Capitol Hill Vision

Such an easy experience, always. Been coming here for a long time. Dr. Lewellen is so great and knowns what he is doing for sure. The glasses I bought here 3 years ago are still my faves and I always get compliments. I also wear contacts. They can do it all. State of the art facility, clean, professional and super nice staff.

I’ve never posted a review of a business online before, and I’ve had my fair share of bad experiences as a customer. Why this time, then? Because Capitol Hill Vision used to be awesome — that is, before the old optometrist quit and they hired someone else. Also, they made me feel as if my business was unimportant and insignificant. I would never ask for anyone/​anywhere to roll out the red carpet for me, but at least treat me decently.
I called in to order some sunglasses with my insurance benefit, as I had done a half dozen times prior at a number through different eye doctors. I asked for the prescription lenses to not be installed, as I prefer to wear my contacts under my sunglasses. The employee informed me that she did «not feel comfortable with what I was trying to do» and suggested that my tactics were fraudulent. Let me be clear — It is MY insurance benefit, and I am free to do whatever I want with the products that I order. In other words, there is nothing illegal about ordering a product and not using it. If I dont want my prescription lenses installed in my sunglasses, that is my business and no one elses. I promptly called a different eye doctor, and they didn’t even bat an eye when I asked them to place the order.

I’ve been coming here begrudgingly for a couple years (after having a bad experience elsewhere) because it’s such a convenient location — I was moved to write this review because of the OUTSTANDING service I received yesterday.
Previously, I’d been denied adjustments on cheapo online glasses, or flat-​out denied my own prescription (Broadway Vision Source), or just verbally admonished for buying back-​up glasses online (this has always AFTER making a $ 300+ purchase in-​store).
These folks didn’t bat an eye and immediately provided all the data needed upon request.
Furthermore, I’d recently been laid off and needed to make sure to use my benefits before they ran out – the office staff were able to authorize my insurance immediately (even though I’d also visited another optical shop recently), schedule me for a next-​day appointment (UNHEARD OF), and even suggested that I go ahead and have my eyes checked even though my Rx hadn’t run out just to fully use the benefit.
It was as though I was being cared for by family rather than a for-​profit business, they really wanted the best for me and my particular situation.
Dr. Lewellyn has always been lovely and I’m just delighted that the staff are up to par.
Non-​judgemental and kind.

I’ve been going here for a few years and have always been happy. However, I recently picked up a new pair of glasses and few days my dog ate them. I went into the store expecting to shell out hundreds but the woman (I am drawing a blank on her name… sorry!) was SO helpful and went out of her way to do whatever she could to save me money and get me new glasses. Thanks again!

I wrote a bad review of this place based on an underwhelming (albeit brief) experience I had recently. However, being neighbors and having gone there years ago and thinking highly of them then, I gave them another chance. When I went back in yesterday they blew me away. They were friendly and helpful at the desk, gave me some good feedback on the frames I was looking at, and were able to fit me in for an eye exam while I was there (due to a cancellation). Dr. Pentecost was professional as were all the attending staff.
Although I think I probably won’t get my frames there (the selection is a little dry imo) I will support them in the future at every opportunity and recommend them to everyone I know.

If you have all the free time in the world, then by all means — go to Cap Hill Vision.
If you’re like me, and have a packed schedule, I’d avoid.
I needed to get in a quick appointment to have a quick contact exam. Speaking with the receptionist on the phone, I was given one date and time. however I wasn’t able to make that slot. She suggested another day and time and that she’d squeeze me in. The time and day were perfect.
A few days later I walk in for the appointment say my name and time and the guy working there looks at me like I’m nuts, says I’m not on the calendar. He gives up and goes to help another customer looking at frames. The woman at the computer, also confused, finally finds my appointment — which in her computer was still a week away.
I’m incredibly anal about scheduling — and this office made it appear as if I was the one making the error. No apologies were given.
So like I said, if you’ve got a wide open schedule — and are ok with carless scheduling mistakes… this is your place!
I however, will be taking my business elsewhere.

I wanted to give this store a good review but I cannot recommend it. It took them several visits to get me the correct prescription in my glasses and to give me a refund when they overcharged. I do like my glasses but their customer service is poor. Joyce B.

While the receptionist and te optometrist were fine. The clerk that was suppose to help me find new frames ignored me completely. When I called later, to ask what time is best time to get service and register my complaint– the same clerk answered the telephone!!! His rudeness did not end. His apology was no apology from the tone of his voice. Take your money elsewhere and be treated like an adult.

This was my first eye exam in about 15 years (thanks for the genes, Dad!), so I of course had a million questions about what this machine did and what were we looking at and what does that mean. Dr. Llewelyn and his staff answered them all and were careful to explain everything else along the way. Dr. Llewelyn is quiet in that very competent way, and he offered me lots of options for every issue that came up.
The staff were quite nice to me too — explaining the vision benefits I’d never previously used, pointing me to the less-​expensive frames without making them seem like the cheap seats, and even offering opinions when I asked.
My eyes may be degenerating, but I feel good about being able to call these folks for advice should anything else come up.

