Your DCist editors are both full-time glasses wearers. Constantly bespectacled. Permanently four-eyed. After wearing contact lenses for several years, I switched over to glasses in college and never looked back. There are several options for glasses in D.C., from expensive boutiques to big-name chains. We run down a few of our favorites below. As we only have four eyes between us, please leave your own favorite in the comments.
Photo by Kevin Harber.
BURTON OPTICIAN: Owned and operated by Virginia Burton, this Georgetown option provides extremely personalized service. Burton has 30 years of experience and can help select the right frame for your face, which makes the price easier to swallow.
Burton Optician is located at 3252 Prospect Street NW.
IDOC OPTICAL: With two optometrists in house, Idoc Optical is a one-stop shop, like LensCrafters, but with a more boutique feel. Located in Metro Center, the staff is helpful and the location convenient.
Idoc Optical 923 F Street NW.
SEE Eyewear: The selection of frames at SEE Eyewear in Georgetown is enough to recommend them, even if we’re heard mixed things about the service. Bold, colorful frames that you can’t find anywhere else,
SEE Eyewear is located at 1261 Wisconsin Avenue NW.
LENSCRATERS: Yes, I’m including LensCrafters’ downtown location. No, you can’t stop me. This is where I got my last pair of glasses — large, square, gold, glitter — and I had a great experience. The staff was helpful, without being too clingy, and my eye exam was thorough. With insurance, this was the most affordable option in town but I didn’t have to compromise on style. The Connecticut Avenue NW location is small and doesn’t have an on-site lab, so you can’t get your glasses within an hour, but the Pentagon City mall location does.
LensCrafters is located at 1130 Connecticut Avenue NW.
A BRIGHTER IMAGE: The Dupont Circle shop has what you’d expect from a nicer boutique eyeglass store — a big selection of designer frames, knowledgable staff and an in-house doctor — but there’s also a chance you may meet Beans the bulldog.
A Brighter Image is located at 1720 Connecticut Avenue NW.
COLLECTABLE SPECTACLE: While not a physical shop, Silver Spring’s Collectable Spectacle is an amazing collection of vintage glasses. I first encountered the seller at District Flea (RIP) and fell in love with the frames, from the big Mod shapes to the traditional cat-eye. Unfortunately, Collectable Spectacle not longer sells at any local markets these days, but it’s still represented on Etsy. Owner Gwen Mazorow is also willing to meet interested customers in person. Note: Having lenses specially cut and placed in vintage frames is expensive and should only be done by a trusted shop.
Collectable Spectacle is an online shop.
