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Eye Carumba Optometry
Rating Details »
Category: Optometrists [Edit]
Neighborhood: Financial District4 Embarcadero Ctr
Lobby Level
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 772-8282
- Hours:
Mon-Thu. 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 2:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- By Appointment Only:
- Yes
Sponsored Result
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"have bought glasses from 3 different places over the past 18 months (i like glasses), and this was by far the best experience I had. great…" read more »
93 reviews for Eye Carumba Optometry
Don't bother reading the 92 other reviews; this place is truly as good as it gets.
If Paul doesn't own the shop, whoever does definitely needs to give the man a raise.
Thanks, Paul, for helping me through the purchase of my first progressive lenses ever. I've only had them on for 2 days and it's almost like having my sight back!
I'm not giving the shop 5 stars just because I'm happy with my glasses; I'm giving them 5 stars because it was a difficult process for me, and they guided me through it with the utmost patience, skill, and professionalism.
I'm kind of a tough customer, hardly ever give 5 stars to anyone, but in this case, I would even add another star if I could.
Thanks again, guys.
11/11/2009 update
Gave them one star back. A different person, Mary Ella called me back this morning first thing. I wish I would have spoke with her in the first place. She was very nice and apologized for the confusion and let me know that the person that called me back yesterday was confused and that of course I can come get my glasses anytime and that the dilation had nothing to do with whether or not I could pick up my glasses rather that they hope to do it all at the same time to save me another trip. I would say besides this little mix up, I would still recommend them to anyone!
11/10/2009 update
I'm going to have to downgrade my review. So someone from the office just called to tell me that my glasses are ready for pick up! Faster than I expected, great. However, at the last appt I had I asked if I could postpone my pupil dilation until a later date, which Dr. Yeh agreed to because I can't seem to work after its done since it gives me a headache. However, he supposedly wrote on my chart that I was not allowed to pick up my glasses until I got my pupils dilated? Fine let's do the dilation. No, I'm sorry Dr. Yeh is on vacation so you can't pick up your glasses until he's back?
So let me get this straight, I can't get an appt to get my pupils dilated because he is on vacation but I can't pick up my glasses because I can't get my pupils dilated? I make the next available appt which is not until next week. So I can't get my glasses until next week? So basically, I am blind until next week even though my glasses, which I have paid in full already, are sitting in their office? I'm really not sure what one has to do with the other. I thought I was clear that I needed replacement glasses cause I lost my glasses which was my #1 priority, but apparently their #1 priority is to hold my glasses hostage until I get my pupils dilated even though I just made the next available appointment which is not until next week?
At the end of our call she tells me she would check with the other doctor to see if he would let me get my glasses today since I desperately need them. Then, doesn't call me back today so I am yet another day without glasses. Talk about frustrating!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
11/4/2009
Lost my glasses!
Good thing I was able to get a same day appointment! The fact that they have all… Read more »
Dr Yeh~ oh how awesome you are!! Super professional and so friendly. He's one of those doctors that knows his stuff and doesn't cut corners. Let me explain.
- He sits you down and asks questions while actually looking at you, giving you eye contact. Let's you feel like he's actually listening to you and cares about what you have to say and all of your concerns.
- He explains what the insurance covers and what it doesn't and what your options are in regards to frames. He does not push you to purchase the frames there.
- During the exam, if something is inconsistent, he will not assume. He goes back and does the exam over again to make sure things are correct for the patient.
- He even asked me about my allergies and gave me some eye drops to try out.
Staff ~ 5 out of 5
Bedside manner~ 5 out of 5
Knowledge~ 5 out of 5
Dr. Yeh~ 5 out of 5
Overall experience 5 out of 5
I've found my Optometrist!! Super happy here!!
I've had a particularly hard time finding a good optometrist in San Francisco. For some reason, the other places I tried had either really mean office staff, overpriced services, or an incompetent doctor.
Luckily, I found Eye Carumba. Dr. Torres was incredibly professional yet friendly. He took great care in diagnosing my prescription and addressing my questions, with very sincere concern.
Also, his office staff are mellow, friendly, and helpful.
