This practice is really special. The highly qualified staff is both professional and friendly, loving on our husky over several visits. We feel so strongly that we make the trip from the Central Valley for each appointment and follow-up. We really feel as if we've afforded Jax the very best care (both office visits, surgical, and follow-up). As an aside, their clinic is extremely well appointed. That is, the visit notes/instructions are delivered by email (promptly) and appointment reminders by text message. Thank you! read more

Ophthalmology For Animals - Lunch at Aptos St BBQ after each visit.... - Veterinarians Near Me - Aptos, California

One of the nicest and kindest staff I have ever encountered. The puppy had an appointment for her vet but her eyes continued to get progressively more gunky and red. I was advised to come here versus waiting another 24 hours. I was able to get an appointment and I was pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome. I received the new client form within seconds of getting off the phone. There an option to have it emailed or sent to your phone. When we arrived the front office staff sat down on the floor, gave treats and lots of love. Everything was done with such care and gently to not freak out my dog. Thorough evaluation was done and I received easy instructions, a follow up appointment and medication. I cannot thank the team enough! I highly recommend coming here. read more

I've taken my pup Rolex to this pet ophthalmologist multiple times, and every visit has been nothing short of wonderful. The staff is incredibly loving and caring, always treating him like one of their own. On our last visit, Rolex was diagnosed with an eye ulcer, and they were able to schedule treatment the very next day. I'm so grateful for their compassion, skill, and dedication read more

Ophthalmology For Animals - Waiting lobby - Veterinarians Near Me - Aptos, California

I took my dog Cory to Dr. Horikawa two weeks ago for an eye checkup because i saw some cloudiness in his eyes. A friend of ours recommended this place since they had a good experience. The staff members were extremely sweet and understanding even we arrived 15 minutes late. They gave Cory yummy treats and a very detailed examination. Dr. Horikawa was very patient, kind, professional and knowledgeable. Luckily no major eye issues were found in Cory's eyes and a detailed report were given with things to look out for. The entire procedure was efficient and also fun for Cory. Thanks Dr Horikawa and staff! Bonus: the clinic is super cute with dog themed decor. And very clean. read more

Ophthalmology For Animals - Cory had a pleasant checkup experience :) - Veterinarians Near Me - Aptos, California

We've been taking our dogs to this Veteranarian Opthalmology clinic for years. The original Opthalmologist has retired, but the excellent care provided by the entire team is above excellent. The Veteranarian care is thorough, thoughtful, empathetic and without push to spend excess money. The staff is caring and personable. The office is immaculate with good parking available. I hope no one ever needs this level of care for their pet, but if you do, I highly recommend. read more

I can't recommend this place enough. My dog is reactive and has a lot of anxiety at the vet usually, but here, she was relaxed (relatively) and let the staff do all kinds of weird things to her eyes. She loved the treats and the gentle, pleasant staff. Everyone from the front desk to the techs to the doctors is a gem. Very happy to have found this place. She's been seen 3 times so far and still hasn't developed anxiety about going here, which says a lot. read more

Our family was visiting Monterey with our Boston Terrier and on the second day of our trip noticed she had her eye left closed tightly and wouldn't let us touch her head. We called an eye clinic close to our hotel and they said they couldn't see her until the next week. We started to panic and called the local emergency hospital. Thankfully they referred us to Ophthalmology for Animals. The amazing staff offered to see us that day and helped keep us calm with our many frantic questions. We are so grateful for their kindness and service. We discovered that our pup had Glaucoma and needed medication asap. The medication that was prescribed took her pain away and she was able to enjoy the rest of our family vacation. We are home now and she is doing great being monitored by our veterinarian. read more

Ophthalmology For Animals - Thank you Ophthalmology for Animals! - Veterinarians Near Me - Aptos, California

O4A helped my very senior Shiba Angel keep her vision for the rest of her life. Angel had glaucoma in both eyes. I opted for the more advanced option for Ahmed valves in both her eyes. I could not bear the thought of blinding her as the only viable option. O4A helped Angel for 2 years manage her eye care and keep her vision enough to enjoy her last years. I probably was not the easiest person to deal with as this was my special Angel and pushed for knowing as much about her conditions and options as possible. Q4A was patient with me and my strong emotional desire to do the best for Angel. They understood my anxiety and did well managing me too. In all I can't say enough about the Doctors and staff here for their kindness, skills and understanding to give my wonderful girl Angel the best care possible. Thank you. read more

