half Helen - Austin, Texas

Caroline S. B.

"Sloppy work" is what my new optician said about the lenses I just had made by Half Helen.

I was already concerned about their customer service and policies and procedures when I discovered that the frames I had given them, to put my new lenses into, had been broken by their lab.

I realized that was a possibility since they had me sign a waiver, however they wanted me to pay for the lenses that now had no frames because they broke them! There was nothing in the waiver that said if they broke the frames, I would still have to pay for the lenses.

But that was just the beginning. Things got much worse.

I arrived to pick up my new glasses and was surprised that they didn't ask me to try them on to ensure a proper fit or to double check if the prescription was correct which I thought was a standard procedure for all opticians.

Of my own accord, I tried them on before I left and it's a good thing I did.

I've had progressive for 3 years, so I was used to them, yet when I put on my new glasses, I noticed immediately that if I looked directly ahead, the prescription seemed correct, however if I looked down even 10°, the world was wavy.

I told them something was wrong with the prescription so they had me speak with Dr. Ahmad. He refused to believe me, insisting that I spend up to 3 weeks to adjust to the lenses. He did not check to see if the glasses were a proper fit or if the prescription was correct.

As if that wasn't enough, I discovered later that he also told me the wrong prescription for the add (the additional amount I needed for the reading portion of the progressive ).

During our discussion I also found him sarcastic. Instead of simply telling me that a 25% increase in the ADD part of my prescription was significant, he mocked me saying, "you don't think that's a lot?" ...Excuse me, I'm not the doctor. You are.

At one point he told me to stop looking right and left with my eyes and instead turn my head to see to the right and left but when I investigated this later, I was told, "Your provider telling you to “stop looking with your eyes and turn your head” is a 🚩 red flag, especially given:
• Endless Steady (the type of lens I had ) is designed precisely to reduce that need.
• If they’re requiring such compensation, something is NOT functioning as designed.

Finally after a dozen emails over the next 3 days, he relented and checked my vision and realized the measurements were wrong. Rather than having the lens remade with the proper measurements, he simply adjusted the nose pads trying to make up for it and

... fired me as a patient! 😶

He made me sign a notice that they would no longer offer me services.

So I took the glasses to another optician to double check them and after remeasuring my eyes and the placement of the glasses on my face and rechecking the lenses, they said there was nothing else that could be done except to start over and remake the lenses because it was "sloppy work."

The lenses were more than 2 mm off which is huge in terms of a progressive lens.

Bryan L.

Highly recommend this place!

I went in for an eye exam and first time contact lens fitting. I was a bit nervous but the tech and Dr. Ahmad made sure I knew what was going on. Dr. Ahmad has been super willing to help with whatever I need and answers my numerous amounts of questions pretty quickly. He also let me know that I was eligible for a rebate and I would've never known otherwise.

It's also a nice feeling that the company isn't trying to nickel dime you and earn a profit for themselves like other optometrists.

Rudy D.

Half Helen was a great experience! got me in and out quickly, and answered all my questions patiently. Friendly and bilingual staff

R L.

Super great business. They are very caring, helpful and friendly staff. Very hard to find a business with this great of customer service nowadays. Great selection of glasses too.

Jeremiah J.

Such a wonderful experience here as a member of HAAM. The staff is very helpful and courteous. My appointment took less than an hour. My glasses will be ready in a few weeks. That is no problem to me but may be to those in a rush. (I have really poor vision so mine take longer). I highly recommend half Helen

EG C.

Half Helen is a cheerful clinic in a convenient location off North Lamar. They stay true to their slogan, "Helping the World See Clearly". The staff was professional, kind and made me feel comfortable. This clinic has low cost, affordable and comprehensive eye exams. They have convenient appointment options and offer scheduling reminders via text. Their staff explained everything clearly. Dr. Mutahir Ahmad performed a vision exam and took time to explain my vision changes while finding the perfect prescription for my eyes. This is my new favorite vision clinic! I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a caring, reliable eye doctor.

Caresa W.

" Customer Service was okay but seems a difference was made to stand & be corrected, NO BLU BLOCK PLEASE.! The young girls working the front, RUDE. If that's what it IS. Thanks for the Free gift for this review."

Linda R.

