My son had an appointment here in August 2022. He had an eye exam and received a prescription for both eye glasses and contact lenses. Let me emphasize he did NOT have a contact lens fitting as they claim and billing us for one. He's had contacts for a few years now and had his ONE AND ONLY contact lens fitting YEARS ago when Dr. Dunker was at Arrigg Eye & Ear. We have been trying to get a bill taken care of for this FRAUDULENT charge for a "contact fitting" that NEVER HAPPENED. NOT ONCE did my son sit down with someone to show he could put contacts in his eyes and remove them. The office is stating this is for the contact prescription! THAT MAKES ZERO SENSE! I This is FRAUD, they were paid by the insurance company for the office visit and keep billing my son $125 for a non-existent contact lens fitting. Not a single person in this damn office can get their story straight or have the appropriate person contact us to fix this issue. Not to mention their phones are horrendous and just ring & ring. It's been a month and this is still not fixed. It's a shame Arrigg merged with this awful company. My son has been seeing Dr. Dunker for years but after this nonsense, we will be looking elsewhere and warning everyone of their fraudulent billing scams. read more

Personable front desk, knowledgeable technicians and top notch doctors. I've seen many of them for a variety of reasons. Definitely recommend. read more

Appointments are scheduled every 5 minutes, no lie as stated by the doctors assistant and I observed on the scheduling screen. This is worse than a meat market. As I sat in the holding area the doctor had seen 4 patients in 10 minutes, absolutely true as I observed. I told the assistant, who took my eye pressure and eye sight test, what was wrong with my eye and she typed it into the computer. Now comes the doctor flying in like he's at a race against time. Never even looks at the notes and starts asking me about my issue but thinks it's the other eye. So I got my 3 minute appointment and some meds. Two weeks later eye is still hurting. I went back, same issue, now as doctor flies in he's trying to prescribe me what he prescribed me last time. Never even looked at records to see that I had been there 2 weeks prior. This place is a money making joke. I feel sorry for the physicians that are forced to work at this pace. Quality time is not given. read more

I was looking everywhere for a lasik surgeon, and my optometrist recommended Dr. Melki. From the consult to the actual day, it was the most freeing and exciting experience. They were incredibly professional, friendly, and enforce COVID precautions. Dr. Melki eased my fears with lots of education, so I knew exactly what to expect. During my consult, I even heard an old lady in the hallway praising him for her lasik results. I'll forever be grateful to Dr. Melki and the entire staff for my experience and for this lifelong freedom. I've said this since the day of my surgery and I'll say it again- this has been the best decision I've ever made. read more

I had a wonderful experience with Dr. Brenner with my Lasik procedure. During the consultation the entire staff made me feel relaxed and validated in my questions and concerns. I came to Boston Vision after a consultation somewhere else and it was honestly night and day. From feeling like a pain and inconvenience at Mass Eye & Ear, to here at Boston Vision I felt incredibly taken care of. I am a typically anxious person who has a hard time even with eye drops, and as nervous as I was for surgery, they talk you through the steps, are patient with you, and before you know it, the surgery is done. I felt truly no pain and the pressure was absolutely manageable and for only a second. I really felt like it took maybe 10 minutes maximum that I was on the table. Dr. Brenner was kind enough to put specific music on that would help me calm down. Everything about the process has been clear, communicative, efficient, and helpful. Thank you to everyone at Boston Vision read more

LIFE CHANGING!!! I investigated LASIK/PRK for years and checked out Dr. Melki at Boston Laser after both my friend and her husband had their LASIK procedures here. Did a bunch of research and Dr. Melki has done a ton of these procedures over many years and has had several pro athletes for clients (if Dr. Melki is good enough for pro athletes whose livelihoods depend on their vision, I figure he's good enough for me). Boston Laser is extremely thorough and their eye exams actually caught a potentially serious issue I never knew had existed (and my regular eye doctor had never noticed) and I was immediately referred to a specialist and resolved the issue within 1 week. I ended up going with PRK - Dr. Melki and Dr. Gonzalez were extremely transparent and conservative about their recommendations. In terms of the PRK, Boston Laser knows what they're doing. The day of, they had a cute little breakfast spread (nice touch and indicative that they think out every detail) and gave out a tote bag with highlighted, easy-to-read instructions (key to have while under Valium). If I had known how quick and painless the procedure was, I would have done this years ago! I had been utterly terrified but they narrated every step during the procedure and do it very efficiently - each eye probably took 1-2 minutes total (only 15-30 seconds with the actual laser). PRK recovery is slower and it was difficult to read for a day or so (the hardest part of PRK recovery for me was not discomfort but more not being able to do much other than watch Netflix since reading vision will be hazy). I ended up going back to work earlier than expected - my vision was excellent and most of the "haze" had gone away by Day 5 and continues to improve. Phenomenal experience and extremely happy I did the procedure with Dr. Melki at Boston Laser. I don't normally write such effusive reviews but I was petrified of corrective eye surgery and this was done so painlessly and perfectly I highly recommend for LASIK/PRK. read more

I want to start off by saying that the clinicians I saw at this location were excellent, and that is where the two stars are coming from. Unfortunately the other aspects of patient management have been far from great. My first appointment , the front desk staff forgot to mark me as "checked-in" for the appointment so I had to wait 45 minutes to be seen by a technician, then I was left waiting for another 30 minutes waiting for the optometrist, and I had to notify the front desk that I had to leave soon as I had already been there for 90 minutes, at which point I was seen quickly. Sadly the mishaps did not end there. I was scheduled for a 6 month follow, only to receive a 4-5 months later to be notified that I was for some reason booked for a Lasix appointment, where I was only supposed to be seen for a routine eye exam. I was originally scheduled to be seen today, but when I called ahead I found that my appointment was cancelled, and I was not able to be provided with clarification as to whether the optometrist I saw thought that 6 month follow ups were warranted, as the original follow up seemed to have been made by mistake. I am not sure if I have been unlucky in my experience here, or if this is representative of what can be expected by most patients here, but I have had a lot of my time wasted by a series of easily avoidable mistakes. I am definitely questioning my original decision to come here. read more

