Just a few things to note, so buyer beware: -I went in for a routine, annual eye exam, which is 100% covered by my healthcare insurance. However, this was billed as a "diagnostic" exam since the provider "found" dry-eye syndrome, something I never complained of or has trouble with. Result: $30 co-pay -A prescription for glasses or contact: An additional $60 -A "contact lens fitting assessment" (considered to be 'cosmetic') even though this has not changed in year. Result $70 Total Bill for an routine eye exam: $160 Be VERY skeptical of this place. I understand the contact lens fitting charge, as I have paid for that in the past, but the other two (2) charges are pure 'junk fees'. Needless to say, I will not be going back to this place. read more

They had me on hold so long one time, that I actually got an appointment set up as a new patient with another practice and was STILL on hold by the time I was finished doing that. Good luck getting a hold of anybody or your medical records. The actual physicians are excellent, but the practice is horrendously-run. The waiting room is always filled, parking is a nightmare, the receptionists are incredibly rude, and the entire experience is more like you're cattle, or just a number. I couldn't fathom going back after the breath of fresh air that is my current eye doctor. Oh, and since I couldn't cancel my appointment because I switched providers and wasn't able to let them know (ya know, because they don't answer the phones), suddenly they're calling and emailing. No thanks. read more

The doctors are phenomenal but the office staff at the Providence office location are so rude! They are a huge disservice to Rhode Island Eye Institute. read more

Rhode Island Eye Institute clearly lists pediatric ophthalmology throughout the website, but there is no longer a pediatric ophthalmologist on staff. The office staff was rude in telling me that Dr. Donahue retired and no pediatric ophthalmologist has replaced him. The outdated website provides false information. read more

i was very unhappy with her, was going to have surgery reqdy to go in or they laid me down then she said the lense was moving she can't do it. incase lense falls in eve she needed a retna specialist in the or. but she new this a head of time so no surgery and wants me to go 3 weeks to see her retna guy. 3 weeks a way there in the same building. i asked her to call me to see if we could getnthe t2o of them together. she was bery rude and i asked her to lisen to me the patient she said i dont have time for this. dr s are forgetting to lisen to patients, its all about 5he money. sad read more

The doctors at the insitute are OUTSTANDING. Sad;y. this review is long overdue. Since selling the practice to ReFocus, the staff at the check in desk and on the phones are deplorable. Staff turn over a lot and while you can find someone who is friendly, that is few and far between. Rude to patients is an understatement. Thuy are seen and heard talking nasty to patients, even going out of their way to not accommofate you. Like myself, most of the patients are older and I think they belive it's ok to be rude to the seniors. Their billing is done by another company - and often payments are not attached to your account properly. If you are lucky to have a doctor that can see you in Barrington, SK or Fall River, make the drive. Their staff are not rude like they are in providence. Be prepared to sit on hold to get a message to your doctor, or to be disconnected when someone finaly pick up. It is sad this is how things are run now, but do have faith that your doctors and their team of medical proefessionals that work with them will go above and beyond for your care. If you can stomach the bs with the front office staff. read more

My daughter has been a patient of Dr. Donahue's for 9 years. We love him. However, it seems to get harder every year to get someone on the phone, and most recently trying to get a contact lens appointment was an hour wait on the line. The morning of the appointment they call to tell me they "misquoted" the price of her contact lens fitting. I advise them we have eye insurance, and that the out of pocket payment is a max of $50 with that insurance. They call back 45 minutes before the appointment after a supervisor looks at it and says the same thing. It's maddening to wait this long for an appointment and they can't process insurance correctly. Sadly, we are going elsewhere from now on. read more

Is this an eye doctor or a germ-sharing social club? If you're looking for a vision test and a respiratory challenge, this is the place for you! The staff operates under the bold assumption that gloves, masks, and basic hygiene are optional. I got up close and way too personal with someone whose breath could be bottled and sold as a chemical weapon. No hand washing in sight, and the tissue barrels were so full I half expected them to start composting. But the real plot twist? They called my name, I stood up, and somehow Judy walked in. Who is Judy? I don't know. But I'm now questioning whether the results I received belong to me or this mysterious doppelgänger. So if Judy's reading this--congrats on your (maybe) perfect vision. I hope it was actually yours. One star for the unintentional psychological thriller. Minus several for the biohazard vibes. read more

The doctors are excellent but the call center/office staff are rude and incompetent. The wait times in Providence location are insane. If it wasn't for my doctors I wouldn't recommend them to anyone. read more

Been going there for years for my eye care. Hafd cataracts removed and am being treated for glaucoma. Great doctors and staff.

