Insight Optical

This place is amazing. They’ve got a huge selection and salespeople who are sooooo helpful! Choosing a good pair of glasses was always a bit daunting to me, because in the store, all frames look the same to me. I literally have no idea how to even begin to pick out a pair that’ll suit my face. Thank god the salesperson had it covered. She must have pulled 50 pairs from the wall for me to try on. She’d take a look at how each one would fit on me and eventually whittled down the selection to the final two. I made the final decision and I couldn’t be happier with my choice!
The only thing I will say is that they haven’t got a huge designer selection to choose from. A lot of their stock is from smaller indie brands I’ve never heard of, so I’ve you’re looking for your Chanel frames, you won’t find them here. However, that doesn’t detract in any way from the quality of the selection they do have. I love these guys!

This place is wonderful. I’ve been in twice in a pinch when my glasses suddenly lost a screw, and both times they were kind, helpful, and didn’t even charge me for replacing the screw. The place is comfortable and clean and the staff are friendly. Highly recommended.

Ophthalmologist referred me to Insight Optical, because it carries kids’ glasses. Insight Optical was great: easy to find, sufficient parking (in an area where few businesses have sufficient parking), and enough staff to serve the many customers who were at the location when I arrived. Judy was great; she was warm and friendly and found great options for my son quickly. I was in and out quickly despite the crowd of customers.

This was the most pleasant and satisfying experience I’ve ever had while shopping for new frames. I am so happy I tried this place. The selection was outstanding. They have a variety of styles including all of the latest trends and technology including titanium and nylon frames. The customer service was also incredible, which is few and far between these days! Hayden was my optician, but since it is such a small office I was able to overhear all of the other employees talking with other customers and let me just say I was so impressed with the entire staff. He was super knowledgeable and friendly. I told him exactly what my glasses woes were and he found many options for me that were very light weight and stylish with the look of plastic frames. I have never had so many great options to choose from. I just picked my glasses up yesterday and when I went in Hayden wasn’t there so another lady adjusted the frames for me. She did an excellent job. I’ve never had someone fit frames on my face so well! Overall five stars. I will never go anywhere else!

I had been looking for a place to get new frames for some time. I had grown tired with chains, as I never really found anything different at them. Everything looked the same and looked so old fashioned and blah in them. So I’m always on the hunt for a place that has a great and interesting selection and people who are great at helping you sort through that collection to find something that works for you.
Behold, there was Insight optical!
I had been holding on to my current frames as long as I possibly could because of how much effort it had taken to find them (see problems above) but it was time to retire them as they were getting worn.
I came to insight optical after reading reviews here and I wasn’t disappointed.
I came in and gave an idea of what I was looking for in glasses (nothing oversized, hipsterish. but no ‘invisible frames’ etc.)
It was like something out of a disney movie minus the music, a couple people were whisking about the shop plucking things from the racks that might work for me and bringing them back to where I was sitting with a mirror to test them out.
They brought quite a lot of good options, but narrowed into a great set of frames that fit my face nicely and had a good look them.
They had all the standard options for lenses that you seem to find anywhere so I could get my scratch protection and transitions etc.
I seem to remember vaguely something about a scratch guarantee for a couple of years, but I’d have to call them back to find out what exactly it was.
This is definitely the place to get glasses.
My only reason for not giving 5 stars was because parking was tricky, but I was mostly there on the weekend so I imagine it’s busier and harder to find a spot there than it might be at other times.