Everything about my experience with Boston Laser has been amazing. Booking the initial consultation at the Medford office was super easy and they immediately let me know what I should do to prep (don't wear contacts for a week beforehand!). The consultation itself took about an hour and a half, and everyone was very professional and helpful. I called to let them know I was going to be a bit late and they assured me it was no problem. Rick explained all the financial options available and was very transparent in terms of what everything covered. I could've been scheduled for an appointment a week later, but I opted for a month later due to occasions I'd need my contact lenses for. This past Friday was the day I actually got lasik. They only do the surgeries at the Brookline office and on Fridays, but they're very accommodating. The woman at the front desk was very cheerful and gave me a rundown of the schedule. Shortly after I sat down in the waiting room, Dr. Melki came to greet me and let me know that I'd be starting the prep shortly. The initial technician was really knowledgeable and I appreciate her answering all of my nervous questions. She went over all the details of the procedure and made sure I was comfortable with the information. The first part of the procedure itself was a little uncomfortable (pressure on the eye) but they went over that in detail beforehand so it didn't take me by surprise. Dr. Melki talked me through the whole procedure, which I really appreciated as a nervous patient not knowing what I should be doing with my eyes! It was over in about 10 minutes, and once it was done, I could see. I immediately started crying because I hadn't been able to see 1 foot in front of me without glasses since I was 9, and I couldn't believe how sudden the difference was. It was a little foggy, but this was normal since it was right after the procedure. After the 4-hour nap they have you take after the procedure, it was crystal clear. I also appreciated that they give you contact information for each surgeon if you have any questions or concerns at all. I had my follow-up appointments the next morning and 2 days later. Both of them were really fast and efficient, even though I had to frantically call and change the appointment time. My vision used to be 20/200, and now it's 20/20 in the right eye and 20/15 in the left. I still have trouble believing that I don't need to take my contacts out, and I'm constantly in awe of everything I can see clearly. I am so incredibly grateful for the work that Dr. Melki has done and for the wonderful experience the staff at Boston Laser has given me. Thank you all so much! read more

I had an excellent experience with Boston Laser. I came in on a Wednesday for a laser eye correction consultation, and was scheduled for PRK surgery that Friday (this past Friday). During my consultation the staff were kind, considerate, and efficient. Everyone knew what they were doing and helped me understand the purpose of each test. The surgeon spent a good amount of time with me helping me understand my options, the reason why PRK was the best choice for me, and what the surgery would look like. The financial department was transparent and helpful, and all my questions were answered clearly and immediately. On the day of my surgery I felt well cared for, safe, and excited. The preparation was quick and easy, and the surgery couldn't have been faster or more straightforward. I was made comfortable, and each eye took less than five minutes to finish. I sat up, and could see. I know most folks who have laser eye correction say something along these lines, but it was truly remarkable to go from not being able to see who was in the room, or the machines, or the ceiling, to having no perceivable vision impairment-- all in under ten minutes. Recovery has been good so far. As is expected with PRK, my vision has been blurry for the past few days, but improves all the time. I have had some eye pain, but have been able to manage it easily with eye drops and advil. I am excited for my new eyes and am grateful to Boston Laser for their expertise and care. read more

Very happy to be writing this without glasses. :) While this is the type of procedure is an option for only so many, for those that can I could not recommend it higher. The process goes as follows: A through eye exam, followed by temporary contacts to represent what the procedure will accomplish. My procedure was a combination of near sight and far sighted issues so the contacts gave. a great comfort to get a feel of the procedures effects. The procedure is handled expertly through out. The staff explains the procedure and is very comforting. The physician is very qualified. Follow up is the next day, a week later and 6 weeks later. So the whole time you are in contact with the practice. read more

I went for a free lasik consultation today and I was so excited to come home and give them a 5 stars review on Yelp. I also recommended this place to all my Facebook friends. Although I am not a good candidate for lasik or even PRK, I highly recommend this place to anyone who is interested in getting lasik. It's doesn't hurt to get a free consultation but remember to always have a second opinion. Dr. Melki gave me that honest second opinion. He advised that PRK is a good procedure for the good eye but it's not worth it to take the risk since one of my eyes have really bad vision and the procedure will not be able to fix it. So the risk is higher for me than a regular candidate.... Anyway...I have a few tips below for anyone who is interested in the free consultation. 1. Book online. It's fast and easy. 2. Plenty of meter parking. Just make sure you bring lots of quarters. 12 min for each quarter. It's 3 hours max. 3. Two hours for the consultation. There was no delay issue with my appointment. 4. Bring a pair of sunglasses if you're wearing contact lens. It helps because you will get dilated. Overall, I can't say much about this place except it's clean, professional and they have great medical ethic. read more

I am writing an update 2 years post Lasik. I have no ill will against Boston Laser itself but wanted to post an update regarding a complication that I had. Even though my vision was 20/20 immediately after the procedure, my vision did get slightly worse. Not too bad that I can complain or need glasses at this moment, but I always felt that even though I could "see", my eye sight was always 95% at best. It's a really difficult feeling to describe but I can no longer experience that crystal clear vision that I had when I wore glasses and my eyes always feel a bit off (not anything related to my ability to see but my eyeballs itself feel off). I developed dry eye, starbursts, and halos which are extremely common. The dry eye got better over time but night vision is a little tough. These symptoms werent bad in my experience and they were things I could cope with. The other more significant complication was the developement of eye floaters. These are specks/cobwebs/stringy pieces in your vision and they are permanent. If you're watching TV, it's like having a dead pixel on the screen. I have these specks in my vision now, and even though there is no research to prove that Lasik causes floaters, there is a correlation linking people who had Lasik done and them getting floaters later on. Hopefully more research will be done in the future so more people are aware. If you ask your eye doctor about floaters and they downplay this possible outcome, I would go to another doctor. (Please also note that people can get floaters with age, and floaters don't only occur because of eye surgery). If I could undo this procedure I would. Glasses/contact lenses are annoying, but I'd rather deal with the annoyance than to see permanent specks in my vision. Side effects/complications aren't the same for everyone, but please do your research on this procedure and know that your eyes are a really important asset. Ive had friends/family who have had eye surgery at this same facility and they had positive outcomes. But everyone's eyes aren't the same. Please don't take the gamble if you aren't ready to face the risks involved. read more

