About Us

Dietz-McLean Optical is a multigenerational, family-owned, and operated optical shop that provides extraordinary eyewear for the San Antonio community.

Your Local Glasses People for Over 80 Years

Eyeglasses mean a lot to our family: they’re a precision tool you rely on every day. They’re your most-worn fashion statement. And they’ve been the keystone of our family business for over 80 years.

Simply put, we’re frames fanatics — and we have the know-how and work ethic to find you a pair that fits perfectly, looks incredible and makes you fall in love with eyewear too.

Our Mission

It’s simple: everything we do is for your satisfaction, even when you don’t see us doing it. Between our expansive range of independent and designer frames, personable opticians and eyewear shopping experience, generous Fair Value Plan, and comprehensive warranties, we can deliver outstanding glasses and unrivaled peace of mind. What others may consider “premium” is simply our standard.
Dietz-McLean Optical Lobby Area
Modern customize lens at Dietz McLean Optical

Our Roots Run Deep

The eyewear industry has evolved a lot since Dietz-McLean Optical opened its doors in 1938, but one thing that hasn’t changed is our commitment to providing exceptional eyeglasses for our neighbors. Our family’s history in lens manufacturing and opticianry has provided us with decades of unmatched experience — whether we’re selecting your most flattering frames or perfecting your lenses, we know how to determine what you need and execute on it.

Historically Great Service

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  • Jun 1918

    “Mac” Starts His Optical Career

    “Mac” Starts His Optical Career

    June 11, 1918

    Mac, Drake and Cliff McLean’s grandfather, began his career in the optical industry as a delivery boy for the American Optical Company at the young age of 13. He was introduced to the field by his older brother, Edward, who was working in a lens lab.

  • Jun 1938

    Dietz-McLean Optical Founded

    Dietz-McLean Optical Founded

    June 13, 1938

    The practice you know today as Dietz-McLean Optical goes way back but has always been at home in San Antonio. Our customer-first focus and commitment to quality eyewear started here, with a lens lab from day one!

  • Mar 1941

    The McLeans Contribute to The War Effort

    The McLeans Contribute to The War Effort

    March 10, 1941

    When the U.S. entered WWII, each soldier was assigned two pairs of glasses. “Mac” ran a large lens-production operation and was one of the first to hire women into the optical industry.

  • May 1961

    Jim McLean Starts at Dietz-McLean Optical

    Jim McLean Starts at Dietz-McLean Optical

    May 18, 1961

    The son of “Mac,” Jim McLean would eventually rise to the position of Chairman.

  • Jun 1974

    Our Temple Location Opens

    Our Temple Location Opens

    June 27, 1974

    One of our earlier expansions, Temple serves clients to this day.

  • Jun 1982

    Refocusing on Retail

    Refocusing on Retail

    June 17, 1982

    As we expanded, we were faced with a choice: continue our wholesale business to serve more people or focus on retail and our local communities. We chose the latter, recommitting to taking care of our customers first.

  • Aug 1982

    Drake McLean Starts at Dietz-McLean Optical

    Drake McLean Starts at Dietz-McLean Optical

    August 24, 1982

    The son of Jim and grandson of “Mac,” Drake has worked his way up to be Dietz-McLean Optical’s President.

  • Mar 1985

    We Instate the Region’s First Official Warranty Policy

    We Instate the Region’s First Official Warranty Policy

    March 13, 1985

    While we’ve always been flexible about returns and repairs, a “peer review” session with our industry peers made us feel we could do better by getting something on the books. So, we put in writing the warranties and services that would eventually become our Fair Value Plan.

  • Jul 1987

    Our Bitters Road Location Opens

    Our Bitters Road Location Opens

    July 17, 1987

    The 80s saw a lot of growth for us, including this new office.

  • Mar 1989

    Introducing Doctors to Optical

    Introducing Doctors to Optical

    March 30, 1989

    We’ve had relationships with eye doctors since the very beginning, but 1989 marked the first year we opened a retail location in direct response to a doctor’s needs. Since then, we have worked with doctors to get our clients exceptional eye exams and give their patients standout eyewear.

  • Sep 1989

    Our Lincoln Heights Location Opens

    Our Lincoln Heights Location Opens

    September 28, 1989

    Lincoln Heights was our first effort to find a location in direct response to a local doctor’s demand.

  • Sep 1994

    Upgrading Our Lens Lab

    Upgrading Our Lens Lab

    September 21, 1994

    We always try to be at the forefront of the eyewear industry trends, and that’s why we decided to lean into polycarbonate lenses. While many practices started to offer these durable yet light lenses, we were among the first in the country to make them our standard lens offering.

  • Jul 1995

    Cliff McLean Starts at Dietz-McLean Optical

    Cliff McLean Starts at Dietz-McLean Optical

    July 20, 1995

    Drake’s brother, Cliff, joins the family business and later advances to become Vice President.

  • Sep 1999

    Our Stone Oak Location Opens

    Our Stone Oak Location Opens

    September 16, 1999

    We decided to start the next millennium on the right foot with a brand-new optical shop.