WORST EXPERIENCE EVER IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! DR AHMED IS EXTREMELY RUDE AND NOT PROFESSIONAL AT ALL! I WENT IN FOR A NEW PRESCRIPTION FOR NEW LENSES! I WAS BEING EXAM BY A FEMALE OPTOMETRIST AND SHE WAS TOTALLY INEXPERIENCED ! WHILE SHE WAS EXAMINING MY EYE VISION IN MY LEFT EYE! DR AHMED BURST THROUGH THE BACK DOOR AND ASK! HOW IS IT GOING IN HERE! THE FEMALE OPTOMETRIST STATED IT WAS GOING OK! AND THAT SHE WAS DOING A PRISM ADJUSTMENT IN MY LENSES! DR AHMED THEN PROCEEDS TO GRAB MY OLD PRESCRIPTION AND RISED TOWARD THE CEILING AND STATED YOUR GLASSES DO NOT HAVE PRISM! I TOLD HIM THEY ABSOLUTELY 💯 DID HAVE PRISM! HE HAD TO SHOW THE INEXPERIENCED FEMALE OPTOMETRIST HOW TO LOOK UP MY OLD PRESCRIPTION TO SEE THAT MY OLD GLASSES HAD PRISM! AND TO PROOF TO HIM THAT THEY HAD PRISM! THEN HE PROCEEDS TO TELL THE INEXPERIENCED OPTOMETRIST THAT NOT TO GIVE ME TO MUCH PRISM! AND WALKS OUT! THEN THE INEXPERIENCED FEMALE OPTOMETRIST ENDED MY EYE EXAM WITHOUT CHECKING MY RIGHT EYE! I ASK HER! CAN YOU PLEASE CHECK MY RIGHT EYE! SHE STATED NO WE DO NOT HAVE TO! I AM FINISHED! SHE STARTED PUTTING UP THE PRISM LENSES UP AND NEVER BOTHERED TO CK MY RIGHT EYE AT ALL! WHEN I WENT TO CK OUT! DR AHMED TOOK MY TRANSACTION AND WROTE UP MY PRESCRIPTION AS PROGRESSIVES AND I STATED DISTANCE ONLY! WHEN I RECEIVED MY LENSES! I COULD ONLY SEE THROUGH THE LEFT LENSES! THE RIGHT LENSES WAS SHOT! NO GOOD! I CALLED AND THE LADY WITH THE STRONG FOREIGN ACCENT STATED THAT I HAD TO WEAR MY LENSES FOR 2 WEEKS! I TOLD HER I COULD NOT SEE THROUGH THE RIGHT LENSE! SHE SAID CALL IN 2 WEEKS AND I DID AND I HAD TO WAIT AN EXTRA 2 WEEKS! FOR A ENTIRE MONTH I WAS DRIVING WITH MY NEW GLASSES WITH ONE EYE CLOSE! THEN THE DAY OF MY APPOINTMENT DR.AHMED WAS THE ONE TO EXAMINE MY EYES FOR 3 MINUTES AND THE REST OF THE EXAMINE WAS A ARGUMENT PRETTY MUCH BETWEEN ME AND HIM! HE DOES NOT LET YOU GET ONE WORD IN AT ALL! HE HAD ANOTHER DR PRESENT IN THE EXAM TAKING NOTES AND WAS CUTTING ME OFF! IN ORDER TO SHOW OFF! MY GLASSES FOR THE FIRST PRESCRIPTION DID NOT HAVE ANY SPHERE AT ALL.! I STATED THAT TO HIM AND HE TOLD ME 0.00 IS A NUMBER! HE IS DEFINITELY CONDESCENDING WITH HIS MOUTH! HIS MOUTH DOES NOT LET YOU TALK! I LITERALLY HAD TO SHOW HIM MY OLD PRESCRIPTION TO LET HIM KNOW THAT MY OLD LENSES HAD A SPHERE STRENGTH IN THE LENSE OF 0.50! SO WITHOUT CK MY EYES WITH THAT STRENGTH HE DECIDED TO LOWER IT TO 0.25! BIG MISTAKE! HE WAS MAD AND TOLD ME TO LEAVE MY GLASSES AT THE COUNTER SO THEY COULD GET REMADE! THEY CALL ME 4 DAYS LATER TO TELL ME THEY WERE READY! I STILL COULD NOT SEE OUT OF THE RIGHT EYE! MY GLASSES WERE NEVER SENT OUT!
I CALL TO LET THEM KNOW AND DR AHMED! CALLED ME BACK AND HE TRIED TO OVER TALK ME AND CUT ME OFF! I TOLD HIM THAT WAS HIS PROBLEM! HE DOES NOT LISTEN TO THE PATIENT BUT MOVES HIS MOUTH CONSTANTLY AND CONSISTENTLY! I TOLD HIM I WENT TO A PROFESSIONAL Ophthalmologist! OFFICE! HE STILL DID NOT LISTEN TO ME! I TOLD HIM 3 TIMES! FINALLY HE REFUNDED MY TRANSITIONS PURCHASE AND TOLD ME NOT TO BOTHER TO COME BACK IN AND THROW THE GLASSES AWAY!
WORST NIGHTMARE EXPERIENCE EVER! NO EXPERIENCE DOCTORS AT THIS OFFICE!
ZERO STARS