Ophthalmology For Animals - Angel - Veterinarians Near Me - Aptos, California

Twice now our min-pin mix Max had corneal ulcers. Thanks to the excellent care and expertise of Dr. Horikawa and staff members at Opthalmology for Animals his eyes are well again. Every visit was a pleasant experience. The staff is so in tune with the animals and their people. Not once did they suggest using a mussel on him And he did not mind going back for his care. The office is always inviting and clean. Thank you to the whole staff. I highly recommend this clinic should your pet need eye care. read more

If you are in the area, or even if you are not, you MUST come to Ophthalmology for Animals. My dog, Noodle (German Sheppard, 5 yrs old) has had pannus for 2 years and it had severely obstructed his vision and wellbeing. I tried to treat it at home for those 2 years but saw little improvement. I finally decided to take him to see the amazing people at Ophthalmology for Animals despite my anxious hesitancy. As soon as I stepped into the clinic, all my anxiety vanished. Every single receptionist, vet tech, and doctor that interacted with me and Noodle was INCREDIBLE. I felt so comfortable in this space and they made sure Noodle was comfortable and were incredibly patient with my no-so patient boy. Within 2 weeks of prescribed treatment, Noodle had immense improvement. When I was able to see the true color of his eyes, I teared up. I hadn't seen his eyes and see him hunt for lizards or small pieces of food in years!! If you see the lovely people at Ophthalmology for Animals, you will not be disappointed with the caring, unique, and individualized care here. Thank you so much !!! read more

My dog gets great care at this ophthalmologist, the staff and the veterinarian are great!

I was able to get an appointment to have my dog's eyes checked for cataracts within a couple days of my call. The vet tech, who first examined my dog, was friendly and knowledgeable, and great with my dog. Dr. Lavalle did the full exam and she explained everything that was going on with my dog's eyes. Surgery wasn't necessary, but if it were, I'd trust Opthalmology for Animals with my dog's treatment. read more

Had the best experience. Out lab had serious surgery and the staff and doctors made us and our dog very comfortable. The doctors and staff are very professional and compassionate. read more

Alfie is the 2nd dog we've had who needed a trip to Dr Gratzek and the team.. Alfie got a very deep corneal ulcer which potentially threatened us with the eye rupturing, a surgery or worse still potential sight loss.. They got us a slot quickly (same day), spent a good amount of time with Alfie, diagnosed the issue and sent us home with a 2hrly egregious regime and an appointment 2 days later as a follow up.. We just revisited the clinic and based on their treatment and our (wifey) administration, he doesn't need an operation and is thankfully on the mend. Really good to have such a specialist within a fast drive, professional team and one I would trust implicitly to do the right thing ! read more

Very nice staff and doctor. Gently fixed my cat's cherry eye during office visit without surgery.

My cat suddenly became blind. I was referred to this clinic by my regular vet. Ophthalmology for Animals gave me an immediate appointment and acted to restore my cat's sight. The ophthalmologist was very skilled and very kind. My cat's vision improved with treatment. Everyone at the clinic was kind and very professional. read more

Dr. Horikawa diagnosed bilateral Y-suture cataracts in a 6-year-old Golden Retriever during a routine OFA exam. The dog's eyes had cleared on all previous annual exams by a different ophthalmologist, and did again less than a week after the appointment with Dr. Horikawa. People invest a great deal of time, money, and love in breeding animals, and without a second opinion, this would have been heartbreaking and the end of the line. read more

My dog is fearful of the vet and the employee's/doctors were absolutely amazing and patient with my dog. There prices are affordable, they have treats ready to help assist your babies to feel more comfortable. Everyone was so sweet and loving. I will happily return if my baby needs anything more. Thank you guys again for all your help diagnosing my dogs eyes and having the process and procedure go so smoothly for my dog and myself. read more

Wow Dr. Lavallee is absolutely amazing. I have been jaded by so many vets that just focus on the quick money without really thinking through what is best for the animal. The staff is efficient, knowledgeable and kind. Office and rooms are clean and pleasant. They also keep the exam rooms much cleaner than most vets I have been to. This practice is not inexpensive, but they don't upsell you on unnecessary workups, medication etc. So their fees are worth the money. I highly recommend them to anyone needing a good vet. read more

OFA has been awesome, what more can we say. Our goldendoodle developed sudden diabetes and lost her vision within a period of 2 weeks. On our first appointment it was noted that she had a short window before her vision may never be restored, and the good doctors reworked their surgery schedules and Bella was in for a 5 hour surgery that very afternoon. She can now see again and the aftercare and scheduling has been perfect for our long distance commute, a shave been all pharmacy refills. Would give 6 stars if we could. TY. read more

