The place is a cattle-call, impersonal, assembly-line organization. if you're a new patient,…read moreyou'll be interviewed first by an assistant who stares at her computer, reading off a pre-programmed list of questions and isn't interested in your history or symptoms. ("The doctor will ask that later.") Except he never does. In fact, you won't see Dr. Spaider till after you've been through a battery of tests spread over a three hour period with a lot of waits in between in a crowded glaringly lit waiting room. Then you'll see him for a cumulative five minutes. "Cumulative" because he keeps leaving the room Never introduces himself, never calls you by name, and extracting answers from him is like pulling hen's teeth. If you still want to go there, ask for another of their several doctors.

You'll spend two to three hours there minimum. No matter what time of day you book. I've been many…read moretimes (this one likely to be my last -- a colleague recommended another place nearby) and tried booking first thing, midday, end of day... same thing regardless. Basically you check in and then wait about 40 minutes, then get called by a technician. Spend five minutes getting a test then back to the waiting room. Another 15 or 30 minutes and another technician calls you. And so on. Then you wait for the doctor. The staff all seem capable and professional and most are pleasant. (However there is one woman who deserves special mention for being so rude. I think even she suspected she crossed the line and tried to mumble something at the end of my two minute test.) Try as they might to be fine on the individual basis, it's a factory assembly line and you will feel like you're a process not a person. I also don't appreciate that after all that and all that time I don't have a prescription, just a check on the bigger issues. So... good capable people and a big practice and I guess the sense that if it takes 2-3 hours for a regular non-emergency eye check they're on schedule.

A Traumatic and Unprofessional Experience I chose Dr…read more Russell Levine based on the positive Google reviews, expecting a competent and professional eye care experience. Unfortunately, my visit turned into a distressing and traumatic ordeal. Upon arrival, I was informed that my eyes would be dilated, which is standard for a thorough examination. However, I received two follow-up emails and text messages indicating that the appointment would take 2-3 hours, which made me apprehensive. Never before had I heard of an eye exam requiring that amount of time. During the appointment, the optical technician informed me that the dilation would wear off in about an hour. Given my work schedule, this was concerning. When Dr. Levine entered, he contradicted the technician, claiming the dilation would only last 15 minutes and would not affect my vision for the rest of the day. Confused by these mixed messages, I expressed my concerns. Dr. Levine responded dismissively, stating, "I'm sitting here on my personal time explaining this to you." Feeling uncomfortable, I decided to leave. As I was at the front desk receiving a refund, Dr. Levine said to the receptionist that he needed a break due to our conversation. He then followed me to the elevator and continued to engage in a circular conversation despite my clear wish to leave. To my shock, he followed me into the elevator, accompanied by a different receptionist, and continued this behavior all the way down to the street, where he again tried to stop me. This unsettling encounter continued outside as he followed me towards the subway, running ahead to block my path and initiate yet another conversation. I had to explicitly state, "there's nothing left to say, this is now harassment," before he finally left. Never in my life have I experienced such unprofessional and harassing behavior from a medical professional. I strongly advise against booking an appointment with Dr. Levine. This was a frightening and highly inappropriate experience that no patient should endure. A few hours after leaving my appointment I received this email from the doctor: subject: sorry hello, i am so so sorry for your experience today. we care about nothing but helping our patients achieve their goals. i really just am so sorry for everything, and i will try to reflect on how to better approach a situation like this, because we failed to meet your needs today. i wish you all the best, and i remain dedicated, flexible, and able to help you any way i can. you can always reach me here or at our number, 212-401-4084. we have fulfilled your request to cancel. mayaan keshet md is another ophthalmologist in the area. i don't know her personally, but she should be available. i really was looking forward to working with you. i am really sorry for how this went for you. we still would be privileged to see you if that should be your decision. i wish you all the best, Russ Levine MD

This medical office closed down and the provider Dr Levine disappeared without a trace. I am a…read moreformer patient and am concerned I will not be able to get copies of my medical records

