Like the rest of the five senses, your eyes play a vital role in communication, body coordination, reflexes, and overall health. Good eye care shouldn’t be taken for granted. For this reason, the Ministry of Health in Kenya recommends having an eye exam every two years (once every year for individuals over 50 years of age).
Finding an optician in Nairobi isn’t difficult, if anything. It’s the commercial hub of East and Central Africa. However, finding a good optician in the midst of hundreds of thousands of businesses can be as chaotic as solving a puzzle at a festival.
Fortunately, I’ve got your back! After carefully browsing the internet (social media pages included), contacting, and walking into some optical establishments in Nairobi, I compiled the following list. These are the top-tier optical centers in Nairobi in no order.
Optica
Optica is Kenya’s largest and leading eye care and eyeglasses center. This optical service has a chain of stores in all major towns in the country. While they are heavily invested in the eyewear retail business – they also offer eye examinations at their centers.
Since it has cast a wide net in Kenya, supplying every kind of eyewear, it is also in contact with the best in eye care. If you are looking for a suitable pair of glasses for reading, driving, or leisure, you can book an appointment in any of its outlets nationwide.
Location: Optica currently has twenty-one (21) branches in Nairobi alone. Use the Optica Branch Locator app to find your nearest store.
Baus Opticals
Baus Opticals is second after Optica as the largest and leading eyewear center in Kenya. Like its rival, Baus has set up local outlets in most towns in Kenya, the most in Nairobi City.
Baus Opticals mainly deals with the retail of eyewear but still offers eye care services thanks to a team of eye care specialists.
Location: 5th Floor Queensway House, Kaunda Street, Nairobi.
Contact: +254 723 737 272. Email: binfo@bausoptical.co.ke.
Eye Care Consultants Ltd
Eyecare Consultants is one of the leading optometric practices in Nairobi. With more than 35 years of offering quality eye care service to the residents of East Africa’s largest city, this facility prides itself on having qualified and certified specialists with certifications from the United Kingdom.
Eye Care Consultants won’t just treat your eyes. Through its qualified staff, it’ll help you get the right prescription and educate you on preventive eye care. That’s not all. This facility also stocks a wide range of eyewear frames and lenses, offering them at competitive prices.
Location: ABC Place, along Waiyaki Way, and Eco Bank Towers, Nairobi.
Contact: +254 20 444 0362. +254 722 908 703, 0722 733 000.
Lions SightFist Eye Clinic
Lions SightFirst Eye Clinic is a leading eyecare clinic in Nairobi offering quality, holistic, client-focused eye care.
Nestled in the leafy suburb of Loresho, Lion SightFirst Eye Clinic is a one-stop optical clinic for patients looking for general eye care services, eye exams, LASIK, pediatric ophthalmology, vitreoretinal, orbital oculoplastic, low vision care, glaucoma management, and squint treatment.
Lion FirstSight Eye Clinic is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The average consultation fee is KES 3,500, depending on the specialist.
Location: Kaptagat Road, Loresho, Nairobi.
Contact: +254 020-422 6000, 0728 970 601, 0733 619 191. Email: info@lionsloresho.org.
Eye & U
Eye & U is one of the most sought–after eyecare providers in Nairobi and Kenya. Thanks to their state-of-the-art equipment, professional staff, and founding mission to offer the latest and affordable eye care under one roof, their services are unmatched.
The team at Eye & U, a mix of certified specialists from India and Kenya, offers a complete range of eye care services, including vision testing, LASKI and PRK refractive surgery, glaucoma diagnosis, eye exam, squint, cataract, corneal transplant, vitro-retinal surgery.
Eye & U is open Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Closed Sundays and Public Holidays).
Location: 3rd Floor, Pacis Centre, Waiyaki Way, Westlands, Nairobi.
Contact: (+254) 718 202 020, 202 402 020. Email: info@eyenu.com.