  • Nov 2008

    Changing How We Approach Lenses

    Changing How We Approach Lenses

    November 20, 2008

    In the late 2000s, eyewear manufacturers began to move away from polycarbonate into a range of other materials. We made the difficult decision, but one that we stand by, to use larger lens labs with access to these advanced technologies until we could adopt their production at scale.

  • Nov 2008

    Our Boerne Location Opens

    Our Boerne Location Opens

    November 20, 2008

    Along with major shifts in our approach to lenses, we expanded into Boerne.

  • Nov 2011

    We Move into Our Current Location

    We Move into Our Current Location

    November 30, 2011

    Sizing up our locations, we made the decision to establish our current primary location to serve our customers more conveniently.

  • Jan 2014

    Our Marble Falls Location Opens

    Our Marble Falls Location Opens

    January 25, 2014

    As glasses and specialty lenses grew in popularity, we continued to expand to serve more communities.

  • Jan 2014

    Zach McLean Starts at Dietz-McLean Optical

    Zach McLean Starts at Dietz-McLean Optical

    January 25, 2014

    Son of Drake, Zach McLean enters the fold and quickly earns his role as General Manager.

  • Jul 2021

    Return of the Lens Lab

    Return of the Lens Lab

    July 23, 2021

    Thanks to recent advances in technology, we were able to open our new-and-improved lens lab: not only does this allow us to produce some of the industry’s leading lenses and lens treatments at scale, but we can also provide more personalized lenses than larger manufacturers without being beholden to their policies, limiting vision plans, or turnaround times.

  • Jul 2022

    Taking Care of The Customer

    Taking Care of The Customer

    July 2, 2022

    Dietz-McLean Optical has changed dramatically over the years, but our values and core services have withstood the test of time — and will continue to. We don’t know of any company that goes to the lengths that we do, and have gone throughout our history, to make sure our customers love their glasses.

    If we know how to fix a problem, if we see a way to improve, if there’s something more we can do for you — we just do it. That’s our family’s legacy, and what you can expect from us for decades to come.

Convenient Referrals

Want new glasses but need an updated prescription? We connect patients with reliable, local eye doctors through our convenient referral network. Our family has worked with these doctors for years and can vouch for their expertise — bringing you that much closer to healthy vision in frames you love.

Dietz McLean Optical healthy vision in frames

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See What Our

Customers are Saying

Alba Luz
Alba Luz
2022-02-10
In 2018, I took my 90 years old father to a routine eye check up. The Doctor there found a problem with him that required urgent surgery in both eyes to don't go blind. Thanks to her my dad's vision is perfect for his age. Great service! 🌹
Robert McKinney
Robert McKinney
2021-03-17
Excellent service, very friendly and very service oriented!!
Nagendra Kumar
Nagendra Kumar
2021-01-25
Dietz-McLean Optical in San Antonio on Basse Rd... The best Optical experience I ever had. I am from California, visiting my daughter in San Antonio, and have been wearing rimless glasses for a while. No one ever did my rimless round glasses the way I wanted until I met Linda at Dietz-McLean opticals. To me, precise and accurate measurements of my round rimless glasses were of utmost importance and Linda was sharp as a whip who understood my need for precision, accuracy and elegance .She got my rimless glasses done....on time and to the exact measurements on the glasses. .I was so impressed with the quality of their work, I got 3 pairs of rimless glasses done. Linda is an asset to this company to uphold the values of Customer service, profssional atttitude and respect for the customers in listening to their needs , ontime delivery of glasses of exceptional quality and elegance. I would highly recommend Dietz-McLean Opticals for quality glasses - rim or rimless. -Mr Kumar .
erin reynolds
erin reynolds
2020-12-29
I was looking for a particular pair of glasses with no luck. I found this place via Google. I spoke with Linda and she was able to find the glasses for me! Great customer service! I will only buy glasses from here going forward! Thank you, Linda!
John Nisbet
John Nisbet
2020-09-22
Great company going back to my grandfather who was one of the first ophthalmologists in SA (actually the 2nd and they told him he wouldn't make it since there already was 1!). I go to Dietz-McLean for all my glasses needs. Thanks!
Georgia Jobes
Georgia Jobes
2020-08-31
The best optical shop bar none. Dietz-McLean goes the extra mile in customer service and producing superb quality eyewear. Linda never gave up on me and after a new prescription my glasses were perfect. I have been a loyal customer for two decades. My prescription is difficult and this is the only optical shop that can fit me.
Zack Ezer
Zack Ezer
2020-07-08
I've been wearing glasses for close to twenty years and have not had an easier shopping experience for new glasses in that time. Elke was very knowledgeable about my options and I was quickly able to pick a new frame that looks great. Thank you for the great service!
Michael Ward
Michael Ward
2020-06-16
Found this company from my friend Rodney who works here. Great guy and always professional!
GREG DEATHERAGE
GREG DEATHERAGE
2020-02-13
Great Opticians with a great selection and friendly staff!