C2020 Optometry

This place is amazing for several reasons.
Their selection of glasses are great if you’re into frames that are pretty exclusive or out of the ordinary. I will say they are a bit pricey but thankfully they accept insurance so it knocked down the price significantly (well, that’s also due to having great insurance from my work lol).
I got my glasses in less than two weeks. They have a great emailing system and let me know the second it was ready for pick up. I have yet to have an eye appt with Dr. Poon, as I got my prescription from Kaiser. However, he did take the time to great everyone that was wandering the store.
All in all, great service & great selection of frames.

Perhaps because of the location their prices are ridiculously high. I found the collection somewhat limited with the ubiquitous and cheap Salt Optics frames. (Salt copies other eyeglass makers.) Some of the other brands were overpriced as well.
The owner/​optician[?] seemed somewhat aloof and his English wasn’t great. [Wonder why optometrists are called doctors, that’s still a mystery to me.) Sales clerk, an elderly woman, seemed friendly but rushed.
Their lens prices were equally high. I’m not saying that one should get lenses at Costco but you can find better and cheaper glasses in the City. Just hop on BART at Rockridge.

After getting my MYKITA frames, I was planning to get lenses made for them at Minor Hall at the UCB Campus. The price there higher than expected and it was also unclear if they would know how to adjust or work with my particular set of frames because MYKITA is not a brand they carry. THAT and I would be paying an extra fee for having brought my own frames!
I figured, might as well go back to the place where I know they can handle my frames with the proper tools when the time comes. Even though the cost of my lenses were a bit higher, I was fine with that and I believe I am paying for quality here. This pair of glasses is a gift to myself and I rather not cut corners for something I plan to use everyday and hope to last a good while.
I came in to get my measurements done. Wait time for lenses and glasses to come back was about 2 weeks. I got a phone call from one of his staff early on in the day. I rushed to pick them up at about 10 minutes before closing time! Dr. Poon was there and kindly helped to make adjustments on nose pads and the leg hooks behind the ear. Even though it was pretty much closing time, I didn’t feel like he was rushing me out and he was very kind and chatty. I liked it and I am very happy with my glasses and overall service.

They correctly ordered my contact lenses and do a thorough eye exam. Unfortunately they understaff their store, and in the past couple of years of patronizing the business, I have come by 3 or 4 times during business hours when the door was locked and a post it note on the door said «back in 15 minutes.» On one occasion I had left work early to pick up my contacts in the hour before they closed – not the best time to take a break. This has been consistently annoying and I’ll be taking my business elsewhere. I think a retail store with posted open hours sets an expectation with customers they will be open then. It’s then disappointing when they are closed during their business hours. One way around this would be to post hours including times for closed breaks, the way some restaurants do between lunch and dinner. That way they can have only one staff person on duty who can humanely get a break during their day without disappointing customers. All about setting expectations! (Please don’t contact me, c2020.)

I’ve been going to C2020 for the last 3 years. It’s always been a very positive experience. Dr. Poon is professional and friendly and his staff is very accommodating. I would highly recommend this office.

I really like this office, and I previously complained about a mixup about whether I could change what contacts I wanted ordered if the ones I wore didn’t feel good. Apparently one of their staff just didn’t know about what I was told, and that was the reason for the mixup. I sent them an email, and Dr. Poon told me it was all a mixup and they would deliver on what they told me. So happy because I really liked this office and now I feel totally comfortable coming back every year.

The eye exam and contact lense fitting went smoothly. After doing some research online, I found out that this place charges more on contact lenses compare to online and Costco, so I decided not to order from here. After I told Dr. Poon that I am not going to order from him, he tried to persuade me by giving a better deal (just a little better) and I gave in. And this whole time, he knew that I would apply my insurance on these lenses. Two weeks later, I went back to pick up my lenses. First of all, he ordered one less pack of lenses for me. But when I asked how much he actually charged my insurance on the two packs he ordered, he told me it was the original price. I was shocked since that was not what I was told originally over the phone. I asked why and his reply was, «well, the charges has already applied to your insurance and since you are not paying any money out of pocket, it doesn’t make any difference.» And he turn away and ignored me after saying that. I was really upset but I wasn’t in a mood to argue so I left and decided never to return to this place. Although I didn’t pay anything out of pocket, but he can’t lie to customers. Maybe I didn’t order enough and he didn’t make enough money out of me.

They were the only place in Berkeley that offered to look at my eyes for free because I thought I had a contact stuck in my eye. The man who helped me (I can’t remember his name, he was a bald (ing) Asian man with glasses) was very polite and patient, and said he would do a few checks. He said he would only charge me if removal of something was required, and after he looked at my right eye for a couple minutes, he said there was nothing to remove, and said I was free to go, no charge. Very helpful, fast service.