Until Eye Carumba, I just could not get a prescription that worked. Now, I have perfectly fitted contacts with the most precise vision I've ever found in San Francisco.
My eyes are still a bit dilated, but I'm going to type a review anyhow--
Dr. Yeh was fabulous. He was very personable and concise- just the way you (or specifically I) like an appointment to be. He went over my insurance with me a bit, because I always get a little confused with the specifics, and I'm glad I did because I decided that it would be in my best interest to put my coverage towards new frames/glasses.
Rod assisted me and was tops. He helped me find the right shape and size (I had originally selected some frames that were too small for my face) and then went over all the different types of lenses that were an option. He really was great.
Everyone in the office was great, the selection of frames was good (there were some not-so-expensive choices) and I can't wait to get my new specs!!!
I had Dr. Yeh for an eye exam and someone (Paul?) helped me pick out glasses frames.
Dr. Yeh is friendly, efficient, and knowledgeable. I was confident he knew what he was doing, especially with my crazy high prescription (-14! Beat that!). He figured out my prescription in one visit - my last optometrist took 3 visits. He was kind enough to walk me out to the front and snag someone to help me pick frames.
Paul (I think it was Paul? An Asian guy) showed me how their displays worked with the key and stuff and asked me what styles I liked. In the time it took me to change into my contacts so I can see myself in these new frames (5 minutes?), he picked out 4-6 pairs of frames for me, all the while remembering what I said about my tiny wide head and glasses - most don't fit. All except one of Paul's frames fit my wide head. BLESS HIM. He gave good advice on what frames looked best on me; of course, I chose the pair he said was most fashionable: a tawny thick wide frame that would be very hipster if in black.
The only downside to my experience with Eye Carumba was how long it took to get my finished glasses, three to four weeks. The lab kept messing up on my lenses - but that isn't Eye Carumba's fault at all. They kept me updated on what was happening and were very courteous. When I went to pick up my new frames, the person (Paul?) adjusted the new frames and the old frames I got from a different optometrist. He thoroughly explained how to care and clean these frames - stuff I should have heard before but never did.
Eye Carumba and Dr. Yeh definitely are my glasses place for life - or at least until they close. They better not close!!!!!!
I would recommend Dr. Torres for an eye exam. He was thorough, easygoing and gave me a couple of useful nuggets of information, even though I've worn glasses most of my life and thought I knew everything there was to know about that. Did you know that your chance of retinal detachment goes up dramatically if you rub your eyes?
I would not particularly recommend going to Eye Carumba for a new set of glasses, however. After my appointment, they gave me the key to the display cases, a plastic tray, and left me to fend for myself. I have no sense of style and I hate to shop by myself, so this was not pleasant for me. Didn't think they had much of a selection either. I went to another place where they took the time to find the right frame for me.
Eye Carumba represents one of the few times I've ever chose a business based solely on Yelp reviews (well, almost solely---the fact that they take my insurance is also very important). My general view on Yelp reviews is that I'm very familiar with my reviews, and they're mostly about me drinking too much and being an asshole, intermixed with stories from my childhood and song lyrics. Bottom line: they're not useful to anyone. And, since I'm egocentric, I figure that if MY reviews aren't useful to OTHERS, then the reviews of OTHERS won't be useful to ME.
But, when a place has 85 reviews, and they're all 5-stars, and the place isn't Forever 21, then even I have to stand up and take notice. And I needed glasses. I already have an eye doctor and a prescription, so I can't tell you anything about that part of the experience. But I walked out with (well, having placed an order for) a fantastic pair of glasses. And I was shocked to discover that I liked a pair of rimless glasses (indeed, that's the pair I ordered).
I was surprised because, aside from serving the important utilitarian task of enabling me to recognized loved ones and not bump into the furniture, glasses serve an almost equally important aesthetic function for me: creating the subtle illusion that I don't have a massive head. That's one reason I'm not interested in laser surgery (that plus if you have laser surgery, you can't climb tall mountains because your eyes expand slightly in the lower atmospheric pressure, which in turn throws the curve they've burned into your eyes out of whack, and I'm still clinging tight to my life-long dream of becoming a high-altitude frozen corpsicle). I had always thought that this aesthetic goal was better served by glasses with frames. Turns out, a really good pair of rimless glasses can work just as well.