Good luck booking an appointment here at Boston Eye Group. They are not answering phones "live" and directing people to email. Spotty and disorganized follow-up by phone comes next. They leave messages with their main number and no extension, which takes you back to the prompt to email them again. It took me three calls and two emails to refill a prescription. The person was very nice and suggested I be seen as it's been awhile and that they would be in touch to book an appointment. After waiting a bit, I entered round two. After several phone calls emails attempting to book an appointment, I gave up and booked with Mass Eye and Ear in ONE quick phone call. I liked the Dr. I saw a while back and I'm sure the care is good. The communication system is simply not working. read more

I had a great experience throughout the process. Minus one star because after the procedure (Lasik), they took me to a room but failed to mention (remind me) that I might have intense burning in my eyes similar to getting soap in your eyes. Which doesn't sound horrible... But if you just had surgery and you can't touch your eyes, and you don't know if this is normal... you start to panic. I read in my paperwork later that this can happen, SO I was warned... but a reminder would have been ideal. It was a very long 30 minutes for me. Once the Dr. came in, he added numbing drops and I was good to go. Very friendly staff - overall I'd definitely recommend this practice. read more

I started with my consultation on April 1st in the Medford office. I was there for about an hour and a half and had a thorough eye exam to see if I qualified for Lasik. After being told I was i then met with Rick who talked to me about the process and payment and setting up an appointment which they do only on Friday's in their Brookline office. I was amazed that I could make an appointment so quickly as I would be on April vacation which would give me the time to just wear my glasses because you can't wear contacts for one week before the surgery. So I made my appointment for April 19th. My surgery was performed by Dr. Brenner and I met with him the day of the surgery. He met with me briefly before the surgery and made me feel at ease. Everyone in the office was very nice and accommodating. I was given a Valium before the procedure but after about 20 minutes I asked for another one because I was a bit nervous. As I walked into the surgery room I was met my a few different people who laid me down, positioned by head and my legs. Someone gave me a teddy bear to hold onto during the procedure which really helped. At this point I don't remember seeing Dr. Brenner just heard his voice talking to me. The procedure lasted maybe 12 minutes and Dr. Brenner talked to me through so I knew everything was going well. When I was finished I was walked into a room where a different doctor checked my eyes. At this point the numbing drops start to wear off and I knew I could see but it was hard to open my eyes. She added more drops just to test my eyes and then taped the plastic shields on my eyes. The ride home was a bit uncomfortable because when the numbing drops wore off I could barely keep my eyes open so I just kept them shut until I got home. They tell you to lay down any take a three hour nap and that is exactly what I did. When I woke up the burning sensation was gone and I could see perfect. I couldn't believe how great my vision was. I had been wearing contacts and glasses for over 20 years. I was so excited that I actually drove my self the next morning to Brookline for my follow up. Everything checked out fine and I am so happy with the results. I met with with Dr. Brenner today in the Medford office for the one week post visit and he checked my vision and told me I actually have 20/15 which is better than 20/20. I want to thank everyone at Boston Laser. read more

Boston Vision - Three hours later after my nap. - Optometrists Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

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WARNING- UNRELIABLE EQUIPMENT I chose to have my long contemplated Lasik surgery done here based mostly on the Yelp reviews and the good feeling that I got about what I could expect from the procedure. I was only 20/30-20/35 going in, but I was told that 20/20 could be expected, possibly 20/15. I went in for my surgery on a Friday, wearily signed many pages of waivers and doomsday disclosures, took a Valium and I was told that I would be in and out of the operating room in approximately 12 minutes. The doctor cut flaps in both my eyes on the first machine before moving me to the Laser correction machine which actually broke down IN BETWEEN EYES-MID SURGERY. At first I was told that they needed to re-calibrate the machine, and they would move me into another room "for my comfort", it should take about 10 minutes. It was an equivalent feeling to the pilot telling you "The engines don't seem to be working, recline your chair, we'll keep you posted" After about 25 minutes, alone in the darkness, mid surgery, the doctor comes in to tell me that they are having issues and are on the phone with technical support- they are rebooting it like it's a laptop. Finally, they say that they cannot get the machine working and I'll have to come back sometime the following week to finish my surgery. I got sent home with a flap cut in an eye that they couldn't treat! *Why didn't they cut one flap, treat that eye, cut the other flap, treat the other eye? My suspicion is that it would have taken an extra 2 minutes and they wouldn't be able to see as many patients- more on that later. There were problems rescheduling the second procedure the following week-from 11AM, to 8AM, to 10A...as if I should accommodate their schedules. The surgery requires next day followup appointment, eye drop/protection regimen for 5 days post op. I had to miss multiple days of work, and unexpectedly go thru everything twice. My results were unspectacular. They tell me I'm 20/20 of course, I honestly do not feel that my vision is much better than before... but at least I can still see I guess. I will always wonder if I would have had better results if their equipment worked properly. I suggested that a refund for the cost of the procedure ($3990) would be appropriate given the (as they had stated), very unusual circumstances. I was told that they don't do that. "That would be an admission of wrong doing. As inconvenient as it was for me, it was also inconvenient for them." Seriously...you can't make this up. As a courtesy, they offered me the Lasik for Life Package for absolutely free -a $450 value...something I shouldn't need, don't want and won't cost them a penny. Thanks but no thanks. When I told them that I was not satisfied with the "Lasik for Life" offer, I was then given the customer service number for the laser manufacturer and told that I could pursue it with them. "Unhappy with your flight? Call Boeing, leave us alone". *They had mentioned that they were re calibrating the machine earlier the day of my procedure, and that they were doing 16 patients that particular day. It seemed to me that they could have reasonably foreseen that something was wrong with the equipment that day. They ultimately seemed more concerned about getting as many procedures done ($$$) as possible, rather than ensuring optimal outcomes. If you are considering Lasik, please beware of the risks associated and make sure that you are going to a facility that doesn't overcrowd their schedule at a cost to you the patient. UPDATE: In response to Daniela P. I don't know who you are, I've never had any dealing with you. They could not have finished the surgery the next day (Saturday) because as your staff had acknowledged, the laser was not even working until the following Monday. And why would I want to be the first one back on that table anyhow? Your claims about your successful procedures, track record and field publications are offensive to me, because as you know,my experience was not in keeping with that. If you care to reply further, you might consider addressing: 1) why two flaps were cut before first eye was treated if laser could potentially go down, and 2) should the clinic reasonably be treating 16 patients in a day? Or is this a bit excessive and potentially stressful to the equipment? Or don't...they are both rhetorical questions. read more

