Optometrist on Nostrand Ave Brooklyn: Your Neighborhood Eye Doctor at Nostrand Optical
If you're looking for an optometrist on Nostrand Ave in Brooklyn, Nostrand Optical at 1018C Nostrand Ave is right here in Crown Heights — a full-service eye care practice where Dr. Alexander Shlivko, OD sees patients for everything from annual eye exams to contact lens fittings to glaucoma screenings. We accept Medicaid, Medicare, and most major insurance plans, and we're not a chain.
We know what it feels like to search for a doctor you can actually trust in your neighborhood. This post covers what we offer, who we see, and why patients from Crown Heights, Prospect Heights, Flatbush, and Bed-Stuy keep coming back.
Key Takeaways
- Nostrand Optical is located at 1018C Nostrand Ave in Crown Heights, Brooklyn — easy to reach from surrounding neighborhoods
- Dr. Alexander Shlivko, OD provides eye exams, contact lens fittings, dry eye treatment, glaucoma screenings, cataract screenings, and pediatric exams
- We accept Medicaid, Medicare, UnitedHealthcare, Health First, Fidelis Care, Anthem, and most union plans
- Same-day glasses are available for most standard prescriptions — no week-long wait
- We see patients ages 7 and up, making us a good fit for families and individuals of all ages
What Kind of Optometrist Is on Nostrand Ave?
Nostrand Optical isn't a pop-up vision center or a franchise location. Dr. Shlivko is a Doctor of Optometry with a real practice, real patients, and real accountability to the Crown Heights community he serves.
That distinction matters more than it might seem. When you see a named doctor at an independent practice, you're not being rotated through whoever's available that day. Dr. Shlivko knows his patients. He reviews your history, notices what's changed, and explains what he's seeing in plain language.
The practice covers the full range of optometric care:
- Annual eye exams for adults and children ages 7 and up
- Contact lens fittings, including toric lenses for astigmatism, multifocals, and specialty fits for dry eye patients
- Dry eye evaluation and treatment, not just a recommendation to use drops
- Glaucoma screenings, with eye pressure measurement included in every exam
- Cataract screenings using slit-lamp examination, with referrals when surgery becomes appropriate
- Pediatric eye exams that screen for myopia, lazy eye, eye turns, and other issues common in school-age kids
- Same-day glasses for most standard prescriptions
- Designer frames including Gucci, Versace, Prada, and Dolce & Gabbana
If you haven't had an eye exam in the past year or two, book an appointment with Dr. Shlivko at Nostrand Optical. We're accepting new patients.
Who We See at Our Nostrand Ave Practice
Adults 50 and Older
Annual eye exams matter more as you get older. Conditions like glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration tend to develop gradually and often don't cause noticeable symptoms early on. That's exactly when an exam catches something that would otherwise go undetected.
Dr. Shlivko recommends annual exams for adults 50 and older. If you're on Medicare or Medicaid, we accept both. There's no reason to skip your exam over insurance.
Families with Kids
We see children ages 7 and up. A lot of vision problems, including nearsightedness and lazy eye, first show up during the school years. Sometimes the first sign is a kid struggling to read the board, or a teacher flagging a concern. Sometimes it's nothing obvious at all, which is why a proper exam matters.
School vision screenings are a starting point, but they're not a substitute for a full eye exam. Dr. Shlivko's pediatric exams cover visual acuity, eye alignment, binocular vision, and more.
Contact Lens Wearers
Getting contact lenses isn't the same as getting glasses. A contact lens fitting is a separate appointment where Dr. Shlivko evaluates the fit, curvature, and type of lens that'll work for your eyes specifically. If you have astigmatism or dry eye, that affects what kind of lens you should be wearing. He'll work through it with you and send you home with trial lenses before you commit to a supply.
If you're new to contacts or haven't been properly fitted in years, learn more about our contact lens fitting process in Brooklyn.
Patients with Dry Eye
Dry eye is one of the most common conditions Dr. Shlivko sees, and it's also one of the most under-managed. A lot of patients have been told to use artificial tears and called it a day. But chronic dry eye has actual causes — screen time, contact lens wear, hormonal changes, certain medications — and it responds to real treatment.
If your eyes feel scratchy, burn by the end of the day, or water constantly (yes, watery eyes can be a sign of dry eye), Dr. Shlivko can evaluate what's going on and talk through your options. You can also read more about dry eye treatment in Brooklyn before your visit.
A Patient Who Finally Found a Practice Worth Coming Back To
Marcus had been getting his eyes checked at a chain optical store near Atlantic Terminal for years. Every time, it was a different doctor, a rushed exam, and a hard push toward whatever frames were on sale. When his prescription changed twice in two years and no one seemed concerned, he started asking around.
A neighbor on Lincoln Place recommended Nostrand Optical.
At his first appointment, Dr. Shlivko spent time actually reviewing Marcus's history, asked about his screen time and headaches, and noticed early signs of elevated eye pressure that nobody had flagged before. He was referred for glaucoma monitoring and has been coming back to Nostrand Optical on Nostrand Ave every year since. "He remembers me," Marcus said. "That's the whole difference."
Insurance We Accept on Nostrand Ave
One of the most common questions we get is whether we take a particular plan. Here's what we currently accept:
- Medicaid — including Managed Medicaid plans
- Medicare
- UnitedHealthcare (UHC)
- Anthem
- Health First
- Fidelis Care
- Union plans
- CareCredit (for patients who prefer to finance out-of-pocket costs at 0% interest)
If you're not sure whether your specific plan is covered, just call the office before your appointment. We'll look it up and let you know before you come in. Or you can check the insurance plans we accept on our website.