Perhaps the only downside to the experience was the bill, which reminded me why I have insurance (my glasses would otherwise have cost just a touch more than $600). That being said, experience has taught me that the wares at LensCrafters aren't much cheaper. So, you might as well go with the best.
Now, as great as my initial buying experience was, about 3 days later, I hit a small snag. My alarm went off, and in my typical early-morning haze of fumbling around for the snooze button, cursing existence in general and mornings in particular, I managed to knock my glasses off my nightstand. When I found them a few snoozes later, I found that a small flake had been knocked off the upper edge in the fall. This marks a personal record for me breaking a pair of glasses. I took the glasses back, cursing my general clumsiness and ready for a long argument on the topic of warranties but generally resigned to the fact that I might be about to write a decent-sized check (by which I mean, sign a decent-sized credit card receipt), but the guy who helped me took one look at the glasses and said "Well, that's what the warranty is for." No hassle, no argument, just "we'll fix it."
I'll be back. Every couple years.
I downgraded my previous 5 star review to 4 because they didn't fax my prescription to where I needed it because they "forgot" to charge $25 for the contact-lens exam and wanted me to pay the balance first. I was not aware of this and now my contacts are going to be late. It's not a huge deal- just a problem I've experienced with a lot of places and it's so annoying- they under charge you, then call asking for more money after you've left. I thought Eye Carumba was on top of it. Still is a good place, just make sure they get your insurance right. And it sucks to have to pay mroe after you've already paid!
Here is my initial review, which still holds true...
WOW!! I went to Eye Carumba because they had such good yelp reviews and I was able to make a same day appointment!
Dr. Mark Yey was awesome! He explained everything instead of just trying to get you out of there like most doctors. He also did a very thorough examination to get my prescription right. I went to Kaiser a while back and the prescription was way off. So he got it right!!
I have Blue Cross PPO so I only paid $10. I like that their website said what health insurance they take, since most don't tell you. He was also very honest, telling me how to get the best deal on my contact lenses.
AND they gave me free new nose grips on my glasses because my other ones were digging in and leaving marks. They said they would give me free nose grips in the future if I need it! It made such a difference and feels way better.
THANKS EYE CARUMBA! -Customer Service and Expertise at it's finest!
How can you not love an eye doctor called Eye Carumba?
I went to go see Doctor Valdez because I wanted to see if I could be a candidate for contacts.
I had a great time joking with her while I tried to stick contacts into my eye. She was very patient with my non-coordinated self and soon I had a contact prescription that was perfect for me.
She even gave me a free follow-up session to make sure my eyes weren't being irritated by them.
I still rock the glasses most of the time but I love that Eye Carumba has given me the option of wearing contacts when I want to feel fancy.
Don't be put off by the name of this place. Eye Carumba saved me BIG time today as I'd had something embedded in my eye for several days. When I could not take the pain any more, I decided to find someone who could help me ASAP.
I read a few reviews on Yelp and called Eye Carumba. Lady luck was on my side as they had just received a cancellation and I was able to get an appointment with Dr. Joseph Torres, who everyone on Yelp waxed poetic about. Dr. Torres deserves al the accolades as he rocks! He was able to quickly assess and remedy the problem. A few numbing drops and voilà, the large wood chip that was embedded in my cornea was removed.
Seeing that I was at the Optometrist, I decided to have the Optician help me select a new pair of reading glasses. I have always had problems finding glasses that fit my face, but Rod Cella has been helping people find glasses that fit and look good for over 20 years. I have never walked out of an optical store with so many good options. He is brilliant at finding the best frames for your face.
Look no further for your optometry or optical needs. Eye Carumba will be my go to place for eye exams and eye glass frames going forward as Dr. Torres is the best!!
I started coming here about a year ago based on yelp reviews.