It's been 3 months since I got Lasik eye surgery done by Dr. Melki and I am so pleased with the results. From the first consultation (which they scheduled for me after 5pm which was super convenient) to the actual procedure itself, I couldn't have a more positive experience. Dr. Melki is super chill and gives you his honest opinion about your chances for achieving positive results with Lasik. I felt very comfortable with his suggestions and he made me feel good about my decision. I had to wear my glasses for two weeks prior to the procedure, which was a little hard to get used to, but nothing compared to never having to wear them again! I arrived extremely nervous to the office on a Friday afternoon and waited for my turn to be lasered. When I got into the chair I was still extremely nervous, even after the pre-procedure Valium, but everything still went smoothly. During the entire process, I never felt any pain, but it was still pretty awkward. The procedure itself takes about 10 minutes, you leave wearing plastic eyeball shields, sleep for 4 hours, and Voila! You can see! It is absolutely amazing to wake up after the procedure and be able to see. Never in my life do I remember being about to do that. One of the best things about it was the recovery time. I took 1/2 day off from work that Friday, and was back in the office Monday morning, with barely any sign I had gotten it done! My eyes were a little bloodshot for the next few weeks, but it was nothing extremely noticable. Although the procedure it pretty pricey, I would do it again in a second. I highly recommend Lasik and Dr. Melki if you're thinking about getting laser vision correction. read more

Well...they're efficient. I had my LASIK procedure three weeks ago and wanted to wait for the 'OMG...I can see' feeling to subside a little prior to writing this review. The setting: Super confusing layout. I think there are about five different 'waiting rooms' that I was moved through. The practice occupies the whole level of their building, but it's so cut up that it feels cramped. The service: Well, they're efficient. I was whisked around to different rooms, with different people, testing on different machines. Everyone was friendly enough...but wow. I do need to say that the results were amazing and when I think of who I would like to operate on my eyes...the setting and service can be horrible, but I want the best talent and results. Boston Laser will be recommended to everyone who asks me about LASIK...very pleased with the results! ...and I HATE that they do this, but you need to go through Qualsight to get the best pricing for the surgery. I went in on my own and forgot to tell them that I was going through qualsight...the quote was $5,900! After realizing that I was referred through this company (that I got from a previous yelp) the price dropped to $3,500. I told Chris Thompson (877-704-2010x4118) that I'd give him some Yelp props for such amazing service! For as great as Chris was...the fact that there is that much of a price difference makes me feel like I'm buying a used car...and not a medical procedure. If I factored my annoyance about this into my review it would have only been two stars...but sometimes you just have to play the game. read more

Here's the scoop: I've been wearing glasses for over 20 years and after my summer trip to Maui late July, I got some serious envy of folks who could surf and dive because they weren't cursed with serious nearsightedness. I always found myself at a disadvantage when I fought professionally in martial arts because I've had the misfortune of losing contacts at the worst possible moments. As humbly badass as I was in a fight, I could've been even better if I wasn't so dependent on glasses. I needed a 9.5 diopter correction to get to 20/20 vision. That was beyond legal blindness and quite frankly I needed a change. I ended up scheduling an appointment with the Boston Eye Group and discovered that unfortunately, I wasn't a good candidate for Lasik or Lasek. Instead however, I was an excellent candidate for a procedure called ICL surgery. ICL stands for Implantable Collamer Lens and essentially the procedure is similar to cataract surgery. They implanted special biocompatible lenses behind the iris of my eyes to correct my nearsightedness. While more invasive than Lasik is, it's actually a safer procedure in the long run because ICL is a reversible procedure. I won't get into to much of the other details, but I will say that I'm very pleased with the results. Granted, there was alot of adjusting I had to make...ICL recovery isn't as fast as Lasik but you can't fault the Eye Group for that really. Dr. Melki did perform the procedure himself and he's the leading authority on ICL surgery in the Boston area. The man is probably the most qualified surgeon for these types of procedures and his fellow Dr. Farva is very knowledgable as well. I will say that the bedside manner of the doctors at this place is a bit...aloof and sometimes, pretty cold. In the end though, beside manner matters less than an error free procedure. I do wish that the docs went over the side-effects and expectations in slower, greater detail before and after surgery. I also had to do alot of running around with regards to getting additional physicals and special eye exams at Mass Eye & Ear...making the whole ordeal before the actual procedures more stressful and time-consuming than it should've been. It's all a part of the "better safe than sorry" mantra to the whole practice and let's face it, when it's your friggin' eyes you're talking about, you don't want to screw around with quacks. Now that all of that's behind me, I'm glad I opted for the surgery. I don't need glasses to drive anymore, I can finally wear funky cool Ray-Bans, and sweet goodness, I can read the alarm clock when I wake up. If you're considering having refractive surgery, make this office one of the places you visit for a doctor's opinion. read more

