Best Optometrists on the North Shore

We assessed 22 optometrists on the North Shore and ranked the top 5 on public rating quality, review volume and how recent the reviews are. The businesses listed below hold 4,192 Google reviews between them. No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Last updated 19 September 2026. How we rank

Top 5 Optometrists on the North Shore

The top 5 optometrists on the North Shore are #1 Oscar Wylee, #2 Highbury Optometrists, #3 Specsavers Albany, #4 NVISION Eyecare, and #5 Bailey Nelson, ranked by Top5 Score.

  1. 1 Oscar Wylee Optometrist - Albany ★ 4.9 · 867 reviews · Score 186
  2. 2 Highbury Optometrists ★ 5.0 · 478 reviews · Score 180
  3. 3 Specsavers Optometrists & Audiology - Albany Westfield ★ 4.6 · 769 reviews · Score 174
  4. 4 NVISION Eyecare® - Albany Optometrist ★ 4.9 · 245 reviews · Score 172
  5. 5 Bailey Nelson Optometrist - Albany ★ 4.6 · 584 reviews · Score 172
  • 1

    Oscar Wylee Optometrist - Albany

    ★ 4.9 867 reviews Score 186
    5★ 817 4★ 26 3★ 2 2★ 3 1★ 19

    Oscar Wylee Albany walks patients through each piece of equipment as they go, so you leave with a genuine understanding of your eye health rather than just a prescription.

    Shop S229, Westfield Albany 219 Don McKinnon Drive, Albany, Auckland

    Call 09 281 0674 Map Is this your business?
  • 2

    Highbury Optometrists

    ★ 5.0 478 reviews Score 180
    5★ 458 4★ 19 2★ 1

    Highbury Optometrists guides clients through thorough eye examinations, progressive lens fittings, and complex prescription work, with optometrist Tony and the wider team tailoring each stage to the individual's changing vision needs.

    52 Mokoia Road, Birkenhead, Auckland

    Call 09 418 1347 Map Is this your business?
  • 3

    Specsavers Optometrists & Audiology - Albany Westfield

    ★ 4.6 769 reviews Score 174
    5★ 636 4★ 57 3★ 8 2★ 13 1★ 55

    Specsavers Albany takes clients from eye test through to frame selection and lens choice in a single visit, with staff walking through options like lens coatings and financing in clear terms.

    Westfield Albany Shop 221/219 Don McKinnon Drive, Albany, Auckland

    Call 09 447 1465 Map Is this your business?
  • 4

    NVISION Eyecare® - Albany Optometrist

    Verified
    ★ 4.9 245 reviews Score 172
    5★ 238 4★ 2 3★ 1 1★ 4

    NVISION Eyecare catches conditions that standard eye tests miss, including dry eye syndrome, eye strain misdiagnosed as refractive error, and keratoconus, sending patients away with a clear treatment plan rather than an unnecessary prescription. Optometrist Ryan draws particular praise for adapting examinations to non-verbal and autistic children, completing thorough assessments without rushing.

    Suite 104/119 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, Auckland Mon–Fri 9am–5pm · Sat 8:30am–3pm · Sun Closed

    Call 09 475 5548 Map
  • 5

    Bailey Nelson Optometrist - Albany

    ★ 4.6 584 reviews Score 172
    5★ 479 4★ 39 3★ 15 2★ 18 1★ 33

    Bailey Nelson Albany fits clients for eye examinations, contact lens prescriptions, and progressive lens work, with optometrists like Rose and Lisa drawing specific praise for patience and thorough explanations during fittings.

    Shop 254/219 Don McKinnon Drive, Albany, Auckland

    Call 09 941 9837 Map Is this your business?
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Before you book an optometrist on the North Shore

Every optometrist in New Zealand must be registered with the Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Board and hold a current annual practising certificate, and the board publishes a public register you can search by name. A dispensing optician fits and supplies glasses but does not examine your eyes. Ask what the eye examination includes, since some practices charge extra for retinal photos or a 3D OCT scan and others build them in, and whether the exam fee is credited against glasses. Children aged 15 and under in a family with a Community Services Card can get help with the exam and glasses through the Children's Spectacle Subsidy.

The questions below are drawn from 804 customer reviews collected for this page.

What does an eye test cost in New Zealand?

A standard adult eye examination at a chain practice is published at $75, with packages adding an ultra-wide retinal scan at $120 or a 3D OCT scan at $150. A 2024 University of Auckland School of Optometry and Vision Science fee survey found independent practices charging $90 to $155 per hour, with a median of $115 for a median 45-minute exam.

