I have advanced glaucoma. After 10 years on IOP lowering drops my quality of life was suffering. Surgical intervention was required. I did my due diligence. For 3 years I evaluated surgeons and surgeries. I chose ABiC combined with cataract surgery performed by Dr David Richardson at San Marino Eye, a mere 8,000 + miles from my home in Australia. The surgery was successfully performed on Friday Nov 8 & 22. Did I make the right decision? You bet I did! Along with his team at San Marino Eye, Dr Richardson's priority was my eyesight. I could wax on positively about patient access, generosity of time, professionalism, up to the minute procedures etc etc, all of which is true. However, the comment made to me by a theatre nurse, as I was in hospital recovery, sums up my whole experience perfectly, "... you were lucky having this Surgeon" I couldn't agree more! read more

It's a shame I would really like to use this doctor, but he doesn't take insurance so not good

Wonderful doctor and amazing staff. Answered all my questions and was completely thorough. High recommended!

I've been seeing Dr. Richardson for a few years now, after scratching my cornea while out on a walk. I see him annually for dilation and monitoring my eye health. His entire office is professional and so caring. I had a very thorough exam after having LongCovid and am happy to have his insights on my eye care. Thankfully, my eyes are still stable and well. He takes the time to answer questions and communicates clearly. So wonderful to have this kind of attentive care. Plus? HIs staff is terrific. read more

Mothers appointment time was 10:15am. We arrived just before 10:00am and signed in. It is now 11:56am and my mother just got taken to see the doctor. This isn't the first time I've had to wait long. I've taken my aunt here and waited almost 2 hours. It is extremely unprofessional. You can be an amazing doctor or surgeon, but you're still expected to meet your appointment times. I'd accept maybe 15-30min wait. Sometimes you run over with another patient. But it shouldn't be a consistent 1.5-2 hours wait. If you expect that long of a wait, then don't schedule the appointment for 10:15. Schedule it for noon and see your patient at noon. Don't waste your patients time. read more

Finally, a Doctor that actually took the time to explain the tests performed and the results! A huge plus was that he wasn't in a hurry to rush me out, even though his office was busy and his staff was surely trying to get to everyone on a timely manner he still took the time to sit and talk to me about my concerns! From the moment I walked in to the clinic, I was in AWE! What a great team of people and as for the Doctor, I am blown away!! I am recommending Dr. Richardson to my family and friends. Sincerely, R. Espinoza read more

I love this Dr. first of all he takes his time, he really, really listens, and guess what? He cares, but best of all he knows what he's doing. I am so glad i found him. I sought him out because I have been suffering from dry eye symptoms that have made me very uncomfortable, -Since i love alternative remedies he was able to prescribe an over the counter eye drop with no preservatives, and an oil, which I have been taking for the past month. The pain I was dealing has calmed down. I am planning to see him for a follow up. It's great feeling to know that you are in good hands. It took me a while to find someone with his skill set. Lastly, he has a very caring support staff, how can anyone go wrong chosing him for their eye concerns.... ...and before i sign off, may i say that Jonathan(the D.'s assistant) rocks he's the best!!! read more

I can't say enough about my experience with Dr. Richardson and his staff. I feel that Anna and Nancy are my family. All of the staff were kind and even fun. And lets talk about results; lifechanging. I had extreme farsighted vision and I had done Lasik. Other doctors didn't seem to understand my problems. After a lifetime of poor vision,I had hoped to just improve my vision but instead I have what seems to be perfect vision. I am happy to wake up each day and see the world as I have never seen it before. I don't even need glasses; this is a dream come true. It isn't possible to give enough praise for what I have received. I just want to add more stars. read more

Let me start by saying that I highly recommend. Dr. Richardson. He has an incredibly excellent bedside manner. He is very attentive as well as thorough. Willing to listen to his patients as well as make recommendations for the best means of care possible. The facilities are comfortable and clean. The nurse was cheeky and gave me a sense of calm while checking me before the Dr. arrived. The front office was super nice on the phone and listened well to my responses. Even the magazines were current and interesting. Having a cyst cut out of your eye is not a fun time whatsoever. I only would ever want Dr Richardson to be the one to do it. 10/10 would have Eye sliced again. read more

Awful customer service . They knew I had to take a certain medication daily and then disappeared for two weeks without any way for me to access a sample or get a refill . I finally had to call my other doctor and get them to authorize the refill. This place is completely unprofessional and I would personally never come back here. read more

Office beautiful. Staff helpful and friendly. And Dr. Richardson and i started off on a good footing. HOWEVER, after many meetings with him, his staff, and other specialists, my eye sight with his expensive specialty lenses is less than perfect. It was supposed to be 20/20 but it is now 20/50 without glasses on a good day. I now need glasses for reading and for distance to see at 20/25 Faceted halos around lights at night. So driving at night is difficult. The simple lenses that my insurance would have paid for would have been best for me at no cost financially and I would only have needed reading glasses. Now I'm more than $7000 out of pocket at this time and cannot risk damaging my eyesight to get these lenses removed and have the simple ones put in. I accept that I have to live with what I have now. The one piece of good news is that Dr. Richardson did place these specialty lenses in my eyes well. There is no complaint on that score. Therefore, the two stars. read more