Just had LASEK done by Dr. Melki this morning and I echo all of Gail's sentiments below! One other exciting piece of news to add -- through yelp, I learned about a company called Lasik Benefit USA (a.k.a. Amerisite) that provides discounts if you book your appointments through them with a doctor in their network. I called them before I made my first appt. with Dr. Melki but they never called me back, so I wrote them off. After I scheduled my surgery, they did call, and they said they would contact Rick (Melki's finance guy) to see if he would honor the discount even though I hadn't technically booked through them. Again, I never heard back from them. But this morning when I went in for my surgery, I asked about it and the receptionist called Rick on his cell and he said he'd honor the price! So my bill immediately went from something like $5000 to $2650! (And that includes the extra $400 I paid for the "lifetime guarantee.") I couldn't believe it!!! The LASEK procedure itself was a piece of cake (yay Valium) but the two hours afterward were pretty uncomfortable. The office didn't give me prescriptions for anything ahead of time, so I had to go to Walgreens and wait an hour for my Percoset. If you schedule a surgery, I HIGHLY recommend getting your prescriptions beforehand. The pain I suffered for those two hours could have easily been avoided. I also recommend that if you must do LASEK, do one eye at a time. There's no way I could survive the weekend with the current state of my vision and I doubt I could work for at least a week. Plus Dr. Melki told me that the discomfort is 4x worse if you do both eyes at once. Their optician, Harry Caplan, is wonderful. He created a new "blank" lens for my glasses in a matter of minutes and was very pleasant to chat with. However, I'm struggling with the one lens. Because glasses create some distortion, it's very difficult to focus that eye and make the surgery eye jibe. Once I popped a contact in my non-surgery eye, though, I could see great. Everything is fine so far. A little uncomfortable and very hazy, but I can already tell it will be a huge improvement! Stay tuned for updates... SEPTEMBER 2008 UPDATE -- I've been having so much fun with my new vision that I forgot to come back and write more! It's been over a year now and my vision is 20/20, and it's AMAZING at night! I can see taillights for miles. The only aftereffect I've had is dry eyes when I wake up in the morning...no big deal. I could not be happier with the results! read more

I had lasak done here with Dr. Melki- not lasik but lasak (kind of like musak). That basically means that because my vision was that bad, I had to have the old school surgery done. Dr. Melki said I could get lasik, which is an easier procedure, but that to be safe I should get lasak for specific reasons I won't bore you with. I had also gone to Mass. Ear and Eye for a consult and they never warned me that I should get lasak. Additionally, at Mass. Ear and Eye I felt like just one more clipboard, no individual attention, the wait was much longer and the procedure was more expensive. PLUS my health ins. covered a percentage at Boston Eye Group and not at Mass. Ear and Eye- score! The procedure itself wasn't so bad- they gave me valium, numbed my eyes etc. A few hours later however I was in serious pain. Lasak is a more invasive procedure then lasik and it really took 2 full weeks before my eyes were healed and not in pain. My vision was blurry and went in and out for those 2 weeks also. That is just what happens with lasak but Dr. Melki warned me and the entire staff was overall great. Two days after the procedure when I called crying in pain, the doc on sight gave me a script for pain meds no problem. They were very good about calling me back whenever I freaked out too. Now I can see 20/20 and love it! Boston Eye Group is great and way better then Mass Ear and Eye for sure. read more

First, I used Qualsight like so many others and got a great deal! I initially went to Mass Eye and Ear, but Dr. Melki's extremely impressive experience and slightly lower cost won me over. This is not a 'bargain' LASIK place, and I'd be weary of any place advertised as such. Staff and facilities: Everyone at Boston Laser was so professional and friendly! There was a particular gentleman who initially did my prescription reading and then was the one 'narrating' my surgery if you will, explaining what was going on and what I could expect. The location is perfect and the facilities are clean and welcoming. Also, they get bakery items in the morning, have coffee and cnn going. Just thoughtful and simple things to keep patients happy! Love that sort of stuff. Dr. Melki is great, as well as the other doctors and residents(?) who helped me. Super shout out to the scheduling department - I had to reschedule so many times it was obnoxious. Dr. Melki suggested I get PRK and I am so happy I listened to him. It's been 6 months and I have no halos and I see as well as I did with my contacts! To those wondering, yes it hurt afterwards but it's not that bad, and I would say it's worth knowing that your eyes don't have a flap. Take the pain killers and just use the weekend after to catch up on your sleep. I was in track with every normal timeline that was explained to me. I had the surgery in April and was in Mexico in May, seeing clearly and not having to worry about contact hygiene while backpacking! Also, turns out, I had been wearing the wrong prescription for years! I couldn't believe it and I had them triple check it, including me coming back on a different day for one last reading before the surgery. The competency of Boston Laser's team is very impressive. I'm so happy my eyes were corrected to the right level (no more eye strain!) and I chose Dr. Melki and his team. Do not skimp on your eyes! You are in safe and experienced hands here. read more

Hello, I just had Lasik done with Dr. Melki and I am amazed at the results. I took people's advice and received a major discount by using Qualsight (they saved me around 3,000 dollars) The procedure itself was fast and pain free. They give you a stuffed animal to hold onto while you are having surgery (very cute). It definitely kept my mind off of things. They also give you the option of leaving the procedure room blinds open in case any loved ones would like to see how the procedure is done. I think the only thing that bothered me was the pressure you felt at one point. After surgery my eyes were in a bit of pain, but I went home and took a long nap along with some Advil and Voila. I can already see sooo much better. It feels like it is too good ro be true. I have worn glasses and contacts my whole life. Thanks to the reviews from other people. Dr. Melki and the staff were very nice. read more

I had Lasik done here back in November but just wanted to wait a good period of time to see how the procedure help up. Knock on wood everything has turned out GREAT and I'm very happy that I had it done. I chose Boston Laser based on the recommendation of a coworker (plus good Yelp reviews) and would definitely recommend them to others. The consultation process was very easy and comfortable, and the staff answered all my questions. The procedure itself couldn't have been any easier, and actually they had me out of there even more quickly than I had anticipated. Within a day I could see more or less perfectly! For a few weeks I experienced the semi-common side effect where there's a halo of light around light sources at night (i.e. headlights, etc.), but that went away pretty quickly and now it doesn't happen at all. I would definitely recommend asking them for the Qualsight price match during the consultation. My health insurance would have covered 25% of the procedure, but with Qualsight it's almost 50% off. Thanks to a fellow Yelper for that great tip! Dr. Melki is very professional and poised, and I'd recommend him to anyone. I don't have any experience dealing with their other doctors or normal eye exams etc. but the practice on the whole seemed to be well run. read more

