Iris Optometric Center

Oakland, United States

3.7

Open now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 510-654-4747
Website:
www.irisoptometriccenter.com
Address:
3911 Piedmont Ave, Oakland, CA, 94611
b/t Montell St & Monte Vista Ave
Piedmont Ave, North Oakland
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
0.7 miMacArthur
1.1 miVeterans Memorial
1.3 miCollege Av & Rock Ridge BART Station
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Bussiness info

Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Parking
Street
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Dogs Allowed
No
By Appointment Only
No

Today

Today 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Oakland) 11:23 Friday, 27 June 2025

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Wednesday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Thursday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Friday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

Since 1987, Iris Optometric has brought the latest trends in eyewear to the Bay Area: sleek, one-​of-​a-​kind frames from European designers that you won’t find anywhere else.

Eyes offer a glimpse of your soul, and your glasses frame it. We believe that your glasses are a means of self expresssion and we’ve got the frames to help you do that. No matter what shape you’re looking for, we’ve got you covered.

At Iris, we’ll give you the time and attention that you won’t find at larger stores or chains with prompt and professional service. With 23 years of experience behind us, you can count on us to find the right frames that match you, and to tell you where to find them if we don’t carry them.

Our experienced in-​house optometrists will meet your needs with the highest quality of eye care. We provide comprehensive eye exams, contact lens fittings, and opthamological services.

VSP, Eyemed and private patients welcome. The future of your eyes depends on the frames you wear today.

History

Established in 1987.

Iris started off as a small optical shop located on Berkeley’s famed University Avenue. Since its inception, it has grown to represent an trusted name that has drawn clients from all over the Bay Area and kept them coming back for years.

The success of Iris Optometric led it’s founder to launch One World Distribution — a self-​owned nationwide retail network for hand made Italian frames.

Even though the world of frames has changed a lot since we started, our core principles have not. We’re committed to exceptional-​grade service, and we believe in taking care of our customers.

Meet the Business Owner

Page Y.

Business Owner

Dr. Page Yarwood, currently resides in Oakland and has been practicing optometry for 34 years. He was Chief of Optometry at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Oakland and adjunct professor at the University of Berkeley, School of Optometry.

Dr. Yarwood is currently serving as President of the California Optometric Association (COA), where he has been a member since 1976 and was named Optometrist of the Year in 2006. He has previously served on Membership Committee and California Vision Foundation, and is a past president and served as Governmental Affairs board director for the Alameda & Contra Costa Counties Optometric Society. Dr. Yarwood served on the California State Board of Optometry for two and a half years as a health professional.

Dr. Yarwood is a very active member of the community; since 2000 he has been an art docent for the Museum of California, Oakland, and was also a tour director for the Oakland Architectural Heritage Alliance.

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20 reviews of Iris Optometric Center

