I've been going to San Francisco eye specialists for 20 years and have been seen by Dr Swift. He's very friendly, gentle and thorough and I really liked having him as my ophthalmologist. I'm 75 and it was time to have my cataracts removed, so he referred me to Dr. Aguilar who did both eyes, two weeks apart. I am very happy with the results, and would it do it over in a second. Bonus, all the people that work in the office are super friendly. read more

Although Dr. Aguilar seems amiable enough, l was completely stunned by the lack of cleanliness and sanitary hygiene during my visit! Although we are no longer in pandemic mode, COVID is still circulating as is RSV. l have lung disease and am in a high risk group for complications should l catch either virus. Suffice it to say, the eyes are a great entryway for viruses to infect individuals. l had to ask Dr. Aguilar to please wash his hands before examining my eyes and he got a bit put off by that. Who knows where his hands had been! The worst part, however, was when he stated that he was going to put an antibiotic ointment in my eye. Prior to applying the ointment, he asked me if l had received a COVID booster? l thought this was a strange question until much to my horror l saw him take out an almost empty small tube of ointment from his dirty lab coat pocket. Again, l had to ask him to clean his hands as he had been using the computer to make notes after reluctantly washing his hands initially. If l develop COVID in the next few days, l will know exactly where it came from...an unhygienic doctor who regularly puts his unwashed hands on the tube tip and the proceeds to place unsanitary ointment in his patients eyes. l couldn't wait to get out of there and flush my eyes! Now l just have to pray that l don't contract COVID or RSV. The worst part is that Dr. Aguilar clearly realizes the risk he is subjecting his patients as he wants to ensure that you are COVID boosted before possibly contaminating your eyes with the virus. If you do have a stye and visit Dr. Aguilar, please just refuse the eye ointment for your own safety! read more

Best Opthamologist for me! Had RK in early 90's that is now deteriorating. Also have cataracts both eyes. Dr. Aguilar has done such a good job with the RK eye w/cataracts. I can now read Street signs & maps using no more than OTC reading glasses. read more

i was a regular patient of Dr Gary Aguilar for and was 100% satisfied with his staff, and services until this year. i have been trying to make an appointment for over 6 weeks. They don't answer the phone or return calls/messages. What is going on with this office read more

I had eye lid surgeri before has no pain. so I come back for touch up and dr Aguilar had someone else did one of my eye lid and it was super painful anything She did on me it seem she was practicing on me. I could not stop crying but did not dare to say anything. Which I regret know because I don't remember signing a consent for someone else to perform aurgery on me but the doctor alone!! read more

I posted a negative (first and only) a few years ago. Now tens of thousands of dollars later and still spending, unable to work because of the "surgery" Dr. Aguilar performed, I am prepared to move forward with my attorney. Just adding to the post from earlier. I mentioned that I had autoimmune disorders. dr. Aguilar insisted no issue, I also turned the suggestion down twice before I finally gave in and paid the $8,000.00 for implants for surgery I nevef should have had. I was barely beginning to have cataract in one eye and almost nothing in the other according to my opptomitrist. Whem I went to him needing glasses (after paying $8,000.00) to not need them, he was surprised that I had cararact surgery and would not have recommended Dr. Aguilar. My friend, who has now passed away, spoke highly of Dr A, and when I went, he insisted i needed surgery immediately on both eyes. Havign just lost my husband i was very vulnerable and after his third "pusgh" for implants i gave in. After three days I could not see. It is now 5 years later, I have had two bad falls due to lack of vision, and now need hip surgery, all from poor advise from this "hy[per" Doctor. Wodner what he is on? I am unable to see wel to work upp to the standards needed in my industry and have spent every bit of my savings getting help from local and out of area specialists, who all agree no implants should have been placed in eyes of someone with autoimmune disorders (Dr A did not even check into the extent of my diseases (s) before performing surger). No glasses to help with the glare and both eyes done at the same time, with the advise"you can do naything you want, no instructions needed". Wow, be very cautious. I have heard of two other patients with the same issues who are also considering legal action. read more

Just wanted to give a shoutout to Dr Aguilar. A family member who's become very disappointed with the healthcare system and extremely picky with who he sees, was able to see Dr Aguilar after a last minute cancellation. Was extremely impressed with Dr Aguilar's manners, professionalism and knowledge and looks forward to seeing him again. I just wanted to commend Dr Aguilar for being an example that there are still excellent doctors out there. Thank you. read more

We have been under the impression that Dr. Gary Aguilar is a very good doctor and have in the past been satisfied with his services and surgical procedures. However, we notice more and more as we go there for our yearly exams, that HE IS WAY TOO RUSHED, ACTS VERY HYPER, KILLS TOO MANY BIRDS WITH ONE STONE, leaving his patients feel rushed!! He even talks way too fast. We believe he overbooks himself at the expense of his patients. He needs to slow down, book a few less patients a day, and not be so rushed. It is getting to be out of hand. Maybe time for retirement soon? Humm Office staff is okay, some friendlier and more capable than others. They at times seem overburdened and do not follow thru with return calls as they should have. We're at the point where if we would get a referral from someone to change to a different qualified eye doctor, we would. He comes across as a nice guy, but are starting to be discouraged to continue going to this office. If you have a necessity in getting in to see him, be assured you won't! read more