Muthaiga Eye Clinic
Muthaiga Eye Clinic, or MEC, is a well-known eyecare provider in eyecare in Nairobi and Kenya. This eye care facility started 15 years ago (2008) as a pediatric eye clinic, slowly growing into a leader in Optometric practice.
Muthaiga Eye Clinic emphasizes offering personalized, compassionate, and ethical eye care services at an international standard. Some of their esteemed eye care services include a general eye clinic, a Binocular vision clinic, diabetic eye screening, a keratoconus clinic, a low vision clinic, myopia control, and a pediatric eye clinic.
Muthaiga Eye Clinic is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Saturday, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. MEC is closed on Sundays and Public Holidays.
Location: Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital, Muthaiga, Nairobi.
Contact: +254 0722 734 612, 0736 575 068. Email: Info@muthaigaeyeclinic.co.ke.
PCEA Kikuyu Hospital Eye Unit
PCEA Kikuyi Hospital Eye Clinic is the best optical center in Nairobi when it comes to affordability and quality services. While its low fees are unmatched in the region, it also offers quality eye care with general outpatient services comprising nine consultation rooms. That’s not all. This institution is known for offering free medical checkups for the community.
The PCEA Kikuyu Hospital Eye Unit was established in 1975 as a collaborative effort between the hospital and a German NGO, Christoffel Bliden Mission. Fourteen years later, in 1989, an eye ward and theatre block were added.
Some of the services offered at the PCEA Kikuyu Hospital Eye Unit include eye exams, visual field analysis for glaucoma patients, Ocular Coherence Tomography or OTC, Modern biometry for intraocular and extraocular surgeries, and laser eye treatments.
PCEA Kikuyu Hospital’s Eye Unit is open every weekday from 8:00 to 6:00 p.m., and the eye unit outpatient clinic is open from 6:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Off Kikuyu Road, Close to Alliance High School Bus Stage.
Contact: (+254) 020-2044765-8, 0720 366 209. Email: Kikuyu@pceakikuyuhospital.org.
Eye-Co Ltd, Nairobi
Eye-Co LTD Nairobi is a top-tier optical care unit that offers quality, professional eyecare services to the residents of Nairobi and its environs.
Eye-Co LTD prides itself on housing a collection of certified specialists with qualifications from the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Its TRM (Thika Road Mall) branch boasts a state-of-the-art full Ophthalmology clinic.
Eye-Co LTD offers some of the following services across its Nairobi branches: basic eye examination, eyewear retail, contact lens services, orthoptics, occupational optometry, frame repair, and eye disease management.
Eye-Co LTD is open Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Sunday and Public Holidays, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Location: Sarit Centre and TRM (Thika Road Mall).
Contact: Sarit Center (+254) 768 497 660. Thika Road Mall (+254) 705 947 404. Vision Centre (+254) 706 937 147. Email: info@eye-co.ke.
Maxivision Eye Clinic
Maxivision Eye Clinic is a professional eye care facility strategically placed in the heart of Nairobi’s Central Business District. Reknown for its track record of offering quality optical care, this facility was founded in 2013 under KAM Health Services in the IPS building.
With a world-class team that includes Dr. Muindi, Dr. Mukuria, and Dr. Tigo, Maxivision Eye Clinic is a leader in Ophthalmology. Backed by state-of-the-art optical equipment, this eyecare facility has changed the level of eye care for patients in Nairobi and Kenya.
Eyecare services offered at Maxivision Eye Clinic include treatment and care for Cataracts, Glaucoma, Neuroophthalmology, and Paediatric Ophthalmology.
Maxivision Eye Clinic is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Saturday, 9:00 am to 12:00 noon. (Closed on Sunday).
Location: There are two branches in Nairobi: the 3rd Floor of the IPS Building, Kimathi Street, and the 2nd Floor of the Optica House Building, Moi Avenue.
Contact: (+254) 748 013 907. Email: info@maxivisioneyeclinic.co.ke, bookings@maxivisioneyeclinic.co.ke.
