixed because they were put together wrong. The contacts took about a week longer than they said for pick up. I have insurance and still spent almost a thousand. I never got any explanation of what was charged to the insurance and no receipt.

Went back on Saturday, ³⁄₂₁ and showed the optician the scratched lenses. He claimed they weren’t scratched, but polished improperly. He admitted that he rushed to get my glasses ready instead of taking the time to properly prepare them, and apologized. He took them out of the frames and polished them, and they looked much better. He told me to continuously polish them to keep them looking smooth. I am thankful that that’s all that was and that it wouldn’t cost me extra money to repair them.
A salesman was also in at the time bringing new inventory. Too bad I already purchased new frames from them (and can’t afford any others at the moment) because the new inventory I’d seen looked nice.