Another doctor told me "When other ophthalmologists in the Bay Area need cataract surgery, they see Dr Aguilar." You can't get a better recommendation than that - he is the eye doctor that other eye doctors see!! Dr Aguilar also studied at the Wills Eye Hospital of Philadelphia - the Mayo Clinic of eye surgery. The office is busy, so be patient. From time to time he has to see emergencies that are referred to him at the last minute by other doctors. read more

Dr. Aguilar performed a simple outpatient surgery on my sister's "good eye" to clean up scar tissue from a much earlier surgery. When he and my sister came out of surgery, he admitted that he may have slipped and nicked a blood vessel. Long story short, she never regained sight in that eye. Never regained sight. Of course, his story changed later that day. We took my sister to other highly respected doctors who said that this was "a tragedy" and that there was nothing to be done. Please think twice before selecting Dr. Aguilar. read more

Called and make an appointment and the lady said my insurance would be fine. I get here and they don't take it EYEMED, and then the lady says "I'm sorry I guess?". Lady I took the day off work, paid for parking, etc and that's the response I get? Don't go here, the admins are the WORST!!!! read more

5 stars are not enough. Dr Aguilar is truly the definition of an excellent doctor from technical skill & ability, to interpersonal skills. He is forthright, thorough and empathic. I have become accustomed to what I interpreted as capitalistic inculcation of modern medicine and it's inherent narcissism. There was an unfortunate incident that created unsightly asymmetry in my eyes several years ago. After seeing Dr A, i now actually feel as good as I did prior to the incident. I was so grateful to be referred to him. Truly the best! And what a wonderful staff! read more

Today is my first time seeing Dr Aguilar. He is super nice and patient. My right eye has been super painful lately. I was afraid that my cornea will fall off or something terrible will happen to my eye. He identified the problems as a few ultra thin lashes were poking my eye and assured me that my cornea will be fine. After those lashes being pulled out, I felt so much better now, will come back in a few weeks for laser treatment to remove them permanently. read more

i have MS, which can potentially (and likely already has) lead to damage of my optic nerves so I have been eager to get a baseline for my eyes so that i will know down the road how things are changing. i arrived on time to my appointment and had to wait quite awhile in the waiting room. i did not mind this so much, as i had just made the appointment a few days prior and thought that maybe they squeezed me in. once i got in the exam room, i waited more. when the doc came in he seemed rushed and stressed out and quickly launched into checking my glasses prescription. he did not take time to discuss my significant medical history (MS) or bother asking me why i made an appointment. he checked my retinas and told me that he saw depigmentation on my retinas and that this could indicate macular degeneration. he offered me no real explanation of what that finding means for me, or treatment options, or any show of concern at ALL. i know that he probably tells people in thier 80's all the time that they have macular degeneration, but i am thirty one. thirty one, people! macular degeneration= loss of central vision= functionally BLIND. he just tells me to wear sunglasses and take vitamins, then hes gone. off to another room. it's not his fault that my eyes are messed up, but the fact that it took me over 2 hours to see the eye doc and during that time i was mostly warehoused in a waiting room chair is just inappropriate. also, a little compassion when delivering bad news would be nice. i know there are patients waiting, but 5 minutes to explain things to me would have been appreciated. additionally, he did not offer to refer me to a retinal specialist or do any further work up on my eyes despite the rarity of such findings. in general, he may be a good doctor but the way the office is managed affects the way he delivers care in a negative way. i will be getting a second opinion on my eyes from somewhere else. read more

I was referred to this doctor for check-up after an eye injury at work. My appointment was scheduled for 3/19 at 2:15pm. A day prior, I was informed by this doctor's office that my appointment was changed to 1:30pm. No explanation was given. The lighting ambience was inviting and the front desk area organization welcoming. A mood quickly turned sour by a crass front desk clerk. I was not seen by the doctor until 3pm. He put some some eye drops in my eyes before rushing out to see four other clients who were waiting for him. At 3:50pm, I was transferred to a different room and the doctor was still meeting another client when I excused myself to change my car parking location. I returned at 4:40pm (parking in that area is difficult to find). The doctor saw me briefly, before dismissing me from his office. He performed simple tests and concluded that I was fit to return to work. As custom, he was in a rush to do something else and the other front desk clerk closed the door aggressively behind me like I was on the wrong for the delay. The close their office at 5pm and I left at 5:03pm. No apologies were offered either by the doctor or the staff for the long wait. If you like disorganization and thrive in chaos--this is definitely the place to be! read more