I had the utmost respect for this practice. However, after booking an appointment and then called the day before to move the appointment time up to accommodate the doctor schedule, which I gladly did, the visit was beyond disappointing and disrespectful. I arrived at the agreed upon time and then proceeded to wait for over an hour. I was never offered an update as to why things were taking so long. When I inquired as to how much longer I was told about another 30 mins. In total I would have been waiting 1.5 hours. I professionally respect that a practice can get busy. However, I too am a professional and my time was being wasted. I left the office when told it would be another 30 mins and have had no follow up from the practice. I guess they don't care about losing a patient. read more

Went to see Dr. Richardson about 10 years ago -- yes, that was before I got a personal computer. I wanted a second opinion on recommended cataract surgery. I recall distinctly I though the doctor was overly ambitious (admittedly no crime), organized his office to maximize services (admittedly no crime) and had the impression I was being recruited to be his patient (admittedly no crime). I finally had to write him a letter to remind him I only wanted a second opinion in seeing him. read more

Outstanding Eye Physician. I have been a patient of this practice since 1964 when it was ran by the eminent eye physician and surgeon Dr. Frank Schiff. Dr. Richardson took over after Dr. Schiff's retirement and has continued and improved upon the outstanding treatment experienced by each and every patient. Highly recommended! read more

Finally, a doctor that actually makes eye contact with you. He explains things in plain English. Stays in room until he has answered all if your questions. I've recommended him to my family and friends. The staff is very friendly and knowledgable. I love the little fridge with cool water for patients. read more

I have been seeing Dr. Richardson for about 5 months for different eye disorders. So glad I found this wonderful doctor by chance. He is patient-friendly, caring, professional and a good listener. He answers my questions and addresses my concerns every office visit. Most importantly, he took care of all my eye problems with proper treatment plan. In addition, the office staff is helpful, courteous and efficient. Teresa L, San Marino read more

My husband and I have been seeing Dr. Richardson for over two years now. He and his office staff are simply wonderful. Their office is such a positive experience that a visit is always the high point of my day and I always feel better having been there. They have been kind and accomodating to our special needs. Dr. Richardson, who is as skilled as he is caring, performs an amazing new micro-surgical glaucoma procedure, called Canaloplasty. This procedure is nothing short of miraculous. We feel very blessed to have access to such a cutting edge, vision saving, procedure, as it is not yet widely available. Thank you so much, Dr. Richardson and staff for all that you do. read more

Just be careful about booking! The secretary got my driver's license and insurance card and after everything was done I was asked to pay $274.00. I was not informed as I stepped in of the office and filling out the paperwork that he is out of network. So,so unfair for me. read more

It felt like I was the only person in Dr. Richardson's office and wasn't on a "timer" waiting for it to go "ding" and the doctor having to leave the room to see the next patient, as with past experience. The other thing I liked was how courteous and professional his staff was as how his office neatly fit in to the surrounding neighborhood which made a person feel comfortable and not intimidated. Lastly; I appreciated Dr. Richardson's thorough examination and dialog, reiterating my comment while leaving: "I was not depressed like I usually am when leaving the offices of the previous doctors." read more

I am a physician and a cataract surgeon ophthalmologist in San Diego, CA. I met doctor Richardson by request to observe him perform canaloplasty, a cutting edge glaucoma surgery that only a few perform and has been talked about in my field over the past several years. Without hesitation he accepted my request and invited me to his operating room. His staff were friendly and professional while communicating with my staff to coordinate our schedules, since I had to close my clinic and drive 2 hours north to his surgery center. I observed him perform several cataract and canaloplasty surgeries in one day. Canaloplasty is not an easy surgery, but he is a masterful surgeon and all of his patients walked out with GREAT results and NO PAIN. He was so accomodating to their comfort level that he had even chosen the music that was played in the operating room for each patient individually, as was requested by them prior to their surgery! Since most eye surgeries are done with the patient awake, this was an additional measure he took to minimize stress and anxiety. Most of all, he is passionate about the field of ophthalmology and truly cares about his patients. He has decided not to accept insurance because he does not want to be distracted from what is most important to him: patient care, as chasing down insurance money for a solo doctor can be a lot of work that takes time away from what really matters. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from him and feel lucky to have found a colleague to look up to! read more

This is the doctor whose care you want to be under! I have open angle glaucoma. I have been a patient of Dr. Richardson's since 2013. Prior to seeing Dr. Richardson I had consultations with several ophthalmologists for glaucoma. What made me choose Dr. Richardson was his very extensive knowledge about glaucoma and the many alternative treatments (such as Canaloplasty and now the laser MP3), his credentials, his unending up-to-date extensive research, his use and knowledge about vitamin supplements, his openness and his sincerity. Four years later I cannot say enough wonderful things about this doctor. He is compassionate, caring and an incredible skilled surgeon. I work in dentistry and have worked with many doctors over the past 40 years. You would be hard pressed to find a doctor equal to this one in both skill and in bedside manner. Dr. Richardson is with you every step of the way, your wins are his wins. I must also mention, Anna, his nurse. Anna is a loving, compassionate and sincere person who is as dedicated to her patients as is Dr. Richardson. Nancy, his receptionist, is also congenial and caring. There is no doubt that I made the correct choice when I chose Dr. Richardson to be my ophthalmologist and surgeon. 5 Stars! read more

The doctor is excellent but support staff is not satisfactory. Lackadaisical.