We see a lot of patients who've gone without an eye exam for years because they assumed their plan wouldn't cover it or didn't know where to go. If that's you, we'd rather help you figure it out than have you skip the exam entirely.
What Happens During an Eye Exam at Nostrand Optical
An eye exam at Nostrand Optical takes about 45 minutes. It's not just a prescription check. Here's what Dr. Shlivko covers:
- Health history review — your medications, family history of eye conditions, any symptoms you've been noticing
- Visual acuity test — the classic eye chart check for distance and near vision
- Refraction — determining your exact prescription for glasses or contacts
- Eye pressure measurement (tonometry) — included in every exam as part of glaucoma screening
- Slit-lamp exam — evaluation of the front structures of the eye, including the cornea and lens
- Dilated fundus exam (when indicated) — allows Dr. Shlivko to examine the optic nerve, retina, and look for signs of macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease, and other conditions
- Discussion — Dr. Shlivko explains what he found and what, if anything, to do about it
You leave knowing exactly where your vision stands. Not with a rushed printout and a push toward the sales floor.
If you want more detail on what a full eye exam covers, read our post on eye exams in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
Same-Day Glasses on Nostrand Ave
If your prescription is straightforward, you may be able to get your glasses the same day you come in. That's not something most optical shops in the area offer, and it's genuinely useful if you break your frames, lose your glasses, or just don't want to wait a week.
We carry a full selection of frames in-office, including designer options from Gucci, Versace, Prada, and Dolce & Gabbana. Whether you want something classic or something that makes a statement, there's a real selection here. Not a wall of generic frames.
Same-day availability depends on your lens type and prescription, so call ahead if timing matters for you.
A First-Time Visitor from Flatbush
Diane came to Nostrand Optical after seeing a flyer at her building in Flatbush. She hadn't had an eye exam in four years and had been buying reading glasses off the rack at the drugstore. Her vision had gotten noticeably worse, but she kept putting off scheduling because she wasn't sure what her Medicaid plan would cover or whether she'd be seen quickly.
She called, we confirmed her coverage in a few minutes, and she came in that week.
Dr. Shlivko found she needed a real prescription, not just reading glasses, and also noticed early lens changes that could eventually develop into cataracts. Nothing requiring action yet, but worth monitoring. She left with same-day glasses and a clear plan for when to come back.
"I didn't know it was going to be that easy," she said. That's what we're going for.
Glaucoma and Cataract Screenings on Nostrand Ave
These two screenings are worth calling out specifically because they're the ones patients most often skip, usually because they don't have symptoms.
Glaucoma doesn't hurt. It doesn't usually blur your vision in the early stages. The first sign that something's wrong is often significant, irreversible vision loss. Eye pressure measurement and optic nerve evaluation during your annual exam are how Dr. Shlivko catches it early.
If you're over 50, African-American (a group with statistically higher glaucoma risk, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology), or have a family history of the condition, annual glaucoma screening isn't optional. It's essential.
Cataracts develop slowly. A lot of patients describe it as a gradual haziness or needing more light to read. Dr. Shlivko can identify early cataract formation during a slit-lamp exam and help you understand where things are in the progression. If you're at the point where surgery may help, he'll refer you to an ophthalmologist. If you're not there yet, he'll tell you that too.
Read more about what to expect from a glaucoma screening in Brooklyn or a cataract screening in Brooklyn.
Why Patients From Crown Heights and Beyond Choose Nostrand Optical
There are a lot of reasons patients from Crown Heights, Prospect Heights, Bed-Stuy, and Flatbush come to Nostrand Optical on Nostrand Ave specifically.
It's accessible. We're at 1018C Nostrand Ave, between Empire Blvd and Eastern Pkwy, close to multiple MTA bus lines. If you're in the surrounding neighborhoods, getting here doesn't require a long commute.
Dr. Shlivko is the doctor. Not a rotating staff member. Not a franchisee covering for someone else. Dr. Alexander Shlivko, OD is the optometrist, and he's the one who'll see you.
We take your insurance seriously. Medicaid and Medicare are accepted here without making you feel like you're getting a lesser version of care. The exam is the same. The attention is the same.
We're not a chain. The experience at Nostrand Optical isn't scripted. It's a real practice, with a real doctor, that's part of this neighborhood.
A Long-Time Patient on Annual Exams
Gloria has been coming to Nostrand Optical for several years. She's 67, lives a few blocks away on St. Johns Place, and comes in every year without fail, mostly because Dr. Shlivko caught a retinal change during one of her early visits that turned out to need monitoring for diabetic eye disease.
"He explained everything clearly. He didn't just hand me a form and move on." She brings her daughter now too, who's 34 and just started wearing contacts. Same practice, two generations. That's what a neighborhood optometrist is supposed to look like.
How to Book an Appointment at Nostrand Optical on Nostrand Ave
Booking is straightforward. You can schedule your eye exam online, or call the office directly. If you have insurance questions before you come in, we're happy to verify your coverage before your appointment so there are no surprises.
We're at 1018C Nostrand Ave, Crown Heights, Brooklyn, NY 11225. We see adults, seniors, and children ages 7 and up. We accept Medicaid, Medicare, and most major plans.
If you're overdue for an eye exam, or you've been looking for an optometrist in Crown Heights who actually knows your name, come in. Dr. Shlivko is accepting new patients, and the practice is right here on Nostrand Ave.
Sources:
- American Academy of Ophthalmology. Glaucoma Risk Factors.
- American Optometric Association. Recommended Eye Examination Frequency for Pediatric Patients and Adults.
- National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health. Glaucoma.