I would strongly warn anyone against going to NYU for your vision needs…read more I went in to get my prescription checked. It takes months to get an appointment. They gave me a glasses prescription but told me I would benefit from hard lenses with a special fitting. When I went to that appointment, which took weeks, I found out its a super involved process. I let them know I would want and need normal lenses as well. They said Dr. Mandel would be able to send me a prescription based on my exam, which, of course made sense. Since that appointment, I am waiting on some call to take payment for the hard lenses. Meanwhile Dr. Mandel's office referred me back to the office that sent me to her for soft ones. They are trying to tell me they'd need another appointment/fitting, which, of course, takes months. I have been calling to resolve this. It's a maze of answering machines and recordings with no resolution. I went in to get contacts and glasses. Ended up getting pushed a more expensive and intensive option. No one answers the phone or resolves basic issues, and weeks later I have no lenses and am on the verge of just going elsewhere. Worst vision experience I have ever had. Do not go.

Overall positive experience. I like my doctor here and I trust the NYU system overall. Staff are…read morefriendly. My biggest gripe is that you can't really reach anyone directly. Even the number they give you gets answered by a main operator who has to pass your message along. Also, bureaucratic billing practices. I had a billing issue (it got resolved) but I had to go through many layers, speak to different people (who knew NYU had so many billing offices?).

Nice office for sure but they seem more interested in getting me a new pair of glasses than curing…read moremy eye issue. Wouldn't be back as didn't help me much anyway and it's been a couple of months.

I initially found Dr. Hayashi listed under my insurance on Zocdoc but found her practice to be very…read moremodern, clean, light filled and professional. I am familiar with how most ophthalmology workflows are, and found her office to be very streamlined. She even asked if I needed to leave at any time so that she could expedite the process and left ample room for questions. Ophthalmology visits can be difficult and long at times due to the amount of testing and diagnostics that the technicians and doctors have to do. They offered samples for contacts for free, allowed me to take any other samples home, emailed me my RX, and sent all my information to my primary care physician and any other providers that I needed to see. I highly recommend Dr. Hayashi's practice to anyone who is seeking comprehensive eye care. I do believe they do refractions and you can pick out glasses and contacts. However, I was here for a medical necessary eye health exam so I didn't utilize that. The space is HUGE and there are many rooms. I believe they also speak Japanese, and seem to cater to a lot of Japanese patients. Regardless, anyone who can come here, should.

Dr Parikh is a wonderful diagnostician and a caring physician. He takes the time to explain and…read moreshow details of all the tests and answer any questions without rushing you. He truly cares about his patients!

From the owner: We are an ophthalmology practice that specializes in treating diseases of the retina, some of the…read moremost common being macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and vein occlusions amongst other things. Our physicians are ready to help you with all of your retinal needs!

What a kind doctor!…read more I was cleaning my face with tea tree oil and, of course, the klutz that I am, got some directly in my eye around midnight. I had an early morning flight and was in full on panic mode. Despite the late hour, the Dr. took my call and saw me immediately. I don't know what I would have done without him. Thank you!!!

Thank you Dr. Weise! I was in pain and scared I had damaged my eyes, he answered the phone right…read moreaway and squeezed me in within the hour. He is a kind, patient man and I am so grateful I found him today.

Dr. Rosberger and his staff are probably the best retina specialist office I have ever been to. I…read morehad a retinal hemorrhage emergency and was originally referred to a retina specialist office in Greenwich Village. I waited over 3 hours past my appointment time and the Dr. had terrible bedside manner and barely took the time to explain to me my issue before she stuck a needle into my eye. I found MaculaCare and came to Dr. Roseberger for my follow up visit instead of the retina specialist in Greenwich. His staff, especially the front desk Crystal was so kind, patient, efficient throughout the whole process. Dr. Roseberger has excellent bedside manner, he saw me on time, he took his time to explain everything to me and was very reassuring. I am so thankful to have found MAculaCare

From the owner: At MaculaCare, we specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the retina, vitreous and…read moremacula. With state-of-the-art diagnostic tools and modalities for treatments, we provide the highest quality care.