I was a patient at Boston Eye Group for vision and contacts lens exams for many years. Over the years I had two doctors I thought were exceptional, three doctors I thought were just OK, and one doctor I thought was very bad. I'm giving Boston Eye Group a low rating because they seem to not retain their doctors and don't notify you when a doctor has left the practice. So if you are happy with your doctor and schedule them again for your next exam you surprised to be seen by someone new. I find the people who work at reception to be completely indifferent to their patients. If I didn't know any better I'd think they were forced to be there as a punishment and not because its job they want to do or enjoy doing. The other people in the office seem to be very focused on selling laser correction and if you're not candidate for the surgery you get the sense you're wasting their time. I'll also say that you wait a long time for to see your doctor after you arrive and they could care less if they have to cancel your appointment without notice. I've had several billing issues with Boston Eye Group and find them to be very expensive. Glasses and contacts are significantly more when compared to other places I've bought from. I feel strongly there are better doctors who are more respectful to their patients. I can not recommend this place for exams. It seems others might have a better experience with laser correction. read more

I once had a prescription of -5.50, now I have 20/20 vision in both eyes and I've been taking advantage of this since my surgery in February!! Dr. Melki and the Boston Laser staff are amazing. They were very nice, thorough and caring. best investment ever and I'm very glad I came here. read more

Lasek surgery performed in Jan 2013. Summary: Note, I've given 5 stars based solely on the surgeon himself. At the end of the day, the single important thing is the quality of vision you receive from the procedure. The price, customer service, amount of hand-holding, atmosphere, etc. are all secondary. At the time of the writing of this review, the place has 3.5 stars, which is surprising given the credentials of the surgeon. He used to work at one of the top eye hospitals in the world. He probably quit in order to take advantage of the lucrative aspects of privatization. Nonetheless, I've provided the below review to comment on all aforementioned items. Lasek: Note, this section is a review of the lasEK procedure (different than lasIK). Lasek is a rather new procedure that is a variation of PRK. It provides a slightly better recovery time with all else being almost the same as PRK. Due to my high prescription (-7.00) and thin corneas, I was not a strong candidate for lasik. I had also undergone a consult at TLC in Providence, RI and they had the same conclusion for the same reasons. Dr. Melki ultimately recommended lasEK. The laser used to correct the prescription is identical to lasik and PRK. The only difference is that the recovery is slightly better than PRK. Immediately after the surgery, I was very sensitive to light and could hardly see from the dryness and discomfort. The vision itself was blurry but definitely a vast improvement from my original prescription. By the weeks end, I was about 20/40 in both eyes with little to no discomfort. It takes about a month before the eyes heal completely and seeing 20/20. I would recommend taking a week off of work since you will be nearly incapacitated for at least the first few days. It is also very helpful to have someone help you during the first week. Medical drops have to be put in hourly, so it is nice to have someone to help with that as well. The saying with lasik is you will be seeing good in a day, great in a week. The saying with lasek/PRK is that you will be seeing good in a week, great in a month. Keep that in mind in your planning. Boston Laser: This place has the feel of a highly rushed place. All the employees are very busy and the clinic goes through a high volume of patients each day. Yet, I found everyone to be courteous and professional. They seemed to know what they were doing. They answered all my questions knowledgably. Nonetheless, I highly recommend coming in prepared with a list of questions. They also tend to give vague answers, probably due to liability issues. For example, if I asked how long the recovery time was, the answer would be, "varies patient to patient." This is an obvious answer. An answer including general numbers would be much more helpful such as, "varies patient to patient, but we typically see patients recover to be functional in 1 week, and seeing very well in 1 month." Toward the end of the consultation, you will finally meet the surgeon, Dr. Melki. He is very knowledgeable on the subject, but you MUST ask questions. Doing this day in and day out is probably like repeating the ABCs for him, so we have to come prepared with specific questions. Since I had never heard of lasek prior to the consult (all my questions prepared were for lasik), I couldn't ask many questions during the meeting. Nonetheless, he was very helpful over email and answered all my questions promptly. At the end of the consult, you will meet Rick, the head of the business end of the practice. He handles all the money/payment stuff. He is a nice guy who has been doing this for over 10 years. While not a doctor himself, he too is knowledgeable in refractive surgeries. For the surgery day itself, they provide a very useful information sheet as well as a "goodie bag" for the post-op care. They also advise you to fill prescriptions beforehand. This made the recovery a lot easier to deal with. Opportunities for Improvement: As mentioned in the previous section, they could improve their customer service. The medical care they provide is fine and that's not what I'm referring to. It's the small things. For example, their automated phone menu system takes you in circles sometimes. You have to pay for parking, although there is plenty of metered parking. When they answer questions, they tend to provide vague, conservative answers. For example, "the procedure will reduce your dependency on glasses." A better answer, "the procedure cannot guarantee 20/20 vision, but we typically notice patients similar to yourself achieve 20/20 vision." Final Notes Overall, I highly recommend this place. It is on the pricey side, but healthcare is not something to skimp out on. The surgeon is highly qualified. I had done a few consults, and am glad that I chose Dr. Melki to perform the surgery. I hope this review is helpful to you. I know Boston Laser also reads yelp review so I hope it's helpful for them too. read more