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
I just bought two pairs of glasses here. I found the saleswoman to be extremely helpful and knowledgeable without pressuring me or being pushy. Overall I very nice experience. I love my new glasses!
Place rating: 5
Lahaina, HI
The DR spent a lot of thought dialing in my prescription. I have a small amount of astigmatism and she worked hard to get exactly what I wanted. It’s been a few months and I still love my new lenses.
Place rating: 5
Berkeley, CA
Really good service and communication!
I needed to order prescription safety glasses for work. The frames were unfortunately back-​ordered (with a third party manufacturer), however, this office called me several times to update me about the arrival status of my frames.
Very pleased with the service!
Place rating: 5
Temple City, CA
I’m a random stranger, called in for a adjustment since I bought my glasses online, I was upfront with the lady I spoke with and she told me to come on in! I didn’t even buy anything. This was great service and proved they are truly in the business of seeing clients comfortable in glasses!
Great service
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
I’ve been going to Iris Optometric since I moved to Oakland. I was worried about finding a place as good as the one I used in San Francisco. Boy was I lucky, Iris turned out to be the best optometric center that I’ve ever used.
Balvinder always helps me find the best frames from their always current selection of new frames. She’s also a genius in dealing with insurance. The optometrists have worked diligently in finding the best contacts for me in terms of fit, comfort and vision.
I couldn’t be happier as a customer and I would recommend them to anyone, as I have already done to my friends and family. They are also a great community partner.
Place rating: 1
San Francisco, CA
My experience with Iris has been painful to say the least. Not only did I initially have to go in twice to get the correct prescription, I have had issues with it ever since. I ordered contacts and had a trial pair. Once I put my new contacts on from the box, I notices something off. I thought perhaps maybe my eyes were adjusting. I ended up moving to Georgia a few weeks later and kept getting headaches. Again, perhaps its my new atmosphere.
Headaches were not going away. My vision seems off but I am thinking its off because of my migraine. I end up running out of contacts and needed more. I found my prescription and looked at the box and not only was it the wrong prescription, the boxes were labeled incorrectly. I feel relieved as I think yay it’s not a tumor!
I call Reina and advise her and she asks me to send pictures of the box and send it. I do and then she calls asking to send the contacts. I advise that I have used the contacts thus I needed more and saw the error. I have one left and ask if I can send that. I just wanted the correct prescription for the boxes I ordered and paid for, nothing more nothing less.
Reina explains that without the contacts they cannot order more without me paying again. I did pay and you gave me the wrong prescription! You labeled them wrong and did no check to be sure I was okay once I left. Why would I need to pay again for something I paid for initially? The error is on Iris, not on me. I would be happy to send the bad contacts had I known they were bad and hadn’t had used them.
I feel bamboozled. I find it hard to understand how Iris cannot correct an error they did for a patient.
Thanks for taking my money and insurance so happily and having me come in numerous times and giving me the wrong prescription. I hope that should one of them ever have brain surgery the Dr. doesn’t do the wrong procedure causing them more pain and then say, «my bad, if you want another surgery you’ll have to pay».
I have asked for the manager to call me to hopefully rectify the situation. We shall see.
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
I have been wearing glasses since I was 7 (I am now 42). I discovered Iris about 10 years ago and have not gone anywhere else, since. I had such bad experiences prior — including poorly made frames and glasses in the wrong prescription.
I now live in WA State and have been for the past 6 years and I still go to Iris in CA!
The owner Balvinder, provides stellar customer service and takes her time with each client. She has a gift for knowing what looks just ok and what looks stunning. Whenever I walk out of there I feel like the glasses I have chosen were made just for me.
I highly recommend Iris if customer service and a quality product are a priority for you.
Place rating: 1
Oakland, CA
Very friendly owner and watch out — they will rip you off. They had me take an exam that was not covered by my insurance, for absolutely no purpose — they are not doctors so the exam is meaningless. Even if it showed an abnormality they could not diagnose you. And I found out later that they ordered some of the most expensive lenses for me, which given my prescription, were not needed. I would stay away.
Place rating: 4
Menlo Park, CA
Iris, great customer service.