Westlands Laser Eye Hospital
As the name suggests, Westlands Laser Eye Hospital is a popular eyecare hospital in Nairobi, offering cutting-edge technology services in optical care. The eye hospital boasts a team of world-class professionals with more than 35 years of experience in the optical care field.
That’s not all. According to management, the team at Westlands Laser Eye Hospital has performed more than 100,000 cataracts, 100,000 LASIK procedures, and 50,000 other optical surgeries.
Some of the services offered at this eye care facility include Laser Cataract Surgery, Lasik Surgery, Cornea transplant, and Retina Surgery.
Westlands Laser Eye Hospital is open Monday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (Closed on Sundays).
Location: 2nd Floor Westside Towers, Lower Kabete Road, Nairobi.
Contact: (+254) 703 112 233, 0787 121 212. Email: westlandslasereye@gmail.com.
Eyestyle Opticians
Eyestyle Opticians is a leading eyecare provider serving the residents of Nairobi and its environs. While still leading in eyecare, Eyestyle Opticians is an eyewear retailer that also offers eye care services.
Over the years, this prominent optical outfit in Nairobi has won many awards and is recognized in optical circles as a leader in its field. Some of their services include eye examination, retail eyeglasses and lenses, maintenance guides on eyewear, and insurance.
Location: Mpaka Road, Westlands, Nairobi.
Contact: (+254) 0726 936 136, 0734 544 376, 0707 908 838, Email: eyestyle@iconnect.co.ke.
City Eye Hospital
City Eye Hospital, also known as CEH, is a renowned eye care provider in Nairobi city that combines expertise, ethics, advanced technology, and ultra-modern technology to offer quality, unmatched services to its clientele.
City Eye Hospital boasts a team of professional and qualified eye surgeons supported by equally trained staff and state-of-the-art equipment. CEH is focused on offering a safe environment for patients that fosters client education, making for a seamless treatment process.
City Eye Hospital offers General Ophthalmology, Cataract Surgery, Corneal treatment, Glaucoma treatment, Retinopathy treatment, and Uveitis.
City Eye Hospital Ngong Road branch is open Monday to Thursday, 6:45 am to 3:00 pm. Friday 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. The Upper Hill branch is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Location: Ngong Road (Opposite Traffic Police Station, Nairobi). Upper Hill branch, 3rd Floor, Upper Hill Medical Center, Nairobi.
Contact: Ngong Road Branch; (+254) 0111 032 200, 0707 777 707. Upper Hill Branch; (+254) 714 617 782, 0736 329 348.
Aga Khan Eye Clinic
Like most of the Aga Khan group facilities, the Aga Khan Eye Clinic is a top-rated optical care facility in Nairobi and Kenya. The institution prides itself on having a dedicated team of senior ophthalmology specialists who offer their patients unparalleled services.
Other than housing top-tier specialists, the Aga Khan Eye Clinic boasts state-of-the-art equipment and operation theatres. Their inpatient optical care facilities include private executive rooms as well as general wards.
Aga Khan Eye Clinic is open Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Emergency services, and the Pharmacy are open 24/7.
Location: Aga Khan University Hospital, 3rd Parklands Avenue, Limuru Road, Nairobi.
Contact: (+254) 0111 011 888, 0730 011 888. Email: akuh.nairobi@aku.edu.
Eyeris The Optometrist
When it comes to cutting-edge eyecare services in Nairobi – Eyeris The Optometrist is at the forefront. Backed by modern technology and a dedicated professional team, this facility is shifting the optical service industry forward.
Some of their sought-after services include a computerized eye test that significantly improves optical diagnosis, greatly improving service delivery. The state-of-the-art equipment can detect any abnormalities in the cornea, weakness in eye muscles, or cataracts in the retina.
Eyeris The Optometrist is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Harmony Centre, 43 General Mathenge Road, Nairobi.
Contact: (+254) 718 181 000, 0735 181 000. Email: info@eyeris.co.ke.