I used QualSight LASIK over a year ago to book my first appointment with Boston Laser, which saved me a lot of money, and they were super helpful finding me a doctor to go to and we settled on Boston Laser. If you're wearing contacts, you have to wait roughly a month until you can see the doctor so have a pair of glasses handy. I had ever had to wait long at Boston Laser. You have to see the doctor before and after, and they always saw me on time. I don't know how they did it, but if your appointment is at 2:10, you will see the doctor at 2:10. The staff and doctor were extremely friendly and helpful and answered all my questions. I felt very comfortable and well taken care of. I got life time insurance because the extra cost wasn't much for a lifetime of perfect vision. The surgery itself was rather painless. It just felt like a lot of pressure on my eye as if you pressed the palm of your hand into your eye. It was over within 10 minutes and I started to see clearly soon after, but they want you to keep your eyes closed and take a nap when you get home. I would do it all over again, and I'd do it all over again with QualSight LASIK and Boston Laser right there beside with me. I can't recommend them enough. If you're going to get eye surgery, there's no better place then to go here. read more

So I had my lasik procedure about 2 months ago now and I am alive and I can see! Awesome awesome, I am still getting used to not putting on my glasses in the morning and taking my contacts out at night! I had astigmatism and -3.75 in both eyes and now I have 20/20 and couldn't be enjoying my life anymore than I am! The facilities are clean. They have coffee and tea. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The initial appointment was long (not their fault, just busy). I had my consult with Dr. Melki and we scheduled the surgery 3 weeks after that appointment. I would give this place 5 stars except for the fact that I did get DLK, which has nothing to do with the doctors and happens randomly in a certain percentage of patients that receive lasik (so I would like to let people know that though lasik is safe it can have complications). HOWEVER, I did receive quality service and they ensured I recovered safely and were there every step of the way. (Dr. Melki even personally answered emails when I was worried). After drop therapy and multiple check ups to ensure my quick recovery I am 100% recovered. I highly recommend Boston laser! You will not be disappointed! read more

This rating is not a reflection on the doctors in this practice - I never actually met any. But the management is something of a disaster. My husband and I have both been to see Dr. Macy Finklestein, who recently joined up with Boston Eye Group. So when we realized my 6-year old needed glasses, I called them. After explaining why I was calling (that I had a six-year old who needed a prescription for her first pair of glasses), I asked if I could make an appointment with Dr. Finklestein. The woman on the phone told me that there was another doctor in the practice, Dr. Hirose, who specialized in children. There was a one-month wait to get an appointment with him, but she assured me that it would be worth waiting. So we waited, and today we went for our appointment. I took the afternoon off of work, and my daughter was super excited, after asking constantly for a month when she would be able to get glasses so she could see clearly. Once we got there, after we'd filled out all the paperwork, and after we'd paid the co-pay, we were called into an exam room by a technician. He asked what was wrong with my daughter. I told him nothing was wrong, she just needed glasses, and he looked confused. Turns out Dr. Hirose is a retinal specialist and doesn't have anything to do with general eye exams. The technician double-checked with him, and evidently he didn't feel comfortable doing an exam for a prescription because that is not his area of expertise. The technician was, to his credit, very apologetic. He asked me to please call the manager of the practice because in the past month that he has been working there, this sort of thing has happened several times. He seemed frustrated, but not nearly as frustrated as I was. And not nearly as disappointed as my daughter who cried all the way home. Incidentally, the desk attendants were not apologetic in the least, including the one who had made the appointment with me initially (I recognized her accent). I will not go back there again, not for myself or the rest of my family. Our story has a happy ending. We called Brookline Vision House in Coolidge Corner, where Dr. Kalish gave us an appointment right away. He was fabulous and my daughter had her glasses an hour later. Should have done that a month ago. read more

Great experience and completely recommend for anyone considering LASIK!! Originally, Tufts / New England Eye stated PRK would be better for me (high prescription of -6.50 and -6.25). Boston Laser saw no issue with LASIK for me, and it has been a month since my surgery, and my vision is great. The office is super easy to get to (right in front of the C line), and Boston Laser is very technologically advanced - I didn't have one piece of paper my entire experience. Easy to schedule the consultation online, and the free consultation was about 1-2 hours long (very thorough, and you speak with both the fellow and Dr. Melki). The actual surgery was also straight forward, Dr. Melki is great with telling you only what you need to know during it. Physical recovery took a few hours and took a week to feel back to normal. Wonderful customer service my entire experience. Note - all the surgeries are performed in the same Brookline office on Fridays. read more

Be prepared to wait. Maybe I just have been unlucky, but they seem to have problems keeping to their scheduled appointment times. The day of my surgery I waited over an hour after my scheduled time before being seen to go over instructions. Just this morning I had an appointment, and when I scheduled it I asked how long it would take and they told me about 10 minutes (which was accurate for the amount of time I spent with the Dr). I put an hour in the parking meter just in case they were running a little behind (already behind at 9AM?) and still got stuck with a $25 ticket because I was told I would be seen in "just a minute". That being said, the rest of my experience was good. The staff are all friendly and professional, and my results have been great. I had both lasik and lasek done on the same day, so if anyone has questions between the two I'd be happy to share my experience. My lasik eye has been clear since the day after surgery, and my lasek eye, while the procedure was slightly easier (they don't need to cut a flap, which in my opinion was the scariest part) is still a little blurry, but I still have the contact in to protect while it heals so it is expected. The place is quite a maze of little rooms, but that is just the style of office, and I would rather be whisked around to 10 places than compromise privacy by having multiple machines and patients in the same room. I agree with other posters that you should go through Qualsight, it will save you a lot of money on the surgery, mine would have been $5,900 without it (not sure if that included lifetime or not), and I paid about $2,000 less and did opt for the lifetime guarantee. Dr Melki knows his stuff. He won't be holding your hand through the procedure but he was clear about what to expect and I understood everything that was going to happen. If you want someone who will reassure you endlessly that things will go perfectly and there's no chance anything can go wrong, maybe look for someone else, although if you find someone like that they are probably lying. I felt comfortable having him as my surgeon, and if the wait times weren't so awful I would recommend to others. read more