After being given a false diagnosis ( by a doctor in concord) which included surgery (2x) under general anesthesia I decided to look for a more educated and better trained doctor. Since my concord doctor would only perform operations approved by medicare I decided I needed a doctor that could correct my problem, and well, as long as he was operating, nip and tuck a couple things. I had a general idea what I wanted to do but Dr. Agulilar knew exactly what to do ! I love his staff and my appointments were pretty much on schedule. The doctor and his staff know eyes and know their jobs well. read more

FYI to all patients of Dr. Aguilar: at the recent appointment they informed me, the office will be moving to Van Ness in the Opera Plaza area. They don't know yet, how soon. read more

I saw Dr. Aguilar after seeing somebody who I would never recommend but I don't want to ruin her reputation. All atmosphere in the office was so great! He calm me down after diagnosis I got from other optometrist who did not even bother to send me to see a specialist. He kind of agree on this diagnosis but present it so nice that I feel calm and relax. I will take all my family to see this doctor. He is great! read more

I hate leaving bad reviews so I avoided reviewing after my visit, but... First thing to say: Drs. are attentious, young lady at the reception is fine, but talking with the person at the glasses counter was challenging. She insisted that my insurance wouldn't cover contact lenses, and after my ask of her to call them it turned out she was wrong. Today I ordered my contacts through a website. My prescription was set for one specific sort of contacts, not my usual choice, so I called them to make sure it was okay. Person on the phone says: no problem, get the web store calling me. 10 minutes later the web store tells me they didn't allow my choice. Same brand, same prescription, only difference is that I wanted 1-day/ biweekly contacts instead of monthly. Her response when I called back is that I'd need to pay/ go to the office again if I needed a change. Very upsetting, especially since she said something different earlier. read more

Dr. Aguilar is the best. He did blepharoplasty on both my eyes (lids/lower eyes) and was extremely competent and caring. He did multiple before and after exams, answered all my questions courteously and patiently, and gave me realistic expectations. It could not have been a better experience! I am very pleased and grateful! read more

The best ophthalmologist! Dr. Aguilar and his staff are wonderful. He conducted 3 different complicates eye surgeries on me. I've since moved away but have received numerous compliments on his work. I had complications from a drug last year and I reached out to Dr. from across the country. He chatted with me after hours for a long time. I'm very grateful for him. read more

I saw Dr. Aguilar for a cataract. My MD, Dr. Yoss, recommended him and Dr. Yoss has recommended the best specialists consistently. No exception here. Dr. Aguilar was everything I could hope and surgery went perfectly. A key example: it was at St. Mary's and they had fouled up just about everything they could get their computer on: wrong date for my pre-surgery appt., no one to do an EKG (routine), a stressed nurse who had to fill in; a call the afternoon before surgery changing my arrival time and leaving no call back number (she was wrong and I never learned why she wanted to arrive two hours extra early; luckily I didn't turn up at 6am!); lost chart when I arrived for the surgery, etc. The staff was great but the system was a disaster. I also had to wait outside the surgery rooms for almost two hours. More mess I assumed and sure enough, I learned later from Dr. Aguilar that they did not have the lens or the equipment he needed! He decided to drive back to his office and get it himself and he did. He could have gone ahead with alternative things but refused. St. Mary's was horrific but Dr. Aguilar's insistence of doing things right and not compromising made the final 2 hour wait worth its price in gold. read more

I was a high myope with a cataract in my left eye. I wore a contact lens but the correction was far from adequate and I felt that I would be unable to pass my driver's license test. I put off surgery for years because of fear. Having gotten a good recommendation from my PCP and some friends, and with my licenst expiring, I went to Dr. Aguilar. He spent a great deal of time examining my eye thoroughly using his new Lenstar laser machine and other methods and said I had such high astigmatism that no implantable astigmatic (toric) lens was available. So he implanted a regular (spherical) lens and did some surgery (limbal relaxing incisions) on my cornea to correct the astigmatism. The surgery at St. Francis Hospital went very smoothly and took only about 20 minutes and the incisions were so small that I didn't even have to wear a patch or bandage afterward. The next day I went back for a checkup and found that I had 20/25 vision in the eye, a level which I never attained before. There were no complications or problems and I am very grateful to Dr. Aguilar for his skill and efforts. On the second day I went to the DMV and passed the test easily with no corrective lens on the eye. Dr. Aguilar is the best! read more

Best in the business. I am so grateful to be his patient. I know he will do all in his power to keep my vision. Once I expressed my fear of losing sight to one of his staff who responded, "Oh, he won't let that happen." And I believe that. read more

Excellent thorough care from an experienced ophthalmologist. He performed additional tests and dictated a letter to my prior ophthalmologist explaining his findings - despite being clearly busy that day in clinic. Knowledgeable on the procedures that my prior ophthalmologist had performed (even though he, himself does not perform them) and was very reassuring. Would highly recommend him as an eye specialist. read more