VSP, customer service couldn’t be worse.
Place rating: 5
Berkeley, CA
My wife and I just got new glasses at Iris — and we LOVE this place. It is small and homey — and the staff are so great! We would totally recommend this friendly place to all! The staff were extremely nice and Dr. Yarwood gives the best exam around. The frames are original and of beautiful quality. We were very pleased with our exams and glasses and service.
Place rating: 4
Oakland, CA
Very expensive but also very excellent collection of stellar frames. The owner-​optometrist took me by the hand and led me on a giggling tour of shared favorite movies, relationship ups and downs, what the pictures of my eyes actually showed and how cone distribution gets handled and more… all in an hour long visit.
The come down is the price. It’s _​expensive_​and there’s no getting around that. To get the glasses I need cost more than I’ve ever paid before and I am needing to break it down into two separate chunks. Not including my reading glasses need and trying to get gradiated bifocals turned out to be a price well out of my reach.
But if you’ve money and love spoiling yourself, this is what I would consider my «go to» store for great looking and fitting glasses. I found a dream pair at a couple of hundred above my insurance. Then I found a serious dream pair at $ 800-​. Talk about broken dreams.
Le sigh.
Breakdown: Excellent and in depth eye exams that are completely covered by most insurances. They don’t take checks. They do accept VSP. They’re highly educated and very funny as a team, so far as my appointment went. But their glasses are gorgeous and too rich for some people’s blood, I’m regretfully caveating.
Place rating: 1
Oakland, CA
I can say that the staff was really nice, but I felt scammed. I only wanted an exam, but they all but forced me to get a prescription. My eyes were dialated, and I couldn’t focus or see clearly. They let me pick frames almost insisted. Then I bought glasses. I felt cheated after. Especially since the frames broke in less than a year and the paint started chipping in less than a month.
I won’t go back. I won’t reccomend.
PS
The glasses were overpriced and the selection was limited (with respect to style).
Place rating: 1
Oakland, CA
I’ve been wearing glasses since 5th grade.. .FIFTH GRADE. I have never been so dissatisfied with customer service and my overall glasses quality. I was a little concerned to see there was not an itemized receipt of the features and the discounts from my insurance provider. I got pissed when I actually called my insurance provider and was informed that I was eligible for a discount that was not applied and that they actually submitted charges that were LESS than what was quoted/​charged to me.
The epitome of phuckery is the optician recommending a pair of lenses, me paying for high index lenses and then the optician later telling me «those frames don’t work with high index lenses.» If they don’t work why the hell would you recommend them and TAKE MY MONEY?
Again, I will close and say, I’ve been wearing glasses since 5th grade. Oh, I’m 34.
Place rating: 1
Oakland, CA
I didn’t care enough to write Iris Optometric a review until I experienced the most fabulous customer service at another eyewear store. The stark difference between how I felt at these two places made me really reflect on how awful the customer service at Iris is. I have not consulted with or interacted with anyone at Iris except Balvinder, the office manager. She is dismissive and makes you feel as if your complaints are trivial. She is also completely terrible are adjusting frames! the frames i bought here (costing a hefty couple hundred bucks) have now been adjusted 5x over the year i’ve had them, 3x by Balvinder. the last adjustment was from the new place — without knowing where i got my frames the lady helping me told me «when i adjusted your frames i felt really sorry for you! (for wearing them like that for so long)!»
i was shocked because she validated my frustrations at my ill fitting frames, and because she adjusted frames — which i bought elsewhere — without complaint, free of charge. I did not feel like i was pestering her. quite different from how i felt approaching Balvinder.
my next review is this new eyewear place. don’t want to dishonor Iris by comparing names in the same review.
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
I should have done this after my first visit, but seeing as I’ve been back for four pairs of glasses, I can now honestly say that each time I’ve been incredibly happy with the service I have received here.
Not only are the people who work here professional and friendly, they have great taste in style and are patient and helpful. AND, they have a great selection and the best deal in town on frames and lenses.
Being someone who is forgetful and clumsy, I burn through glasses, but on the positive side of that, I have a hassle free, no-​fail place to go!
Thanks Iris Optometrics!
Place rating: 5
Crockett, CA