Dr Richardson is great. I have a high level of confidence in him. I am picky, and tried several retinologists before finding Dr. Richardson, but was very pleased with his care of me while I lived in Califfornia. read more

Dr. Richardson is the "gold standard" in his field. He is kind, compassionate and always listens to his patients. I feel so lucky to have found him. He saved my eyesight - no slight feat! His care is unparalleled. He is the absolute, best doctor I have ever seen. I entrust him for all my eyecare needs. I came in, so scared, and had really been through the ringer with other opthamologists, who were recommended to me. Thank God for Dr. Richardson, who I discovered through searching desperately for an answer to my problems. The other doctors were slow to act and uncertain of my problem and diagnosis. He saw me the very same day I called. His staff is so professional and excellent. Anna is fantastic! She really knows her stuff and puts you at ease. Heather is amazing! Nancy is so caring! He has surrounded himself with an astoundingly great team. I only wish Dr. Richardson took care of other parts of the body as well. Other doctors could learn a lot from him. I was concerned, at first, that since he is a Harvard graduate, that he would be a bit haughty and exorbitantly expensive, such is not the case. Words really cannot express my deepest gratitude for all that he has done for me. He is truly a gifted physician with a great bedside manner. read more

I have experienced several major surgeries. The cataract surgery performed by Dr. Richardson ranks "Top Level."

I read Penny's review on getting an appointment being a horrible experience and I agree 100 percent! First of all I scheduled to meet the doctor on a Saturday for a procedure, So I call that Monday of that week to confirm and the receptionist told me that it wasn't even on the calendar and I would have to reschedule, then I thought to myself fine it's cool everyone makes mistakes so i reschedule for Friday at 4PM. I decided to take a half day at work on Friday and leave at 2PM. Friday rolls around and they give me a call at 11AM and ask me if I'm ready for my appointment, and as a surprise I said what? This was scheduled for 4PM not 11AM. The receptionist was really rude and tried to blame me saying that I scheduled it incorrectly and the person that scheduled it named Anna put down 11AM and not 4PM we went back and forth arguing. I finally went in and Anna said that she mixed up the times and forgot to inform me of the change of time. It was ridiculous, no aplogy and they still tried to blame it on me. Dr Richardson is a good doctor but his staff needs to work on their customer service skills because of that I'm never ever going back there again and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone! read more

Dr Richardson is cutting edge in his field. In our book he is tops. We have several other friends who agree with us including those who who recommended him to us. My wife had both eyes operated on for cataracts with excellent results. Everyone in the office is excellent to work with. I say this after accompanying my wife there several times over many months of preop, operation and postop visits. I read the other reviews including the bad experiences and they really surprise me. We did have one error in an appointment out of I don't know how many, but it was certainly the exception. My wife had a relatively unusual experience with her first cataract operation. Her vision went from barely being able to see the big E to 20:15 which they say is about as high as it gets. However, she saw a shadow that was annoyingly hovering outside her field of view. After ruling out all other possibilities and researching the literature, Dr Richardson concluded that it was due to the difference in thickness between the natural lens and the artificial lens that replaced it. This allowed light rays to come around the side of the lens and impinge on the retina. He decided to do a minor laser surgery to remove the membrane behind the lens. That helped somewhat. In the second surgery he mounted the lens in a different way to preclude this problem. over time the shadow faded. Now my wife has nearly perfect vision in both eyes and does not need glasses for reading or distance. No more contacts or glasses of any kind. It is like a miracle at 62 years of age and after many years of glasses, contacts, solutions, etc. After it was all over my wife was so happy she sent the office flowers. read more

All I can say is trying to get a appointment with this doctor was such an horrible experience. Whenever I call, they kept me on hold all the time. I left messages to arrange appointment, never got a call back. So finally, I had a appointment, it was on a holiday weekend. I show up, waited and waited, some office person shows us, and told me there was no appointment. So I told them, I can only make Saturday appointment for my Dad, due to my working Monday through Friday. They call me on the following Friday, saying I am scheduled for Saturday. I told them, why would I make a appointment when I don't ever want to come back here. What a joke, just yesterday (1/5/11) they told me I missed another appointment in November, what happen. Whey would they just schedule an appointment for me again! Knowing I don't want to bring my Dad here. If they are so unorganized, imagine the service I would receive. Apparently no one communicates in that office. This place is worth coming to. No matter how good the doctor's credentials is. read more