I used to HATE going to the eye doctor, but this office makes it a rather pleasant experience! Everyone is incredibly friendly and helpful and they make you feel really comfortable.
They have a pretty good selection of frames, too. You'll be able to find something to suite everyone's taste.
I had the most pleasant, productive eye exam I've ever had today with Dr. Joe Torres. He was on time, friendly, informative, and told me things I'd never heard about my own eyes after over forty years of eye exams. (My cornea is flat, my eyeballs are big...amazing!) The exam was quite thorough. In fact, he spent nearly an entire hour with me, answered all the questions I had, and didn't push either products or services on me.
His office was easy to get to (be sure to go up a level in the Embarcadero Center building, it's not on ground level) and his staff was easy to deal with. On top of everything he took my insurance, so my exam including a contact lens replacement was just $135. On my way out he gave me a handsome case for my glasses, free of charge.
Dr. Torres will be my optometrist forever. I'm so glad I found him.
I loved going to see Dr. Torres!
I hadn't been to an eye doctor in years and I was very nervous, and I hate things having to do with being in and/or around my eyes. But Dr. Torres broke me down and I had a great appointment and I forgot about my worries!
We laughed and shared stories and it's like we became good friends, while he was fixing my eyes!
I must also tip my hat to (and I so can't remember his name, and if anyone knows, remind me of it will ya?) the gentleman that helped me with my frames. He was so observant and I'm so happy with what we picked out!
I love my glasses and would totally go back, even to just say hello!
Dr. Torres has been my optometrist for more than 7 years, and has been wonderful. His office staff is super nice and it's always easy to get an appointment when I need one.
I get my regular eye exams and glasses from him. He usually gives me my prescription to purchase contacts online or at Cost Co (which can be cheaper).
The glasses selection is great, and I picked out these great purple frames years ago that I still get compliments on. I am waiting to get my super cool prescription sunglasses from them - I can't wait!
How often can you say you found your optometrist on Yelp?! I'm so happy I did. I ended up working both Dr. Valdez and Dr. Torres because I wear rigid gas permeable contact lenses (RGP's to those in the industry).
I have been wearing RGP's for 15 years, and this was the first time I was fitted by two doctors that knew what they were doing! Too many times before, I've been fitted by trial and error, resulting in too-tight lenses that give you headaches until the new lenses come in.
Dr. Valdez is very quick and thorough with her exams, completely painless (unlike that damn air puff from my past). Since my lenses are so similar, she ordered one in green and one in blue. It's so nice, I don't have to worry about mixing up my lenses after a night out (or whatever)!
Unfortunately, their administrative staff is not so fabulous. Every time I got a call from them, I had to remind them what to do. Except for Marianna (I don't have her card with me right now, but I think that was her name). She was great! I am incredibly disappointed in my vision coverage, and she patiently listened to my rant and was very understanding. I hate being that person, but it was so frustrating, and she listened!
I will continue to see Dr. Valdez as long as I live in San Francisco. Hmm, I may even fly back to SF, just to make appointments with her.
Walking into this place you automatically notice that the shop is shaped like an eye. Rounded waiting room connects to crescent shaped showroom and connects with the rest of the office. Very sharp, shagged white carpet on the tables and over all a nice styling Dr. office.
Dr. Valdez is great! Easy to talk to and actually is interested in her patients lives. Super nice!
Broke the nosepiece to my glasses, went to eye carumba to get a replacement.
I thought it was a simple swap and go. However, Dr. Valdez came to inspect my nose to see if the old piece was causing an allergic reaction.
WOW, I was amazed by the attention to the small details. Maybe its a standard practice but I've worn glasses all my life and no other place ever did that.
1 Previous Review:
-
3/7/2008
Epitome of a retail service business.
They care therefore they rock.
I had corneal ulcer earlier, the pain and redness of my eyes freaked me out! Dr. Torres took me in as an emergency patient, calmed me down, and took great care of my eyes. He took the time to examine my eyes, and scheduled follow-up visits with me, and now my eyes have fully recovered :)
I went back later for regular vision exam with Dr. Yeh. I can't remember how many questions I've asked him about my eye conditions, general eye care, contact lens, he answered them all in a very professional manner.