Comparing two prices is unreliable until you know what each covers, since about 27% of practices exclude pretesting and only 30% include retinal photos. For children aged 15 and under who hold a Community Services Card or High Use Health Card, the government's Children's Spectacle Subsidy covers the eye examination and glasses up to $287.50 a year, claimed directly by the optometrist to Enable New Zealand.

How do I check an optometrist is registered, and what is the difference from an optician?

Optometry is regulated under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003, and every practising optometrist must be registered with the Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Board (ODOB) and hold a current annual practising certificate, which you can verify on the public register at odob.health.nz. The board registers four scopes: a Provisional Optometrist works under supervision and cannot prescribe medicines; an Optometrist provides comprehensive eye health and vision care including prescribing restricted medicines and signing statutory certificates; a Specialist Optometrist may perform certain laser procedures in an approved hospital setting; and a Dispensing Optician fits and supplies glasses and contact lenses but does not examine eyes or diagnose.

An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who treats eye disease surgically and is registered with the Medical Council, and an optometrist will refer you when that level of care is needed. The New Zealand Association of Optometrists is the voluntary professional body, and complaints about care go to the Health and Disability Commissioner.

How often should I have my eyes checked, and when is it urgent?

The New Zealand Association of Optometrists recommends an eye examination every two years for most adults, and every year for anyone over 40 or with a family history of glaucoma. Reviews back this up, with some patients returning annually and others noting that a thorough optometrist will tell you at the end of an appointment exactly when to come back. Sudden loss or blurring of vision, flashes of light, a shower of new floaters, a shadow across your vision, or a painful red eye should not wait for a routine appointment and need same-day attention from an optometrist, a GP, or an emergency department.

What are the warning signs of an optometry practice you should avoid?
  • –A rushed examination with little or no explanation of what the tests found, leaving you uncertain about your eye health.
  • –Pressure to choose frames or lens upgrades during the same visit, rather than time to consider your options.
  • –An exam fee that does not include scans the optometrist then recommends, sprung on you at the checkout without prior consent.
  • –Glasses that are wrong on collection, combined with a slow, reluctant, or complicated remake process.
  • –Unclear terms around warranties, free adjustments, or how long alterations take.
  • –Resistance to handing over a copy of your prescription if you want to buy glasses elsewhere, which is your right as a patient.
What should you ask before booking an optometrist?
  • –Ask exactly what the examination fee covers, specifically whether retinal photos, an OCT scan, and pretesting are included or charged separately.
  • –Ask whether you will receive a written copy of your prescription to use at another practice if you choose to.
  • –If you have children, ask whether the practice sees paediatric patients and whether it claims the Children's Spectacle Subsidy on your behalf.
  • –Ask what warranty applies to glasses, whether adjustments are free, and how long a remake takes if the prescription or fit is wrong.
  • –Ask whether the practice fits contact lenses and what a separate contact lens assessment costs on top of the eye examination fee.
  • –Ask whether you will see the same optometrist at follow-up appointments, which matters if you have an ongoing condition being monitored.

More rankings

Optometrists elsewhere in Auckland 2 links
Optometrists elsewhere in New Zealand 3 links
More health rankings on the North Shore 7 links

About this ranking

What the 10 optometrists listed above hold, at the 19 September 2026 check.

867
reviews held by the #1 ranked business
584
reviews held by the #5 ranked business
4.6
lowest rating among the 10 listed
3.7%
of their 4,192 reviews are one-star
How are the top optometrists on the North Shore chosen?

We build this page from Google Maps results for optometrists on the North Shore. Each one is scored on its public rating and review record, using the same published method on every page. Businesses outside the area, or whose reviews describe a different line of work, are left out. Every category and city is rechecked on a rolling cycle, about every two to three months. See how we rank for how rankings are made and who is left out.

Are you an optometrist on the North Shore?

No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Claiming and verifying your listing is free: it adds a small trust bonus (+3 points) to your score, for confirming a real operator stands behind the listing, and gives you a dashboard showing how your score is made up. A paid subscription adds a website link, a profile page and your ranking history. Claim your listing or see what a subscription includes.

Not listed? The usual reasons are a Google Business category that does not match, too few reviews to score near the top, or an address outside the area we cover. Check where you rank first, and if you think we missed you, get in touch.

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