Our pediatric opthamalogist, Kathryn Musgrove (Houston Eye Associates) referred us to Insight Optical after determining that our 20 month old daughter was farsighted, especially in her right eye. Because of this, our baby had developed accommodative esotropia, so that her right eye turned inward whenever she tried to focus on something near to her.
Dr. Musgrove chose Insight b/​c of the high quality of its lenses, excellent selection of Miraflex (plastic) frames, and its central location in Rice Village, & recommended it even though Houston Eye Associates — Gramercy has its own optician.
She chose Miraflex frames b/​c they’re comfortable to wear («in my experience, they’re the ones most likely to stay on her face», was what she’d said) & flexible-​enough to be durable, even for a baby. They also come w a handy-​dandy strap to keep the glasses from falling off every time she looks down.
Miraflex glasses come in only one style that fits children 1 – 3 years of age, so we already knew which type of frames we’d be buying. Our only choice was to be the color.
When we pulled up to Insight Optical, we were charmed to find that it’s housed in a 1930s bungalow. The receptionist was professional, courteous, knowledgeable & helpful. He sent us on into the children’s display & fitting room – through the first doorway on the left – & brought Rosie the optician to help us choose my daughter’s frames. No appointment was necessary.
Rosie was very helpful & nice too. Of the ~10 different colored Miraflex frames the store carried, she narrowed down our choices to the frames deemed by society to be suitable for white girls – lavender, yellow, sky blue, pink, pink, & pink. I asked quietly but firmly about a bottle green pair of glasses, & then again, & again – just in case she hadn’t heard me the first few times…
But Rosie had heard me. She made sure I considered whether the green frames would match my daughter’s clothes, but reasoned with me in vain. My husband and I narrowed our choices down to a rose-​colored pair & the green ones. Rosie pointed out that the pink pair would complement our daughter’s fair skin, the darker green pair would accentuate her blue-​gray eyes. We struggled for a few moments trying to keep the glasses on our baby’s face long enough for us to get a look at her.
But Rosie was equal to the task. She brought out a mirror & suggested we stand behind our daughter, so we could see her face in the mirror. For magical reasons known only to Rosie, it was much easier to see how the glasses looked that way. We chose (Gasp!) the green pair. The pink pair really had complemented our baby’s skin – at least until she’d turned purple in the midst of her tantrum.
Rosie reckoned that the glasses would be ready in ~ a week, so I called her back to check on them, 7 days later. She’d received the lenses several days beforehand, but hadn’t yet gotten the frames. But when the frames arrived later that day, Rosie popped the lenses in, & called us back pronto.
We arrived ~ 20 min before closing time. Rosie was w another customer, but we were given the option to wait for her. We opted to let another optician fit the glasses. An optician who’s name I didn’t catch came in. He seemed nervous about working with a baby. He tried clapping the glasses to her face (Disaster!), then retreated hurriedly to find optician Judy.
Judy arrived quickly. «Don’t worry, I’m good with kids!» she boomed stoutly over the sound of my daughter’s wails. «She really likes books», I shouted. «It might help if we could get her to focus on a book.»
The children’s fitting room boasts a fish tank & Lego table, & is littered with children’s books. Judy tried reading a bit of a Sesame Street book, then some Curious George. Our daughter was curious. George had gotten her attention. She came a little closer to Judy, but was too afraid to get really close. But Judy was so easy to work w, I could see we’d had the same thought. So I continued reading. My daughter came over to see the pictures & Judy expertly slipped the strap over my daughter’s head & placed the frames over her nose & ears.
My daughter was horrified – a stranger had put something on her face! She commenced shrieking anew, her eyes shut tight. But I kept on reading, & got her attention back a moment later. She looked at the page. She couldn’t believe it – it was in focus! She looked again more closely. Then, sobbing & hiccuping intermittently, she took her first few tentative steps in a world that she could see clearly for the very first time. She just couldn’t stop staring.
By then it was after closing time – opening hours are 10 AM-​6 PM, M-​F, & 10 AM-​1 PM, Sat – but Judy didn’t rush us. She suggested letting our baby walk around, & we did, relishing every moment.
In all, we paid $ 230 for our daughter’s glasses. The frames cost $ 100 – $ 20 more than we could have gotten them for online. Lenses start at $ 130, depending on your prescription.
But seeing our baby so happy was truly priceless.