All the staff at the optometry are very polite, helpful, and knowledgeable. Love this optometry!
Having worn glasses since middle school, I've been all over for glasses. I never found a decent optometrist nor a good fit with glasses. That was until a friend turned me on to Eye Carumba. Dr. Torres is so professional. But he's also one of the friendliest doctors I've ever met. He really gives a personal touch. But it doesn't end there. The technicians were very helpful finding the right frame for me. I believe I spent over an hour with Rod choosing the right style, right color, right fit. And I feel FABULOUS with my new glasses. Thanks so much, Eye Carumba!!!
Dr. Joe Torres is the bestest ever!
Aye chulo!
I just picked up my new sunglasses! Whoo-hoo! The staff was awesome and Dr. Valdez answered all my questions and was super helpful. Afterwards, I was handed a prescription (which in my experience is usually difficult to get) for both glasses and contact lenses. Then I met with another fellow who helped me pick frames and sat me down and explained my vision coverage to me and how to get the most out of it. WOW! I was impressed with that.
I deducted a star because my sunglasses took about a month to come in. Fortunately, I wasn't in a rush for them but it was just frustrating to have to wait so long.
Overall, the customer service was pretty good. I was called a week before apologizing for the wait on my new sunglasses but they arrived and I love them.
I have been visiting eye doctors annually since my four-eyed fate was sealed in fourth grade. (And yes, for those who are wondering, people with glasses are a lot smarter than people without glasses. And much better in bed.) As with most services one is forced to experience repeatedly over the years, there have been some good experiences and some bad ones. Eye Carumba is officially on the "good" list.
My appointment was with Dr. Valdez. I hardly had to wait before the doctor was ready to see me, which was great since I was squeezing the appointment in over lunch hour (or I should say, squeezing my lunch hour hard to accommodate the appointment). Dr. Valdez was very personable. I really liked her.
The office is also pleasant- very bright and modern and stylish. I ordered some contact lenses and the turn around time is only a couple of days.
They look like they have a good selection of frames as well.
I'm thinking fighter pilots (or other people with perfect vision) should just pretend they need some eye help so they can experience top class customer service like this. In the past 24 hours I've been raving about my experience at Eye Carumba to friends. I called Eye Carumba last minute on a Wednesday morning due to an eye infection (I guess I wear my contacts too much...) and they told me they could see me within the hour.
I met with Dr. Valdez and she was super thorough, understanding and helpful. She gave me a prescription for some eye drops and 24 hours later my eye feels so much better. Since moved to SF I haven't chosen a new optometrist yet, I'm almost certain I'll be going to Eye Carumba for my eye care from now on.
Thanks Eye Carumba for having a cool name, great service and for making my eyes feel better.
what a sweet doctor! He is the most caring doctor I know! He is super friendly, knowledgeable, and caring.
I highly recommend him to all people who are frustrated by eye doctors!
Thanks yelper, I found him by your reviews :)
After not-so-great experiences with a few Bay Area optometrists who shall remain un-named, I made an appointment at Eye Carumba. I left a dopey, rambling message during their lunch break and forgot to leave my phone number... one of the very nice people who works there took my number off the caller ID and called me back anyway! Wow! I was so impressed.
I was even more impressed after meeting Dr. Torres. Dr. Torres is terrific! He's personable and warm, and spends time talking with you about your vision. (He's also very nice-looking and tidy.) He wasn't fazed when I told him that I was wearing one brand of contact lens in one eye and another, older lens in my other eye-- he doesn't scold and he's not judgmental. He ordered a pair of diagnostic lenses for me and the staff called me the very next day to say they were in. Dr. Torres also didn't charge me for my contact lens fitting until AFTER we were sure the lenses actually fit (unlike my previous eye doctor, who charged me for a contact lens fitting after asking me "how do they feel?" and my replying, "Um, they're okay...")
...and how can anyone not love the name "Eye Carumba"? It shows that the doctors have a sense of humor, and that going to this eye doctor appointment is going to be a little more fun than, say, getting a pap smear.