Dr. Gratzek and her team are incredible. Not only are they very friendly and professional, I would say they are miracle workers. They really helped to assure us that everything was going to be alright during the most stressful of situations. They treated our bunny for cataracts. Not only did he recover, but is back to his old self. We would never had dreamed that this was possible. We could never say how much we appreciate them and the expert care they provided. If your pet needs expert eye care, you can not find a better place to take them. read more

This review is at least 1 year overdue! Dr Gratzek & her staff are absolutely amazing!!! I took my then 12 yr pitty into her office on a "day of" emergency appointment for his eye which needed immediate attention. After moving heaven & earth to get me in to be seen.....Dr Gratzek took 1 look at the ulcer in my boys eye & said he needs immediate surgery - but I can't do it today. Being from SJ - she called another specialist in Campbell in hopes of getting me a next day apt at another facility but no dice! So this beautiful soul of a woman - stayed an extra 3 hours after work & called in support team to meet our needs "after clinic" hours. She is a straight shooter & doesn't beat around the bush - but she is caring, excellent surgeon & above / beyond all level of service! If I could I would take Deebo to Dr Gratzek for all his vet needs. 5 stars not enough - Yelp needs a hero emoji or rating for places like this!! I will be forever grateful to her & staff read more

We had an appointment at 11:20am. Our arrival was at 10:15am. We called the front desk to let them know we had arrived. The woman who answered said that there was a nurse available if we wanted to be seen early and we agreed. So we continued to wait until 11:20am and no one came out to speak too us. Everyone who was arriving at 11am, was being helped and taken in. After 11:28am multiple people and their pets have been seen that arrived after us. When we ask one of the medical assistants when will be seen because we have been waiting a long time she rudely stated "I don't know your dog's name". After we told her our pets name she went in to find out and she came back and continued to be rude saying that our appointment was at 11:20am and that it has been only 10 minutes and that would be seen eventually if we wait 10 minutes. We explain to her that someone had told us that someone would have seen us earlier and she responded that that was not true. And then the worst time was that during the entire time we were there that every white costumer didn't have to pay until the doctor came out to speak to them and then after the consul, the assistant will come out again and would ask the customers how would they like to pay. However with us, as a nonwhite costumer we were ask to pay right away even before everything was done and the doctor came out to talk to us. We felt extremely discriminated and embarrassed at how we got treated compare to every white costumer that was there. We felt that they thought that we were unable to pay for their vet services which caused a delay in our pet being seen and asked for a form of payment right away. The medicals assistant behavior was completely rude and discriminated and racist. It makes us very sad that due to our color of our skin we were not receiving the same treatment and service as other white costumers. No one has to experience this and it is completely unacceptable and inexcusable. Other than that the ophthalmologist was exceptionally was great and knowledgeable of what she was doing. She was great at her job and she was great to work with. Thanks to her we were able to find out what issues our dog was experiencing. If we were able to go back we would only go back for the ophthalmologist not for the staff. read more

Very disorganized vet practice. I ended up canceling my appointment in frustration, and because I lost trust in their ability to care for my dog. I have a dog with runny eyes. I booked a diagnostic eye exam for him about a month ahead of OFA's first available appointment. At the time of booking, I alerted the office that my anxious, reactive, vet-hating dog would need to be medicated, to some degree, for this stressful exam. I was told that their office would communicate with my regular vet about that, and I would would get a booking confirmation and new patient form in my email. I received nothing, so I went to the OFA website and filled out the paperwork and submitted it. The week before the appointment, I had still heard nothing from OFA, so I phoned to asked about their planned medication protocol for my dog. I was told that my regular vet had to take care of that "because we have never examined you dog, so cannot prescribe medication for him." Wow. You're telling me this now? So I contacted my vet and requested the anxiety med my dog had taken before, for post-surgery care, and done well on. My vet was slow to respond, but did approve the medication just in time for the appointment. On the morning of the OFA (early-morning) appointment, I went to my vet's office to get the medication, to be administered an hour to an hour-and-a-half before my dog's exam. But -- surprise! -- the desk employee told me the vet from OFA had phoned THAT MORNING and discussed this matter with my vet, and the OFA vet wanted to change the medication protocol (without consulting me first). The plan was to administer two drugs. Both drugs are used off-label for dogs, and one of them I would never allow my dog to consume because I had once been on it and had experienced horrible, frightening side effects. Because I knew that this drug is not a short-acting med, but one that is used long-term, I asked whether it would be effective given about an hour before the stressful exam. I was told that OFA might want to change my appointment to a later time, for that reason. What? So, let's review. I have no contact from OFA for about a month, then at the very last minute -- an hour before the exam appointment -- they want to change my dog's anxiety medication (without consulting me first) and change the time of his appointment (ditto). Yeah...no. Why would I place my dog in the hands of people who treat humans this way? read more