I had Lasik done with Dr. Melkhi about 6 months ago and am finally getting around to writing a review! It is the best investment I have ever made. My quality of life is greatly improved by my now 20/15 vision. (prior to surgery I was 20/200) I went through qualsight and the whole process was seemless. The service was amazing. The technicians were great through the whole thing. I had a few questions after the fact and when I called in I was quickly put in touch with someone. One thing, the actual procedure was a bit more painful than expected- everyone was telling me it was short and you could hardly feel it. It took 10-15 minutes which is short, but when you think of having your eye held open by something in your eye socket it can get a bit long! Recovery was easy- by the follow up appt the next day i was walking around showing of my new eyes! I would do this 200 times again! not worrying about contacts ever again is a great feeling! They are very accommodating with your schedule and I was always to get an appointment that worked. If you are considering lasik- def go to Dr. Melki! read more

Had Lasik about 3 years ago and still seeing perfectly. The procedure was painless and the staff is excellent. I found the other reviews intersting on here. Particularly where people were critical of the staff or MD's explaination process/bedside manner. I guess the way I would describe it is, if youre nervous or unsure about anything, ask. Theyre not going to really hold your hand and ask 1000 times if youre OK. I think people feel, which they have every right to, that its there eyes and this is a lot of money, I shouldnt be one bit nervous or unsure of anything in the process. I agree with that but at the same time it still is up to the patients to say, hold on, Im unsure of something or can you explain that better. I guess I can take away one star for that but even thats a stretch. Thats my 2 cents, Im a bit strange though, I wanted to know as little about my eyes being sliced open as possible. Will I be able to see after Dr. Melki? Yes, OK Lets do this. Seriously though I would recommend at least getting the consultation if youre unsure. You may not be a candidate at all which they will be totally honest about with you. If thats the case then you never have to wonder anymore. If you are a good candidate then do more research and evaluate from there. Nothing like being able to jump in a pool or the ocean in the summer without having to take out your lenses on a windy beach. Nothing like not having to put lenses in my eye every morning, especially if I may have been out a bit too late the night before! If youre thinking abotu doing it, my advice is to step up and Get er done! read more

I am 3 weeks out from my LASEK procedure. I can see 98% now, only small type is a little difficult to read, light bursts at night remain and I am still slightly sensitive to bright lights. I went in hoping for LASIK because of the near instant recovery time, but because of some scaring on my eye I had to have LASEK. If you get this done, be aware that recovery is slow. It took most of the last 3 weeks to get where I am, the first two weeks, my vision was greatly reduced, making work almost impossible, they do tell you that this is a possibility, but I don't think I quite understood the ramifications. Dr. Melki was professional, reassuring and the procedure went really well, I was not uncomfortable, and the staff is attentive and courteous. Te process works like a well oiled machine, there are several waiting rooms each one set up to Sheppard you to the next test or specialist. The reason for the 4 stars instead of five is minor, the post-operative instructions were printed on red paper with a tiny font. I am single, and had no one to read the instructions to me and, I was not able to do it because of the procedure. I do recommend them if you are thinking of having this done! read more

Boston Laser is a great practice and exceeded my expectations in many ways. I've heard nothing but positive things from family and friends who have also gone there for Lasik. Dr. Melki is very courteous and approachable, and his expertise is well known and highly published- so you know you are in good hands. I also met with Dr. Lee for a consultation on a skin/cosmetic issue, and he was fantastic as well. He spent a good amount of time with me during my appointment and answered all of my questions/concerns. The staff themselves are professional and do their utmost to make you feel welcome and attended. The girls at the front desk were friendly and conversational with me while I waited to be called in, which always makes me feel more comfortable at medical appointments. Appointments themselves were convenient, and the office itself seemed very clean and presentable- and bonus- they have a little coffee station in the waiting room. I would definitely recommend Boston Laser to anyone I knew looking for Lasik or general eye care. read more

When I was deciding to go to Boston Eye Group I looked up the reviews and mostly they were not that great -in regards to the staff (the actual surgery results had good reviews). My experience was very good. I met with much of the staff and they were all helpful, friendly and professional. I found Dr. Melki to be friendly enough and very nice during the surgery (telling me what to do and that I was doing a good job -exactly what I needed to hear). I got LASEK (I wasn't quite the right candidate for LASIK). It took me a good 2 weeks to recover, though I think I was driving after a week (that's pretty average for that type of surgery). I have 20/20, I don't have a problem seeing at night or seeing halos. My eyes do get dry or itchy easily but I think that's still improving (I just had the surgery Aug '10). I just love not needing to use glasses or contacts. read more

Went to get evaluated for LASIK this week -- what an impressive staff! I must have been attended to by 8 or more staff members while I was there, all of whom were incredibly professional and knowledgeable. In the end, I wasn't a good candidate for LASIK, but I was left with a positive impression of everyone, from Dr. Melki himself to the front desk staff. read more

I used QualSight LASIK in January to find a LASIK provider, obtain pricing, and schedule a LASIK procedure. They made it extremely convenient. Apparently, I saved over $1000 with one of the best LASIK providers in the country. Boston Laser was also conveniently located near my neighborhood. The reception staff at Boston Laser are very polite and upbeat. They treated me with much courtesy and made me feel comfortable prior to my exam and surgery. The assistants who initially screened me and prepped me before and after surgery were great. They were professional, gave me their full attention, and really put me at ease. Dr. Melki and the other doctors were some of nicest, most professional physicians I've ever had. They're clearly first class experts in their field, and are devoted to serving their patients. This gave me a lot of confidence going into the surgery. Since then, my vision has been excellent and the staff has been attentive to any issues I've had. They're professionalism continues with each follow-up appointment. I would recommend this practice to anyone! read more

I just had Lasek done which is a little different than Lasik, but I'm very pleased so far. Dr. Melki and his staff were great and answered all my questions. They have their routine down pat where you meet with a whole series of people - very efficient. They are all very knowledgeable, competent and very nice. I was a little freaked when it came time to get it done and they were extremely nice and calming without being patronizing. My own eye doctor had his surgery done by Dr. Melki and he recommended him to me. There's an optometrist's office attached as well for glasses so if you opt to get one eye done at a time like I did they can adjust the a lens of you glasses for you so you can still wear them for your other eye in the meantime. Its a very nice office on Beacon St. and very convenient - the Green Line C train stops directly in front of the office. read more