I LOVE Eye Carumba and Dr. Torres! He is a shining example of really excellent health care.
hats off
this place is amazing.
saw Dr. Yeh .. patient, professional, personable ... perfect!
same applies to the larger team.
here's a lil extra side story..
On my way to pick up my glasses from Eye C... i had an accident on my xootr. I bruised my left cheek and broke my sun glasses. while getting my new glasses fitted, the super nice guy ((sry.. i was kind of shaken up from the fall and dident remember the name) also fixed my sun glasses for me. It was right before his lunch, but he took a long time to glue it back and put in a new screw. Thank you so much! no need to say.. i felt so much better!
Dr. Torres is fantastic! I've been going to him since I moved to the city two years ago. He was extremely professional and makes you feel very comfortable.
When I had my first migraine, I freaked out and called his office because I thought I was going blind. My office used to be just around the corner, and they were able to fit me in right away. Dr. Torres talked me down, let me know what to expect in the next three hours, and recommended some Excederin and a dark room for the rest of the day.
He was fantastic and I just ordered a new pair of glasses that I'm picking up tomorrow. The staff has always been very friendly to me and I would recommend this office to anyone
Very friendly staff and very convenient being in the Financial District. I have been going to Dr. Valdez for a couple of years and it's always been a positive experience. Just sad to find out today that she is no longer with their practice and I just saw her 2 months ago! :(
Rules!
The only draw back is that they dont have a lot of high end glasses to look at in the show room... They do have lots of economical options though
So I went to see Dr. Yeh and I tried not to like him in honor of my favorite optometrist so far Dr. Lynn Valdez, but he was cool. He actually took the time to explain to me the reasons not to abuse my new contact lenses. I have friends who never take them out or stick them in their mouth when they're dry (gross). Yeah, you wouldn't believe the stuff people do. Anyway, I will miss Dr. Valdez she was great. So to be clear, I recommend Eye Carumba. They are not just about selling exams and glasses. They actually take the time to make sure that you can see and that it's the healthiest option for your eyes. Go here...Period.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/2/2009
I just found out Dr. Valdez is not there anymore too. She has been working with me on finding the… Read more »
I have 20/15. I could be a fighter pilot ... but I'm also SUPER paranoid and wasn't aware I had 20/15 until I went to see Dr. Valdez, the sweetest, funniest optometrist ever!
It's been almost 1.5 years since I've been working and I can't help but feel my eyesight has been getting blurrier and blurrier as I stare at excel cells longer and longer. So, I finally enrolled in vision insurance, which I never had before, and got my eyeballs checked out. It was my very first eye exam! Dr. Valdez was great and made me feel comfortable. She even answered all my inane questions about eyes and vision -- she even showed me a little model of an eye to demonstrate how the pupil is actually a HOLE. Did you know that? I certainly didn't. I learn new things everyday!
Hello candy dish at the reception desk. Pleasant atmosphere, not pretentious (I was a bit concerned, some of the Embarcadero places can be snotty.)
I saw Dr. Lynn Valdez - she was great. Very thorough and personable. She even stuck around to help me pick out frames when staff members were busy with other clients.
Staff members have a good knowledge of insurance plans and are willing to sit with you and explain charges.
I'm going to disagree with the other reviews here. I'm pretty unhappy with Eye Carumba. Yes, Dr Valdez was very nice. However, the glasses there seem really expensive. ($300+ after insurance for a pair of frames.) Also, they take ridiculously long to be ready. The first pair that I ordered took 17 days to come in. Other optometrists take 2-3 days.
Shortly after getting those frames, I decided to order sun glasses. They said 5 business days. Today, is the eighth business day. Let me relay the phone conversation that I just had.
"Hello, I'm wondering if my glasses are in."
(without asking my name) "No, if you haven't been called, then they aren't here."
me: "Are you sure? Don't you want to check?"
she asks my name and puts me on hold, then comes back.
"No, they aren't here. We'll call you."
me: "Well I was told 5 business days and it's been quite a bit longer than that. Can you find out if there's a problem or check to see if they've even been ordered?"
her: "I guess I can ask. Is this the best number to reach you at?"
me: "Yes."
her: "Well what is it?"