Ditto what Erin said below: Thom IS the «Glasses Whisperer» and I will never doubt him /​go anywhere else again.
Eating, shopping, and staying local — AND doing it while I support good, honest, rad folks — are all high on my priority list. When I lived back east, I did what one of the other reviewers said, which is take my insurance card to Lens Crafters and with a wont to be more adventurous, wind up leaving with «safe» glasses that looked just like my old glasses year after year after year.
Well, after spending some time without insurance and now finding myself blissfully covered, I’m still on the hunt to meet all of the qualifications above with any local establishment I deal with — and in addition to Sam at The Shop in Ballard and the (true story) card-​carrying «Visual Linguist» at the frame shop on the corner of Broadway by the Shell Station on Capitol Hill, I can now add Thom at Cap Hill Vision to the list.
Scene one: I go in with my shiny new insurance card for glasses. Thom suggests a pair, I go for the «safer» pair, and while the glasses I did receive were every kind of perfect they could be, I spend the next several months regretting not getting the more «adventurous» pair.
Scene two: I go back into CHV this past weekend and put myself in Thom’s capable hands (this time with pocket money, since I’m not due for new glasses again until next year — lenses were the only thing I had coverage available for). I balked, I queried, and then realized that the last time I came in, I hadn’t listened to Thom and I’d regretted it. Cut to me slapping down money for a pair of gorgeous, hand-​modified, black-​and-​rhinestone (yep, I said it) cat-​eye glasses that I can’t wait to get in my hands /​on my face.
Worth. Every. Penny. Thom + staff = a blissful glasses-​shopping experience. And yes, you’re going to spend a few bucks, but if you want to look like everyone else and get «safe» glasses — there’s a medium selection here of moderately priced frames — go to Lenscrafters.

This place was so great! The staff is incredibly friendly, everyone from the receptionist to the doctor himself.

On my day off I spent a good amount of time trying to figure out my PD (pupillary distance). My doctor hadn’t measured it, and the store I usually buy my glasses from refused to release it to me, so I called up Capitol Hill Vision to see if I could get them to measure it.
Not only did their optometrist measure me as a walk-​in, he also refused to accept payment! I was thoroughly grateful, both for his totally professional manner and for the free service (which I offered to pay for twice).
Obviously I can’t speak about their selection or any other business elements, but I wanted to rate their service, which is A+!

LOVE Capitol Hill Vision!
As unfortunate as it is that my son (now 13) was born with Esotropia I have found one of my favorite small businesses in Seattle to patron. I almost wish more of us in our family needed glasses so we could spend more time there. Tom has been an incredible resource helping me push my son into a hip pair of frames — he’d been stuck buying the same ones for 3 years. He also made a great suggestion for a new eye doctor since the one we’d been seeing for years had made almost no progress in improving my sons condition.
Last month we were preparing a summer trip for my son — he was flying to Hawaii the next morning & another office accidentally broke his glasses. Tom worked miracles at the 11^th hour by tracking down a matching floor model & staying over an hour past closing to help us. This was such a positive experience that could have been awful since my son can’t see at all without the glasses & was about to be gone for 2 months.
Thank you Tom & Capitol Hill Vision!!!

If you’re anything like me, when it’s time to buy new frames you walk into the optical shop, get overwhelmed by the choices and end up buying something that looks just like your old frames. Then one day you’re looking at your 9^th grade class photo and realize you’re wearing the exact frames you wore 30 years ago. So here’s whatcha do. Go to Capitol Hill Vision and talk to Tom. He’ll take one look at your face, walk over to the displays, pick 3 frames out and they’ll all look fantastic. I now refer to him as the Glasses Whisperer. You will too.

I am very in love with my glasses that I got here. The staff was friendly and one woman spent quite some time helping me pick out frames to try on since I am sure I looked utterly lost. She had a great eye and I found the perfect pair!
I already had a prescription so I can’t comment on their doctor.
My frames came in much more quickly than I expected. Then I had a super quick fitting where they marked the position of my eyes, etc, and after that it was only a few days until my lenses came in and my glasses were ready. Yay!

I hate to write this review, but I have no choice.
Previously, I’d a positive impression of Capitol Hill Vision. I was happy with the service that I’d received from Dr. Llwellyn and the choice of frames was nice and within my price range. The staff at the time were, to put it mildly, rather unpleasant.
Recently, I went in to get a new pair of glasses as I’d lost mine after a Gin-​a-​palooza evening with friends.
Unfortunately, my recent experience was not-​so hot-​so.
The new staff is definitely not an improvement over the old lot; however, that’s not a big deal. I can cope with the Capitol Hill attitude they give off. However, what made me unhappy were the prices of the frames.
Apparently the good doctor has decided to only stock hideously expensive frames (barring a small, sad selection of frames the US Army rejected) and those of us without significant bankrolls are just SOL.
What a pity!
At this point, I’m without glasses and searching for good optometrist with reasonably priced frames and (I hope) a pleasant staff.