I went to Insight Optical on a friend’s recommendation. I was shopping for a pair of frames that would be fitted with lenses at another location.
The optician pulled dozens of frames for me to try. From minimalist, traditional, nebbishy to funky… they had it. Once I narrowed down my options to four pairs, three other opticians came by to offer their opinions.
The shop is thoughtfully outfitted with lots of mirrors and different lighting options so you can see how the frames will look on you under different settings.
Since I didn’t need lenses, I was able to walk out with my new frames.

We walked in today after reading great reviews and this place did not disappoint. A few places we went to before did not help us much. After all, we are asking the expert because we might not know what fits us the best. The lady who assisted us pulled tons of pairs patiently and provided us with many options. Although we have not bought the glasses yet, they saved our preference and we plan to go back once we get a Rx from the doctor.
I would def recommend this place and I wish I remembered the lady’s name who helped us today. Thank you so much for helping my husband pick his glasses, I would def recommend ya’ll over any chain place we have visited.
THANK YOU!!!

I have never been to a place with such a wide and huge variety of glasses to try on! The staff will spend lots of time with you on picking just the right pair… and if you are anything like me. that can take hours. Not only that, but they are honest with you and know what looks great. I would recommend them to anyone seeking a great local shop for glasses. I have never had a better experience in finding just the right pair.

Susan was wonderful. She’s an expert and made it so easy to find my new frames. I had no idea what I was looking for when I arrived but she quickly picked out about 50 different frames to try on to get an idea of what looked good. From there we narrowed down our favorites and a week later I have great new frames!

Today, I bought the most amazing pair of glasses I’ve ever owned at this joint and I’ve been wearing glasses for 31 years.
Susan thinks about glasses in the way other people think about fine wine, fancy shoes, and art. This morning, I kid you not, I watched her magically morph two pair of glasses into one. I liked one pair’s shape and another’s color. So, of course, she just busts out a heating tool and lickety-​split remolds the pretty pair until it’s the shape of the other one. Whoa.
While leaving, holding a complimentary frosty beverage, I began thinking about all my friends whom I wanted to tell about this place, but then I remembered they didn’t wear glasses. I felt so sad for them.

I found the perfect pair of running/​triathlon sunglasses at Insight Optical.
That may sound like an easy task to accomplish, but I had visited multiple chain sports stores, several eyeglass places, and tons of websites looking for a pair that fit my head, gave me great field of vision, and that were tailored for the kinds of activities I do. Needless to say, I was in «picky» mode.
The person who helped me (I’m embarrassed that I don’t remember her name – long dark hair and glasses… but EVERYONE was friendly there) was really helpful. First, she showed me all the sunglasses that other triathletes bought. Then, she let me try on every pair and gave me recommendations on which ones looked better on my face. Furthermore, she showed me the Rudy Project catalog and offered to order any pair of sunglasses that they didn’t currently have just so I could try them on. She did all this with the utmost patience and respect that I’ve seen from anyone working in a customer-​service-​related position.
And I wasn’t there just for 5 or 6 minutes. I wasn’t there already knowing what I wanted to buy or with an eyeglass prescription. I told her I’d think about it, and she told me to call if I had any questions.
A couple of calls and days later, I went back in and she ordered me the perfect pair of sunglasses.
The inside of Optical Insight is filled with walls and walls of eyeglasses and sunglasses. It seems as if they cater to a large kids market because there was a large area for kids to play in, a large selection of kids’ glasses, an aquarium, and a terrarium (frogs!).
I’m definitely going back when I need another pair of sunglasses.