I called today on 7/20/20 at 11:30 am - 831.685.3321. I asked for a quote and got it for an office visit - $157, 3 basic eye exams $35, $39, $25 in total. However, the receptionist refused to give me a basic quote on: Enucleation (removal of eye due to glaucoma) Cataract Surgery - remove and replace the lens of a cloudy eye. I have a 200 mile round trip drive to your office. The office visit is $300. I have to pay you $300 in order to know what your surgery services cost on average? Are you kidding? I did not ask for a detailed cost estimate. I've already been to several eye specialists for my dog. I know the variables involved with an animal which is not an inanimate object. I get that. But there is a basic structure for all services, eye, dental, etc. I am doing a preliminary comparison of service costs to narrow down my vet options for a super expensive procedure. It is outrageous that prices for common procedures like Enucleation or Cataract Surgery are not discussed at the outset. What exactly are you hiding in your pricing structure? It is disgraceful to hide fees from the public and most likely illegal as well. I will be asking CA Attorney General's Office if it is legal to hide fees. I will also be asking the Vet Licensing Boards if this is ethical or legal. Do not deceive the public. You provide a service like anyone else - plumber, electrician, funeral parlor, etc. Shameful way to treat your customers and charge a $300 fee for discussing your pricing structure. read more

I am deeply appreciative to Dr Gratzek and her team. She was able to diagnose my dogs cloudy eye issues. Simple drops and diet changes and within a month and a half. I would consider this to be tremendous results. Her staff is superb and caring. Plus, they were incredibly helpful in turning in the claim to my pet insurance company. My dog loves their office, because the treats are ample. LOL! read more

I'm so grateful to have an amazing veterinary ophthalmologist so close to home. Dr Gratzek was able to quickly identify my dogs eye issue that was over looked by multiple vets. She's extremely knowledgeable and takes her time to do a thorough job and explain everything clearly. Her and her staff were loving and gentle to my dog to make her as comfortable as possible. The pricing is reasonable. read more

It's not easy when your beloved older dog starts to lose its vision, but the team at Opthamology for Animals have truly gone above and beyond in treating and managing our Golden's genetic eye condition. They are friendly, supportive, proactive, and truly care for our dog like it's a member of their own family. We are so lucky to have been referred here and would recommend this team to anyone with a pet they love. read more

I am so greatful for the care that my dog receives here at this hospital. I feel that she is in the best hands here.

This is the best place to bring your animals! Staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and so caring of your pets. Dr. Gratzek is the best! If surgery is needed, your pet is in the best of care! read more

I can't say enough about the professionalism, compassion and expertise exhibited by Dr Gratzek and her staff. My"hunkaburninglove" Henry had 2 tumors removed yesterday and given the craziness of our rules of engagement, i was afraid Henry would have to wait. But no, Henry is done, tumors removed (most likely benign) and he is back home. Besides her amazingly steady hand, Dr Gratzek was connected to Henry in the exact way i wanted him to walk into surgery. Confident and trusting. Thank you Dr Gratzek. read more

This is an awesome clinic with an awesome veterinary ophthalmologist. Five stars for sure, can't recommend them enough!

Really good! Our dog had a corneal ulcer the local vet couldn't get to heal. Was referred to a nearby vet opthamologist. The soonest they'd see him was 2 months out! With an ulcer. OFA got us in the next day. Did a diagnosis and treated it. A cure! It was worth the 3 hour drive to get him healed. Highly recommended!! I've worked in human ophthalmology my entire working life. Set up and managed several surgicenters. I was impressed with expertise, and professionalism.... read more

Took my pug in at the recommendation of other members of my pug club. Didn't know the problem at the time, but his eye looked awful! The staff said she was all booked up for the day but if I wanted to wait maybe she could squish me in. I decided to wait. Just then Dr Gratzek walked through, stopped dead in her tracks, looked at him and said, "Bing him in NOW!" She told the staff to hold her other appointments as this was an emergency. Turned out he had a VERY deep ulcer and his eye was on the verge of bursting! She did her thing, put in a contact lens to hopefully keep that from happening, gave me three kinds of drops and a complex regimen to help him. She also commented how good he was since what she was doing was very painful and he didn't fight it. When he went back for his follow-up, thankfully all was good! She told me she could check him for vision loss but it would be expensive and if he HAD lost vision in that eye there was nothing she could do about it. I decided against the expense because I am a senior on a limited income. It appears his vision is fine! So very VERY grateful for Dr. Gratzek and he staff! Can't imagine taking my puggies anywhere else! read more

