Strap in, it's a doozy!
My first time here was pre-pandemic and it was recommended by my optometrist who had left the city. I had a chalazion needing removal and the Dr. I saw at that time was straightforward and good. I was surprised to find her no longer there but open to seeing a new doc when I returned for an exam and ANOTHER chalazion (I have a history).
April 2023, The Annual Exam:
Dr. Toresdahl is who I "saw." After a lengthy amount of time with the perfectly apt assistants, he came in, was super impersonal and rattling off things to her, never really talking to me. You know how Drs come in after we've been with the assistant (or nurse or hygienist) and they sort of recap everything to make sure they understand what's up? Yea, none of that. To the extent that he tells her I need eyedrops, I have to ask why I need eyedrops, he says for dry eyes, I have to ask how we've concluded I have dry eyes?????? And it was something I told her about feeling like something is in either eye sometimes... So he'd just read what she'd written, and in front of me tells her I need eyedrops, leaving a huge gap in information which forced me to ask enough questions to understand. Very nonchalant with subpar bedside manners. Fine, whatever, y'know? At least he's setting me up with another doc for this chalazion removal.
May 19 2023, The Procedure:
Dr. Chan is who did the removal. Similar vibe, but whatever they don't need to be gushy, just at least behave as though I'm a whole human being. I'm not too put off, I'm very familiar with this process and it's cool with me if we just get it done and I get out. The first irk was when it was completed and he's basically like, okay bye...with no real discussion about after care. I ask if I should plan to follow up- he may as well have shrugged and said 'do what you want.' The disinterest was strange, but again, whatever...it's done and I should be good.
I patiently wait for the lump to go away. It doesn't. And doesn't. And...doesn't. Come July, I reach out via the portal that they have connected me to. I don't hear anything. I email photos as a follow up to the portal message. I don't hear anything. I email AGAIN asking for him to please call me. I'm eventually reached and told the only way I can speak with him is to make an appointment. Mind you, my specialist co-pay is $75. I have never had a doctor in any field (and in the last 5 years I have had to see more doctors than I care to admit) REFUSE to speak with me unless I come in and pay to talk to them. Other docs even invite you to reach out if you have questions or concerns.
They are able to get me in that week on a Friday afternoon. Both sides of the office are insanely crowded (I'd never seen it like that before); I had kind of a wait, and they demanded that copay. I refused to pay it on the front end- partially because I believe them to be on massive BS and partially because they were making an entirely too big deal of it, even when I clarified that I will pay it before I leave the building. Why was I being a twit, you wonder? Because I was genuinely stunned at their behavior about a copay for a conversation when I was returning due to the Dr.'s failed procedure. There were a lot of feelings stirred up and holding on to that copay until after my appointment was the last bit of control over the situation I felt like I had. I was always going to pay them: I didn't appreciate any of what was happening that day. I was quiet in my defiance; I did not cause a scene.
ANYWAY, after eventually getting the manager, he allowed me to see the doc w/o paying the copay first, and with no consideration for all the previous successes I've had with this procedure, he confidently insists he got it out, because he definitely "scraped something out of there." To be clear, this is my 6th chalazion in my lifetime. Five previous times I have had successful removals, including right there in that office. The keloid determination was so random and his attitude so flippant, I simply didn't trust this.
Naturally I went elsewhere. Somewhere that had acceptable bedside manners, with an extremely thorough and personable assistant, a doctor who saw a human in the chair, and who almost immediately identified the lump as a chalazion and took action to remedy it. I'm very happy I went elsewhere and remain livid with the callous nonchalant attitude of both doctors at Family Eye Physicians.
I will say, unlike other reviews, I have always found the other staff and assistants there to be pleasant and relatively helpful, even if not always thorough. None of them ever rubbed me the wrong way during any of my visits. And I know them insisting on the co-pay was just them doing their job.
I wish I could have a conversation with Chan to let him know what a disappointing experience I had with him. If only it didn't cost to talk to him. read more