Good experience with Dr. Poon and staff. I liked his selection of glasses even though I did not pick one this time. He carries a lot of brands that exclusively design glasses, not just brand powerhouses that decide they can do anything because they can or should. Modern and simple design of shop adds to the pleasant experience.

I’ve only gone there to get my glasses adjusted, so I can’t speak to their other services, but it was a great experience! I was nervous about coming in because I got my glasses online (Warby Parker), not from their store, but the guy was really nice about it. It took less than five minutes and he didn’t charge me even though I offered to pay. It’s nice knowing there’s a friendly optometrist in the neighborhood.

Poon is a great optometrist. Very professional, thorough, and allows the patient to involve herself in the examination process, very patient with the questions/​answers and really understands and cares about the need of the patient. I came in for a contacts prescription upgrade and I got what I was looking for. I called around to other optometrists in the area, and Dr. Poon’s services are very, very competitively priced. I ordered some contacts and they came in promptly (although just ever so slightly overpriced — but hey — I literally saved like $ 100 on my eye exam which was much more thorough/​educational than I thought it would be and I’ve had a bazillion other eye exams in the past). He has a receptionist/​admin person on some days of the week who is really nice, friendly, and knowledgable as well. Great local business. Oh, and — VERY good looking glasses selection. Reasonably priced, too.

This optometry has a friend and super-​helpful doctor, and carries exclusive eyeglass frames, that I haven’t seen elsewhere.
I recently broke my Undostrial eyeglass case, and I didn’t know where to find a replacement. I called Dr. Poon, who sent me a replacement free of charge. To my surprise, I got the eyeglass case the next day. That was awesome customer service!

I love this place! I broke my glasses back in December and came here because it was conveniently located and they were able to fit me in within a reasonable amount of time. I was impressed with the wonderful customer service and what is quite possibly the most accurate eye exam I have ever experienced.
The entire staff is warm, friendly, and competent. Being as blind as I am, cost is always an issue, and I was rather insistent that I take my prescription and order glasses online. Both the optometrist (I believe his name is Dr. Poon, according to my fellow Unilocal reviewers) and DJ were able to talk me out of it and helped get glasses that I could feasibly afford.
I will be back and I will refer anyone that I can to this caring, local establishment. :)

Once again, Dr. Poon and his great staff get 5 stars. I called up because I had scratched my glasses, and although I wasn’t due for a checkup until June, Dr. Poon worked me in quickly for a quick (and free!) check before ordering new glasses. Always great service at reasonable prices!

My expectations:
What you’d expect from a higher-​end place in Rockridge. Minimal, possibly disappointingly spare selection, just enough attitude to remind you that «this place is exclusive».
My experience: After an initial awkward getting-​to-​know-​you phase which lasted only about 3 minutes until I cut the ice with my Kim Jung Il comment, I was able to find frames for my 9 year old son and myself (something that has taken over a year to date) in under 15 minutes. The rest (choosing lens coatings, etc. took another 15 minutes.
Let’s just say the sublime wit and just below the surface accessibility of DJ, the man running the show up front, and tender loving kisses from his Rottweiler, Hans, sealed the deal. Could not have had a better experience. The price wasn’t that shocking either, considering I am a magnet to the Japanese one-​of-​a-​kind-​frames in the case with the alarm system on it. :/​
Now, while I do not have the actual glasses yet, turnaround is under a week, and I expect my experience will be in line with the above, that C2020 will work with me until I am happy, in that unflappable, offbeat way that I now will recommend over all others.
Thanks, guys.

so, I was walking on the street the other day, texting my wife, and bam. a pole just came right in front of me. I was okay but my glassses got bent a little. After a week when my glasses just kinda slips down too much, I decided to go back to this place and see if they can help.
The opticians at C2020 were extremely helpful, and the doctor actually helped fixed my glasses in just a few minutes. While they were adjusting them, one of the staff there notices a small scratch on the side of the lenses, probably from banging the glasses on the pole. Even though the scratch is not that noticable, they insist of replacing the lenses for me for no charge (under warranty). I went home and came back a week later, they switched out the old lenses and put in the new onein about 5 mins. totally hassle free. That’s what I call great service.
a lesson learned here, don’t walk and text. it’s really not good.

I called to make an appointment. They were wide open as far as scheduling is concerned, so that was great. However, I was told a contact lens exam (even though I already wear contact lenses that I am happy with) would cost $ 80. This seemed a bit excessive to me, considering that I will not require any instruction and only really need my prescription updated. I called around and found that Rockridge Optometry, which has equally high reviews and is right down the street, could do it for $ 45 and the UC Berkeley Optometry Center could do it for $ 25. So, I cancelled my appointment.
I live in the neighborhood and have walked past this place many times and it looks very nice, but if you are trying to get the most from your benefits, you might want to look elsewhere. Crystal A. echos the same concerns.