Smile was the decision of my life - Dr. Nissirios and his team throughly explained the entire…read moreprocess in a way that calmed my anxiety from consultation all the way up to surgery day. The surgery itself was painless and only took about 20 minutes - I was able to see that same night and 1 day post op today and went in for a post op check up - was able to do the eye test and got 20/20. Highly recommend going for consultation and getting smile if you're eligible!

The hygienist Misha (sp?) and the admin Shadé were patient, kind and helpful. Also thoughtful and…read morewarm. Dr. Nissirios was also professional and patient, taking time to answer my questions and explain how the eye wears with age. It was a simple and pleasant visit - an annual eye exam and glasses and contact prescriptions.

I generally don't write reviews except for outstanding service…read more I have had several eye operations over the years and most of them were fairly unpleasant. The surgeons were generally not very responsive and one procedure had to be redone, basically due to poor planning. So I was not expecting a positive experience when I learned I needed cataract surgery for both eyes. Since I would be having the lens replacement procedure anyway, I was also interested in lenses that would correct myopia. Even though I did extensive research on options for replacement lenses and talked to people who had had this surgery, I was overwhelmed by the range of possibilities and the pros and cons of various lenses. The more I read the more confused I got. I originally had a consultation with a surgeon associated with the ophthalmologist on my insurance plan, but the visit was rushed and he really didn't pay much attention to the question I had about the possibility of two different lenses; one for close up and the other for longer range. There was a lot of sales pressure to schedule the procedure soon and they were really pushing an expensive laser device that didn't seem to offer any real benefit. I also could not get a solid price. A close friend suggested I try Dr. Evelyn Icasiano. My initial consultation with Dr. Icasiano was thorough and she asked far more detailed questions than the original Doctor I consulted did. She went through a long list of specific questions about my daily activities and what my job was - I spend a lot of time in front of a computer monitor and do a lot of print reading for work. My hobbies and exercise require good mid to longer distance vision, and she recommended two slightly different lenses; one to support my work requirements and one geared towards my sports activities. At the end of the visit I felt like she was very invested in find the best possible solution for me; she was able to distill a lot of technical medical information into layman's terms and present it a manner that made sense. There was no sales pressure and she quoted a firm price on the spot that was very reasonable. I did most of the scheduling with her office by email - very convenient. There was an insurance issue with a prescription for one the eye drops as well as a few other questions; the office was very prompt responding and got it resolved that day.. The hospital staff at Mount Sinai was cheerful and efficient; both Dr. Icasiano and the anesthesiologist came in before and reviewed the procedure and what to expect. The procedure was quick and basically painless. There was some discomfort after the anesthesia wore off and I didn't feel up to doing anything the rest of the day. The next day was better and I felt up to a long walk, as any vigorous exercise is prohibited after surgery. Although I could see as soon as the bandage came off the next day, it took a few days for my vision to really clear up, and at the follow up a few days later I was amazed to learn the vision in my eye was now 20/20. Some things to keep in mind: There is a two week wait between surgeries if you are doing both eyes, so if the surgery is also correcting myopia, one eye will have perfect vision and the other will still be nearsighted, so reading and computer work will be an issue. You won't be able to take the lens out of your glasses on the side with the new lens and wear them. It seems like it should work, but it won't. You'll have double vision. If you normally wear contacts, you can just use a contact in the other eye and that works. I had worn glasses, but had worn contacts before and was familiar with how to use them, and Dr. Icasiano was able to prescribe a few temporary contacts until the second operation, which made it possible to read. There are a LOT of eye drops, and you have to do them four times a day, and you need to wait five minutes between applying different drops, so that's 20 minutes of eye drops four times a day. Schedule accordingly. I could not be more pleased with the results and the process, and if you are considering any kind of ophthalmological procedure, I give Dr. Icasiano the highest possible recommendation.