First off– a couple of facts:
I wear contacts constantly.
I don’t hand out 5 star reviews– I just don’t.
But Insight Optical is a 5 star establishment.
Every so often you get to see a craftsman doing something that others consider a task, and they elevate it to an art.
Susan was my optician. She started by having me tell her about my lifestyle while she walked the perimeter of the comfortable room and picked out frames from the thousands clinging to the walls. I immediately got the feeling that I was working with a professional, someone who knows– I was in good hands.
She picked at least 50 frames! And the adventure started.
Step #1: Try on each pair to check for fit. If they didn’t fit they were discarded. If they fit they went into the keeper pile.
Step #2: First impressions of each pair in the fit pile. If I liked it, they stayed… Susan had opinions as well, and they were well thought out!
Step #3: The pile of frames with a great fit and a good first impression. We looked at each pair with a sharp eye. These were going to be my windows to the world!
Step #4: The final cut. All the lovely ladies in the shop came into the fitting room and I tried on the the final 3 frames. Everyone was fun and genuine.
At the end of the process (about 1 hour) I had a pair of glasses that were amazing. Seriously, I’m a guys-​guy and I don’t usually get intensely interested in such an aesthetic detail, but these things are awesome!
I spent about $ 400.00 all together, but I know they are the perfect glasses for me. They fit beautifully, they look great, they make me feel confident that I look my best in glasses.
If you need glasses and you settle for the Lens Crafters-​esq experience, you are selling yourself short.

Wow, i really thought i Unilocal’d Insight Optical last year? Anyway, they are wonderful wonderful! «That One» required specs at age 4 and they have the most wonderful selection of children’s frames. Everywhere we go, she gets «oohs and ahhs» about her glasses. Makes it worth the pretty penny it cost us to get them here. While they are higher than chain suppliers, their customer service is like no other! They provided replacements (NC) for our frames that succumbed to tiny tot wear and tear. Love em!

I have recently been on an eyeglass quest, and found my Mecca… sadly, in another dimension. My perfect unattainable Mecca, with all the really great eyeglasses. I can pass through perfectly well and intact, but can only leave with what I brought. They don’t take insurance, and well, even if I were to jump through the rings of Vogon-​sized paperwork, there’s still a possibility that my insurance company would not reimburse me. As my lenses run me into money, I just can’t take the chance.
The shop is a converted house on Sunset, just north of Rice Village. Hardwood floors and lots of picturesque windows. At first glance, it doesn’t look like they carry much; don’t be foolish. The frames are arranged on wall-​mounted shelving grids. Many, many wall-​mounted shelving grids. In the short time I waited to be helped, a few frames caught my eye. None of them were as perfect as the few I narrowed it down to, after my optician and I weeded through roughly fifty frames.
She was great. She picked frames I wouldn’t have looked at twice on my own that were close to perfect when I actually tried them on. She listened to what I was looking for (novel, compared to a couple of places I ventured to), and handed me frames based on the styles I was slowly narrowing down to. In fact, if they don’t carry the color that you’d like to try on, they will order it for you.
AMAZING customer service. If you are quite burnt out on bad customer service or grouchy or pushy opticians, or if you do not want to suffer said opticians, head here. I am only sad that my pocket book and insurance would not allow me to support the treatment… and also walk away with a few really cute pairs of glasses. (Er…mind the guilt, just wade on through.)
If you are also on a quest for the mythical perfectly versatile pair of frames, head here first. Even if you leave to continue on a journey for frames, you’ll soon realize that you are just kidding yourself by trying to find «better than perfect,» and head back to where you started.

I second everything Claire says. I have been coming here since I first got glasses, about 10 years ago. They have the best selection from funky to original to sophisticated. I absolutely love this place. I once drove someone from Austin to buy glasses here, it’s that good.
The customer service is fantastic as well. The owner knows my family and me by name. Possibly since we’ve been going there for so long… They do pull 50 or so pairs that are a good shape for your face and let you try every one on.
One time I couldn’t decide between 2 pairs so they let me take both home so I could ask my friends/​families opinion. Talk about great service!
I highly recommend this place for anyone looking for great style!

I have been coming here since I first got glasses when I was about 10 years old. That was about 16 years ago. They are GREAT! They have a wide selection of glasses and are very knowledgeable about what will look good on your face.
I went back before Christmas to get a new pair and the woman picked out about 100 pairs of glasses she thought would look good on me and then sat with me as I tried them on. She was great. They are also very knowledgeable about the different types of lenses, coatings for lenses, etc that you need to correct for your prescription.
I highly recommend them. They are a little more expensive than your average Lens Crafters store, but the personalized attention is 100% worth it.