I went to C2020 Optometry because of the good reviews on Unilocal,and they do not disappoint. I haven’t gotten an eye exam in two years and I needed new glasses and contacts.
When I arrived, I noticed their store is very minimalistic and modern. I love the lighting and vintage bike by the window. Good taste in decorations and other stuff usually reflect overall good taste in products ;) As a fashion blogger, I love all things beautiful. So if you’re trying to convince me I look good in glasses, it better be a hell of a pair of glasses.
Now enough about me, I called C2020 and was able to get an appointment after 5pm because of my hectic work schedule. The receptionist was very sweet and efficient. When I arrived, I was greeted by the receptionist on the phone from earlier. She offered me tea and candies (lol) as I waited.
Dr. Poon was very professional and meticulous during the eye exam. Not only did he check the degree (I’m extremelyyyyy nearsighted), he also went in-​depth and make sure my eyes are healthy. Because I often wear contacts, I have this fear that one day I will be diagnosed with some eye illness caused by contact lenses. Dr. Poon eased by concerns (or frantic blabber), informed me my eyes are very healthy. He also explained to me the various kinds of eye problems and what are the main causes. He made sure my contact lenses routine was accurate and safe for my eyes.
After the exam, I went on to choose my frames. They have are very trendy and one-​of-​a-​kind frames. He has a lot of European and Asian (I believe are Japanese) brands. I have a hard time picking one, I wanted two hehe. The assistant there was very informative and eventually help me picked a wooden frame. I am very pleased with the service in C2020 and one time, this older gentlemen in FiDi stopped and asked me about my frames. He thought they were Prada. My thoughts, they are even better ;) Thanks Dr. Poon and C2020!

Amazing service! This place not only looks super cool, they actually ARE super cool! They even figured out that my old glasses were made improperly and helped me fix them (now I don’t feel nauseous all the time, hooray!)
If you have VSP and need a great optometrist, look no further.

Friends don’t let blind friends drive. My friends always insist to carpool me around at night bc not only am I an aggressive driver but bc all lights are 200% brighter in my eyes and I can never see the street signs until .oops, just missed the exit. I’ve gone to about 4 optometrists as my insurance allows me and all of them tell me that I have perfect vision but with a slight stigmatism. but not Dr. Poon!
I stumbled on this fabulously designed and clean store and decided to go for it. Just get my eyes checked one more time to confirm that I’m not actually just crazy. I looked around and liked all the styles of glasses they had, ranging from $ — $$$$, but all looking very cool having potential to end up on my face.
I called in to make an appointment and got a perfect time slot. When I arrived, friendly Candice greeted me and set me up with the typical forms for health history and insurance. fresh blueberries on the side just in case I needed to snack.
Dr. Poon then called me in and the exam began. He was very professional yet pleasant. Very relaxed yet informative. Everything was cleaned with an alcohol wipe before I placed my skin on it and the exam went very well. When he told me that I don’t really need glasses, I thought to my self, «that’s it, I’m crazy.» but he said it will make a difference if my eyes are tired, or if there’s too much computer work or too much iPhone play (hehe.how did he know?). which pretty much is all the time. He then described what I probably see and he was on the money. Dang, why didn’t I see Dr. Poon sooner?
After some more tests I was sent out to pick out some frames! There was just too many great choices but luckily Candice was around to help. She was great. She was there for assistance, suggested some similar styles I liked and knew when to just let me be when I tried on several pairs. I knew my insurance would cover a good amount, and really wanted a pair of SALT, but I opted for a marc by marc jacobs, which actually fit my face better.
Got my eyes dilated just make sure everything was okay and then went to eat a sandwich at Bakesale Betty’s, hehe.
My frames were done on Thursday as promised and I went in for pick up and fitting. I hardly go to the East Bay and who knew there would be so much traffic on a Thursday? Looking at the ETA on the GPS, I knew I wouldn’t make it until closing, so I called C2020 and Dr. Poon asked about how far I was and said, «Oh, don’t worry. I’ll be here.» I got there seriously about 10 minutes before closing and Dr. Poon greeted me with more sweet blueberries!
«Sup, Dr. Poon! Sorry for being so late. Thanks for waiting up»
«No problem.»
The frames were great. As he cleaned them, I browsed around and saw that he got a new shipment of fabulous stuff!
«Oh, if only you had these last week!»
«You want to make a change?»
«No, it’ll be too much hassle.»
«No hassle.»
as I thought about it, he gave me my frames and adjusted it to make sure they were comfortable. Nope, these are the ones but I’ll keep in mind if I ever need a second pair. .and then I left, no longer blind and no longer crazy.