OK so after getting sent another bill we finally got it all cleared up. We called our insurance company and they said that they did in fact pay for the glasses we were being billed for. They told us a check number and the date they sent it out. We went back and told them all of this, our insurance paid, check number, date… they just punched it into the computer and printed out a receipt and were like, «thanks».
I asked them if this is how they run their business, keeping poor records and then just sending out bills to people who’ve already paid? they got all pissy and started saying stuff like «We’re on the front lines, we’re new! the Dr. brought us in to clean things up!» and «we deal with customers like you everyday» and and «we’re just sending out bills because that’s what we’ve been told to do»…
anyway…
It seems that the previous staff at this dispensary was remiss on paperwork; they didn’t deposit checks, they didn’t send out bills… apparently, this went on for years? anyway the Dr, savvy business man that he must be hired all new staff. Either he or the new «fixer» staff decided that, rather than call the insurance companies they’re contracted with and try to resolve the payment discrepancies, they would just send out bills to everyone who’s account wasn’t whole.
Here’s the thing that gets me, when they were defending the lunacy of this double billing they said «we found piles of checks that weren’t ever cashed» …implying that our insurance payment was in such a pile, my thought, «why not look at the checks and see who they’re for and then take it up with the insurance company?» had they gone this route perhaps we would have returned to this shop, they do have some nice frames. but becaus eof the several hours wee had to take to fix what is undeniably their mistake we’ll never go back.
here’s why you shouldn’t shop there either:
replacing one set of staff becuse they don’t send out bills with another set of staff who sends out bills that shouldn’t be sent out, and then gets angry when you come in and ask «WTF» is just bad business x2.
if we had gotten a bill and went in and they said, «Yeah, sorry about that, the previous employees dropped the ball and we’re trying to clean thing up… would it be possible to call your insurance and find out when they paid…» it would have been a totally different experience and i wouldn’t be writing this now. What happened is we went in and they said «Your insurance didn’t pay…» this is why it bacame a BFD
oh look it’s another capitol hill optical shop!

I started out really liking Capitol Hill Vision. It was close to my work, they took my insurance. All was fine. Then…
I was on pregnancy bed rest. Couldn’t drive myself anywhere. Was in constant contact with the staff on my situation — we even discussed about how I might not come in because of it. In the end — I decided to make the trip from my house in Columbia City to the appointment.
The unfortunate thing was, the times were screwed up on my calendar. They had a different time than me. As I was leaving the house to make the appointment at what I thought was the correct time — they called me to say that I had already missed my appointment. News to me!
I told them that I was on my way — and they said that they wouldn’t have time to see me because they were booked. I said fine, I guess I will have to see you another time. Then came the $ 40 «no show fee» bill in the mail. I asked for them to reconsider — since I was on my way the appointment, and the receptionist knew my situation. We had been talking multiple times on the phone about my bed rest. She promised me that she would talk to the doctor to see if he would reconsider. They never called me back — they just re-​billed the $ 40.
NOW — if I had deliberately not called, or discussed my situation. I would totally understand their position. BUT — I have worked in corporate retail for a long time. I know that if a customer meets you halfway — you should do the same. Charging a customer $ 40 for being late to an appointment, and not seeing that there were extenuating circumstances is just bad business. Now they lost me as a customer and the money they could have made by being understanding. Oh — and I gave them ANOTHER bad review on Unilocal.Too bad.

I love love love love this place.
Love – They have trunk shows for frames– each pair I’ve gotten is two seasons ahead of thewindows downtown, freemont, and the hill.
Love– The staff is great. Friendly without being overbearing. Give style advice only when asked (thank you!) Greet me by name now that I’ve been in a few times for adjustments on glasses.
Love – They take every insurance I’ve ever had – even the off-​brand ones.
LOVE – Dr. Llewellyn is really the star of this place though. He geeks out on eyeballs in the best way– star-​trek worthy equipment, holistic approach, notices the tiny details and researches them. My prescription has actually gotten less strong since I started taking his advice.

OK so I finally got my contacts the last time I had contacts was 18 yrs ago and it didn’t go well after spending about 350 $$ finally figured out I couldn’t wear contacts due to my astigmatism and would they refund me any money hell no.
so this time I told the Doc my concerns and what not, they now give you a trial pair of contacts to make sure you can wear them so all I had to pay was $ 20 my insurance didn’t pay
and the office manager Raymond way cool he was very helpful
thank you again I am very happy with the way it all turned out
and my partner is happy with his glasses