Towne Optical

Towne Eye /​Suburban Optical could be the place for you if you have unlimited time that you’re willing to trade for quality lenses. I’ve gone there twice for the convenient location. Both times I have been very happy with the quality of the optical work (I’m talking how the lenses correct my vision, not frame styling). Things there just seem to take longer. Another shop I tried did not do such high quality lens work. Lenses here were just better for my eyes.
The gory details:
First off, the hours are keyed to an old-​fashioned doctor’s schedule — you know, closed on Wednesdays. Open during the hours you work, except Thursday night.
Let me throw in a positive — the staff have always been super friendly. They seem genuinely happy to see each customer. The doctor enjoys talking about his craft — for instance did you know why they use a red/​green brightness/​contrast test at the end of distance vision correction? Prismatics! Cool!
Back to the downers: they are not very communicative. If your lenses are taking twice as long as expected, expect to hear nothing. When lenses come in, maybe you will get a call, but certainly not the same day. If you call and leave a message on the answering machine, they will get it and start work, but won’t call to confirm.
Sadness: I brought my Google Glass to the shop to get lenses fitted — the super cool new version that takes prescription lenses in a titanium frame. Long story short, about two months later I am still not wearing them. They had to send to a special lab to make the lenses. OK, its custom. Lab did not use the right glass, but no one noticed. Back to the lab. New lenses don’t fit the frames. Back to the lab. Still waiting… First world problems, I guess.