Dr. Auerbach is a fantastic ophthalmologist! I've been seeing him for a few years now and he's…read morealways able to accurately and quickly diagnose any eye issue I'm dealing with. Since switching to contacts I've had a couple eye issues that have popped up. It's always good to visit as Dr. Auerbach is actually really funny and good conversationalist. Beyond that though he is extremely knowledgeable in his field and very skilled at breaking down diagnoses. Lastly, the office manager is really nice too. Overall great eye dr experience.

Being a New Yorker can take a real toll on your spirit, body and mind. Anyone who wakes up before…read morethe sunrise in New York knows battling for a spot on the 6:00 am train alone can age you by five years. A few weeks ago, during my daily Manhattan mayhem, I started to notice that the street signs and subway arrows seemed to blur together. 95th and Broadway started to read 9th & Bradway; I was even having trouble making out the prices on the Dunkin Donuts menu not that it matters because after multiple trips to and from America's favorite coffee chain store, I've got most of their products memorized. After days of experiencing on again, off again blurry vision, I knew it was time to make the dreaded eye doctor appointment. I say "dreaded" because my experience with eye doctors in the past was just that. When I was younger I was diagnosed with a lazy eye, so was in and out of eye doctors until I grew out of the problem. From the age of about 6 to 16 my nose was pinched under a pair of glasses, and my eyes were poked, teased and dilated year after year. I had not visited an eye doctor in about 8 years and hoped whatever was causing my blurred vision could be easily treated. I began to cruise around my insurances website, looking for an eye doctor who was in walking distance of my apartment so that I could avoid giving the MTA any more of my hard earned income. I quickly came across a 315 Central Park West office, conveniently located on my side of town. I gave the office a call and because I needed to see someone after 3pm, was told to schedule with Dr. Robert Auerbach. I came to find that Dr. Auerbach only treats patients in the Upper West Side office on Tuesdays and Thursdays. His hours are wonderful for us working class individuals because unlike many offices in New York he has later availability. I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Auerbach at 4:00 and after my usual chaotic day at work rushed myself to the office. I arrived to 315 Central Park West, early and had a moment to take in the incredible building. The building is beautiful, my first thought was "so this is what Cinderlla's Castle looked like". The building is made up of some offices and apartments, and I thought to myself if you don't work in this building....what do you have to do to live in it? Anyway, I entered Dr. Auerbach's office early, and was able to be seen almost immediately. There was zero wait time. His office assistant was warm and friendly and Dr. Auerbach was just as charming. I was quickly thrown back to my 6 year old self, when Dr. Auerbach pointed me in the direction of the bear like 'eye exam chair'. However, the exam itself was nothing like what I had experienced before. Dr. Auerbach did not just throw my head back and squirt a bunch of chemicals in my eyes; instead he sat down with me like an old friend, and truly listened to what I was experiencing. We even went over my family health history as well. When Dr. Auerbach did exam my eyes he did so carefully, and listened to my concerns about having my pupils dilated. I was afraid the dilation would affect my vision and had a writing assignment to complete that evening, Dr. Aurbach respected my concerns, and was careful to move quickly to get me in and out of the office in order to allot enough time for my eyes to go back to normal. Dr. Auerbach diagnosed what was wrong with my eyes, and I was happy to learn that it's nothing a few hot compresses and a little bit relaxation can't cure. Dr. Auerbach coached me on how I have great vision but some slight inflammation in my eyes, and explained that we should try the holistic approach, instead of going ahead and prescribing a bunch of eye drops. He did not push me into a prescription of any kind, or a procedure of any kind. Instead, just gave me tips on what I can do at home to improve the condition. Dr. Auerbach is very knowledgeable, courteous, and has a very warm personality. He takes his time to listen and understand any and all of your concerns and does not just shove a bunch of machinery in your face and tell you to read through it. I also observed Dr. Auerbach speak with other patients and you can sense how much he really cares and loves his job. Scheduling with Dr. Auerbach is a real treat that your eyes will Thank You for. By. Theresa Ahearn