When we discovered our female poodle's right eye was a deep red color, we brought her to our vet in Santa Cruz for treatment. After one look poodle's eye, our vet referred us to the Ophthalmology for Animals clinic in Aptos Village for an ophthalmology examination. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by the friendly receptionist, Autumn, who made us all feel quite welcome in the comfortable waiting area. A few minutes later, Dr. Gretzek appeared and introduced herself to us with "Hello, I'm Ann, how can I help you". Immediately, we felt at ease with Dr. Gretzek and knew we had come to the right vet for help. After a thorough examination, Dr. Gretzek diagnosed our poodle with a melanoma tumor in her right eye, which meant the eye had to be completely removed. Dr. Gretzek explained the surgical procedure, the recovery process, the medications our poodle would receive during and after the surgery, and told us that she expected our poodle to make a complete post-surgical recovery. The surgery was a complete success and, after returning home, our poodle has resumed chasing after tennis balls in the front yard, even with only one eye. We are SO grateful to Dr. Gretzek and her very professional office and medical staff for quickly diagnosing, treating, and ultimately saving the life of this precious member of our family, our female poodle. We highly recommend Dr. Ann Gretzek as an extremely competent, skillful, knowledgeable, and very compassionate veterinary professional. Our poodle thanks you, too! read more

Dr. Gratzek saved my chihuahua's eye. She was scratched by my cat. I called Ophthalmology and they squeezed me in right away. Thank God, because if I went to a regular veterinary office she would have lost her eye. They also saw my other dog who had an eye issue. Before she was seen at our regular veterinary office and it kept coming back. We saw Dr. Gratzek and she knew what it was right away. I wish I would have taken her to Ophthalmology before her issue. It would have saved my dog's discomfort and me time and money. Dr. Gratzek and her staff are kind, knowledgeable, and go the extra mile. If your animal has any eye problems, take my advice and see Dr. Gratzek. read more

Dr Gratzek is without doubt someone I trust. My dog Molly means the world to me and Dr Gratzek and her staff have demonstrated exceptional knowledge and compassion with Molly and us over the years. She's incredibly smart and practical. If there was a rating beyond 5 stars I would give it. You will not be sorry taking your pets to her. read more

I was incredibly impressed by Ann Gratzek. She clearly knows her stuff. I had taken my dog Truffles to Westside Animal Hospital because she kept pawing at her eye. I thought she might have been scratched by a cat, so one of the vets there gave me antibiotic ointment to treat the eye with. When it still didn't seem to have healed after a week, I brought her back to Westside, at which point Dr. Martinelli referred me to Dr. Gratzek. I was very reluctant because I was completely broke at the time, but I didn't want Truffles to suffer, so I took her in. Within literally 45 seconds of walking into the room, Dr. Gratzek looked at Truffles' eye with her instruments, determined there was a foxtail that had been lodged BEHIND her eyeball this whole time (poor baby!), and deftly removed it. She then continued examining Truffles' eyes, and within probably 2 more minutes had diagnosed Truffles with a completely unrelated eye disorder known as "immune-mediated keratitis", which she said was extremely rare. Truffles' eyes had always looked sort of cloudy and marbled, but I just assumed it was cataracts and no vet had ever said anything about it before. Dr. Gratzek prescribed these special steroid eyedrops to administer daily, and what do you know -- a year later, Truffles is not only no longer going blind but actually seems to have REVERSED much of her vision loss! She can actually see the ball when I throw it now, and has found even more things to bark at (sigh). And her eyes don't look cloudy or "scarred" anymore! In a way, getting that foxtail stuck in her eye was one of the best things that ever happened to Truffles, because it brought her to Dr. Gratzek... and now she can see! :-) read more

Dr. and staff are incredibly friendly and professional. They do great work with compassion. Pricey, but to be expected for a specialist. Would recommend to everyone needing an eye specialist. read more

Seriously, the top. 6 stars if you could give it. Heck, 10 stars. Great staff, great care, and when they know that something is better elsewhere- like the right kind of laser for a limited type of surgery, they send you to the best place for your pet. These are top notch, friendly and professional people. read more