I love Iris! Dr. Yarwood is extremely upbeat and friendly. His assistant, Kevin Joy… was a JOY to spend time with picking a pair of new frames. He was very honest about what looked good on me and what didn’t. :) I didn’t feel pressured to buy the more expensive frames, though he was def. Doing his job as a sales person.
Beside the amazing personalities in this optometric center, another reason I go there is for their amazing selection of frames! They have some of the most original and fun frames! I just went yesterday for an exam and new frames. I can’t WAIT to pick them up next week. :) I highly recommend this place to everyone!
I will come back and post a picture as soon as I get my new glasses!
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
Being the furthest thing from my mind, I hadn’t had an eye exam in 2 years. Having had my eyeballs checked here before, Kevin from Iris Optometric called me to remind me it was time to come in. He graciously set up an appointment that accommodated my busy schedule.
I didn’t particularly want to start my Veteran’s Day holiday off with an eyeball exam, but the day already started with an idiot threatening to blow up explosives on the Bay bridge so I figured it could only get better.
Dr. Yarwood made the eyeball exam experience fun with his friendly demeanor, great personality, and his knowledge and passion for the eyeball. I felt like I actually learned something about my eyeball at this appointment. I totally recommend having your eyeballs checked here, Dr. Yarwood makes it fun!
Understanding my vanity and desire to wear contacts again at work versus glasses, he gave no hype to my previous «dry eye, reject contact» diagnosis. Instead he encouraged me to keep trying, gave me a free pair of contacts, solution and eye drops to try out. Thanks!
Now, my only advice is to be on your game about the $ 25 charge for a picture of the back of your eyeballs. I didn’t care to have them photographed and thought it was part of the exam. I had specifically asked how much the appointment would cost beforehand and was told just a $ 10 co-​pay.
Much to my dismay, upon checkout it was $ 35. $ 25 for the pictures.
«Huh? You didn’t tell me.»
To which Kevin replied «There is a sign on the wall about the charge.»
To which I defended «Well if I’m here for an eyeball exam, I obviously can’t see the sign. If I can’t see the sign how am I to know? You should really inform people since we can’t see!»
Kevin agreed. He did not charge me the $ 25. Win. Almost a loss of stars but recovery of full 5 stars for pleasant customer service and not charging me. My eyeballs honestly never saw the sign.
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
Well, you can never tell what works for some people. I live in the neighborhood and have walked by many times. One day the optometrist engaged me in conversation and made me realize that I was looking pretty out of date. OK, that’s her job, but I was a willing participant. So I decided that my 6-​year old frames were making me look old.
Months later I wandered in again and worked with Balvinder, the owner. She spent an hour with me trying on pair after pair of glasses, bringing out stuff that wasn’t yet on display. I felt like she knew exactly what was working and what wasn’t for me. After many iterations, she finally was able to say «That’s YOU!» and I had to agree. Partner agreed, family agreed, strangers in restaurants agreed.
I needed someone high-​touch like Balvinder, who has a gift for figuring out what works and what doesn’t.
Oh, and the frames were slightly less expensive than I had expected. But alas, the lenses, being progressives and all, were more expensive than I had wanted. But a girl’s gotta see.
Highly recommended, especially for those who don’t know what they want.
Place rating: 1
Indianapolis, IN
i had some time to kill, so I decided to pop in here and have my glasses adjusted. The staff was very friendly, but they do not know how to adjust a pair of glasses to save their lives! *2* different people helped me. The second person *melted* the plastic at the end of the arm, trying to heat it up to bend.
Site For Sore Eyes up the street (towards the movie theater) is a better way to go, tho they’re not much better if you have an irregular head like I do!
Place rating: 4
Oakland, CA
I had a great time SHOPPING at Iris for my new pair of glasses! They have an extensive collection of frames but beware, the pretty ones you see – the shiny unique pair you like – it’s likely to cost $ 289. That’s the going rate for a pair of frames here, sunglasses included.
They do have an affordable section, hidden behind the expensive frames in the black drawers. These plastic frames go for $ 140 – that’s the lowest price they offer in the store. With my sis’ $ 120 VSP allowance she was able to get an adorable pair of quirky frames and an eye exam for $ 51 our the door. I went for the pricier frames with anti-​glare and the whole shebang. After exam and frame costs, I paid $ 206.
Dr. Hernandez was wonderful – absolutely knowledgeable, thorough and very sensitive to my eye exam fears! And hanging out with the ladies at Iris while shopping away is a ton of fun. If you can afford it, please go and relish in the quality service and amazing frames!