WTF? How stupid is this? She wasn't even checking. This place is over priced, slow, and their frames selection is just OK. In the future, I'm going back to a Site for Sore Eyes, even though their not covered by my insurance.
UPDATE:
Adding one star because the office manager called back quickly and was very helpful. We'll see how long it takes to receive those glasses.
Fresh from an appt with Dr. Torres, I must say that Eye Carumba definitely lived up to it's Yelp-utation. Great service, Dr. Torres couldn't have been nicer and more encouraging, despite my poor eyesight.
I would definitely recommend this place. I have VSP insurance and my co-pay was only $25. Now I'm excited to go back and check out the frame selection and get some great ones.
Thanks Dr. Torres and the Eye Carumba team!
Dr. Torres puts the "ass" in "glasses" - in a majorly good way. He knows his business, he's friendly, he's timely, his office is tidy.
The staff here is excellent and very efficient. They know how to work the VSP plans so you don't have to. The dude hooks it up, seriously. He's the only man I let touch my eyeballs.
Can't recommend this place highly enough. I saw Dr. Valdez for my exam, and she was great. Then when it was time to pick out my glasses, the whole staff was perfect - Trevor and Paul both were incredibly helpful (and patient) in finding the right frames for me and Sandra at the front desk was such a sweetheart.
I was sooo indecisive when it came to picking out something that I'd have to wear on my face every day because I've never worn glasses before. Anyplace else would've made sure I knew I was being a royal pain, but they never let it show and never made me feel rushed. They were so friendly and helpful. Great selection and they work with you to make sure you are 100% satisfied with your glasses and your overall experience.
Lynn Valdez es la doctura buena! I hope that I just said that Dr. Lynn Valdez is the bomb-diggity because that is what I meant! She is my eye doctor (when I go to the eye doctor...I have 20/20 vision...lots of carrots and reading instead of video games as a child).
But, my son....he has the eyes of a VIDEO GAMER!!!!!
Tirade Begins Now::
...because KIDS and MEN (gotta treat the men like children as usual because they don't EVER know what's good for them either), video games ruin your eyes...especially when you play them 24 freakin' hours a day! Then your parents or significant others get to spend ALL of their hard earned money and time at the flippin' doctor's office fixing your eyes that YOU messed up in the first place playing all of those DANG VIDEO GAMES!
Serenity Now:
See, the beautiful (and I mean beautiful...everybody that works here is a piece of eye-candy) people at Eye Carumba tolerate me and my son and all of our idiosyncrasies. They take fabulous care of our eyes and refrain from slapping the crap out of me when I take a month or two to pick up glasses or goggles.
Paul was sent straight from Heaven's gate and we love him. Dr. Torres is amazing too...my son would be a blind man if it weren't for dear Dr. Torres.
Eye Carumba is awesome!
Good: Cute place in a great location. Dr. Torres is adorable with his bow tie. I had a really fun time! Dr. Torres dialated my pupils and said look at your phone. This is how your vision will be when you're my age. It was funny, but sad.
Bad: The other doctor called in sick because it was raining really heavy, but at least this way I got to see Dr. Torres who is awesome.
OK, so I'm not really hip to the name. Eye Carumba? Really? You are doctors. I"m a lawyer--you don't see me naming my lawfirm...well, I can't think of anything equivalent. But didn't you all see the Seinfeld episode where Elaine's boyfriend had a bad back and needed a special mattress for his bed? Elaine remarks that all back product stores have lame names--her boyfriend, deadpan, says "not this one...it's called the Lumbar Yard." Wow. Eye Carumba.
Snooty bitching aside, this place is great. Dr. Valdez is awesome--smart, nice to be around and reassuring. I went in to get contacts and an eye exam (for the first time) and she was thorough and on the money. I'm now a contact convert, and I will be going to get my eyes checked by Dr. Valdez at Eye Carumba for as long as I can. If you work down by the embarcadero, and need an optometrist, check it out. They are fantastic.
