CO Spex Eyewear and Clancy Optical
Opticians in Knoxville, TN
At Clancy Optical and Spex Eyewear, we’ve spent generations helping Knoxville see the world with clarity, comfort, and style. As one of the most established and experienced optician teams in East Tennessee, we’re proud to serve a community that values craftsmanship, personality, and quality eyewear. When you visit us, you’re not just choosing glasses. You’re choosing a team of licensed opticians committed to precision, artistry, and exceptional customer care.
Founded in 1943, Clancy Optical and Spex Eyewear have become a trusted name across Knoxville, its surrounding communities, and beyond. Many of our clients have been returning to us for decades, and some even travel from out of state to continue receiving the level of service they say they can’t find anywhere else. Whether you’re updating your prescription, searching for distinctive luxury frames, or looking for specialty lenses crafted with advanced technology, we bring a level of expertise unmatched by big-box optical chains.
A Knoxville Legacy Built on Craftsmanship and Experience
Our history and reputation are rooted in the skill of our licensed opticians. With more than 175 years of combined experience, our team brings deep technical knowledge and hands-on craftsmanship to every pair of custom glasses we create. From the very beginning of the process to the final fitting, our focus is always on eyewear that fits your prescription, your lifestyle, and your everyday visual needs.
That level of expertise is exactly why we are frequently trusted with complex prescriptions and challenging lens designs referred to us by other optical shops across East Tennessee. When a prescription requires advanced optical understanding, precision lenses, specialized coatings or treatments, or detailed frame adjustments and repairs, many competitors send patients our way because they know we have the skill and experience to handle the full scope of the work. Our process covers everything from selecting the right frame shape to crafting the lenses and completing precise fitting and adjustments when you pick up your glasses.
As a locally owned and deeply committed optical provider, we believe in taking the time to do things right. We listen carefully, explain your options in clear and simple terms, and guide you through each step, including frame selection, lens technology, coatings, and final adjustments. The result is eyewear that feels comfortable, performs exactly as it should, and supports your vision long after you leave our Knoxville office.
Unique Eyewear Collections You Won’t Find Anywhere Else in Knoxville
Knoxville is a vibrant, fast-growing city that blends outdoor adventure, Southern hospitality, arts, and innovation. We believe eyewear should reflect that same character. That’s why we curate an exclusive selection of independent and designer eyewear brands you won’t see in typical retail chains throughout Knoxville and its surrounding communities.
Our frames are selected for:
- Craftsmanship
- Durability
- Comfort
- Distinctive style
- High-quality materials
Whether you prefer timeless classic shapes or bold, artistic designs, we offer frames that complement your personal style and support your visual needs. Many of our clients come to us specifically because they’re tired of mass-produced eyewear and want something unique, well-made, and memorable.
Specialty Lenses Crafted for Precision
Many optical stores can offer a basic range of lenses and coatings. What truly sets Clancy Optical and Spex apart is not just what we do, but how far our capabilities extend. Our longevity, history, and long-standing reputation in Knoxville and throughout East Tennessee have earned us a level of trust within the optical industry that few practices achieve. Because of that standing, we have access to specialized manufacturers and laboratories across the country and around the world that many optical retailers simply do not.
That access allows us to take on extremely difficult prescriptions that other labs often decline because they fall outside standard production ranges. We also create specialty lens options that are rarely available elsewhere, including custom tints, mirror coatings, and advanced treatments tailored to unique visual needs. In addition, we regularly work with vintage and antique frames, including pieces used for historical reenactments, and perform detailed in-house frame repairs and soldering that most shops are not equipped to handle.
One of our greatest advantages is our in-house finishing lab. Instead of being limited to one or two external labs, we can select from many labs coast to coast to find the best solution for each individual prescription. We cut our own lenses right here, which means your frames never have to leave our care. While your new prescription lenses are being ordered, you keep your frames, and once the lenses arrive, we can usually cut and fit them while you wait. This shortens turnaround times and allows us to match existing lens or frame shapes with precision. Because we control the process, we can also make minor modifications to lens shapes and sizes when certain styles allow it.
This depth of capability is why optical retailers across East Tennessee refer their most challenging cases to us. When something cannot be done elsewhere, it is often sent our way because if it can be done, we are the ones who will find a way. It is also why clients from across Tennessee and neighboring states travel to Knoxville specifically for our services. When vision demands more than standard solutions, the experience and craftsmanship of our licensed opticians and use of high-quality materials make all the difference.
Personalized Guidance From Start to Finish
Your eyewear should meet your needs, your prescription, your lifestyle, and your visual preferences. That’s why our process is thoughtful and highly personalized.
We take the time to:
- Review your prescription thoroughly
- Analyze your visual needs
- Provide access to exclusive eyewear selections
- Help you choose frames that complement your facial structure
- Explain lens options in simple, helpful terms
- Customize optical measurements for proper fit and clarity
- Offer adjustments and long-term support
Our goal is to make eyewear shopping enjoyable, not overwhelming. You’ll always be greeted by friendly, familiar faces who care about your comfort, your vision, and your experience with us.
Serving Knoxville With a Customer-First Approach
Knoxville’s mix of sunny days, mountain adventures, university life, and busy work schedules means residents need eyewear that fits a wide range of activities. Whether your work requires a specialty lens, reading a menu at one of Knoxville’s fine restaurants, or hiking in the Great Smokies, we help you find glasses that balance style with function.
We take pride in being a trusted part of the Knoxville community and in forming long-term relationships with our clients. From generations of local families to newcomers discovering our shop for the first time, we’re honored to be known as one of the best opticians in the area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. We specialize in complex and challenging prescriptions, and many optical shops refer customers to us for this reason.
Some of our lines are not only extremely exclusive and unique to Knoxville and the East Tennessee area, but we’re also the only ones in the state to have them.
Absolutely. We create custom progressives, high-index lenses, occupational lenses, single vision and progressive glass lenses, and more.
Yes. We provide adjustments and many repairs on-site.
Dr. Miranda Cox, OD, takes her patients personally from start to finish through their entire exam at both locations using state-of-the-art equipment, providing standard eye exams for glasses and contact lenses, diabetic eye care, glaucoma and other chronic diseases management, co-management for post-operative cataract surgery, infection and allergy treatments, or other non-surgical issues. After all, there’s a reason why we have customers that come in from coast to coast!
Experience Eyewear Tailored to You
At Clancy Optical and Spex Eyewear, we believe your glasses should do more than correct your vision. They should complement your personality, enhance your comfort, and leave you feeling confident in every moment. With decades of experience, a dedication to craftsmanship, and a one-of-a-kind selection of frames, we are committed to exceeding your expectations every time you visit. Whether you’re searching for distinctive eyewear, advanced lenses, or a team of opticians who truly care, we invite you to see why Knoxville residents continue to choose us generation after generation. Let us help you experience clearer vision and eyewear that feels uniquely yours.
Proudly providing optical services and stylish eyewear to the following areas:
Farragut, TN | Halls, TN | Karns, TN | Knoxville, TN | Maryville, TN | Oak Ridge, TN | Powell, TN | Nashville, TN | Chattanooga, TN