One word - rude!!! After waiting almost an hour (for a 2nd time) on hold to speak to someone in their office, the little (insert your own word here) hung up (intentionally) on me!!!!! Hindsight, she did me a favor - I definitely DO NOT want to become a patient!! p.s. gave a star - no stars is an option read more

Pesimo servicio!! La Dra. Cook no la recomiendo una señora prepotente, de calidez humana horrible, me daría miedo hacer un tratamiento con ella. read more

Awful front desk service if a doctor tell th3 assistant the patient needs an urgent appointment with a specialist within 2 days and they keep canceling the appointment that shows no sense of urgency and care for the patient.they violated the heppa laws right in front of my eyes I literally hate this place and don't recomende to anyone wait time is ridiculous read more

This is for the office staff. They are rude and incompetent. No one knows anything about you or your info when you call. Even when you leave a detailed message- nothing. The call hold times are ridiculous - over 45 mins. at times. When you check in, the front desk couldn't be bothered. The work culture there must be pretty bad- very unhappy employees! read more

Went three times and they couldn't give me a clear diagnosis or anything to help. In fact, one of the prescriptions burned like crazy and made the problem worse. They also never emailed me that apparently there was a balance, but apparently sent it to a debt collector who sent me a letter. Overall waste of time and not a good experience. read more

Another update! YAY! So I am writing this well after the appointment as in probably more than a year removed, and I can honestly say I am done with RI Eye and will be doing my exams at VisionWorks for the time being. I arrived early for my appointment and went to check in. I was on another insurance plan at the time, and for some unknown reason it took them well over half an hour to find my insurance in their system. As in they were making phone calls and typing away trying to see why their system was not accepting it. After they finally got me checked in, I think I was late for the actual appointment by the time I was in the waiting room. The older gentleman optometrist who saw me tried to put the drops in my eyes, but my eyes have always been sensitive to the drops, as it's hard to keep them open. The last optometrist I had was very good at dealing with this. I had been seeing him since I was a kid, I think his last name was Donahue. He was the best! So kind and always made me feel at ease when I saw him. But the guy whose name I cannot even remember, was the total opposite! After a few tries and he saw that my eyes would not cooperate, he just gave up on the drops which was a first for me. This office is too crowded, confusing to get to, because the stupid state keeps screwing with the 146 exit numbers, but it was confusing to get to before that! The parking lot is a claustrophobic train wreck. There is not a time when the lot isn't at 80-90% capacity, making it super difficult to back out of. On top of their office staff not returning phone calls regarding appointment booking, I. Am. Done. I don't even think they've bothered to call or email about booking my next appointments, and frankly I do not care. I am going to VisionWorks instead for my next eye exam! Simply because it's closer to my house, easy 5 min commute without traffic, so I can avoid that stupid highway. The staff is super helpful and personable. Also I have been getting glasses and getting glasses repaired here for years, and they are super thorough with their work. I would much rather keep it local, than deal with the headache of being in almost downtown Providence, with a team that cannot even find an accepted insurance plan. Stay away. This place was fine for me when I was a kid. But now I see... All that glimmers is sometimes ‍DOG SH*T! Woof Woof! read more

The associates at the front desk are rude (this happened on more than one occasion), plus the technicians are very rude. If you are a handicap person, do NOT expect to get help! Told by three different techs, that if they WILL not push anyone in a wheelchair. If this person needs to be pushed, they need either an aid, or a caregiver. The head tech (very nice) stated they will, but they do not. If any issues, please report them to their supervisor. By the way, the techs will NOT give you, their names. Not handicap friendly service. read more

The Optical Shop at the Wakefield Office, staffed today (October 9, 2025) by Deborah Murphy, Optician (RI License #OP0033) repaired my bent and partly broken reading glasses on the spot. My glasses were not originally from the practice, but she did not even hesitate to help me. I have been a patient of the practice for 30 years, have always been very pleased with my care, and today want to give Deborah Murphy and big thumbs up. Thomas E. McCay, MD read more

Took quick care of my 10 year old. Very through. Dr. Donahue is gentle and efficient.

It is pretty sad that my 2 start rating is actually bringing up their average. I received good care there for over a year, but when I had to change an appointment the troll at the gate told me I could not get an appointment for another year! My vision had deteriorated to the point where I could no longer drive and the troll expected me to wait a year to see a doctor. read more

Impossible to get them on the phone My primary care doctor tried and could not get any answer from any of there locations I have been trying for 2 months I have the feeling they are out of business read more

Horrible wait times. Screwed up appointment time. Made my 95 year old mother wait over an hour

I received excellent care and great results from my cataract surgery by Dr Jane Cook. She rapidly dispelled all the misinformation given to me by a representative who tried to sell me on more expensive implants Dr Cook told me was not a candidate for those implants andcould be refracted two weeks post op and use progressive glasses. My most serious warning regards the optometrist who told me could see me in 6 months and that it would take an additional 9 Months to get the procedure. After arguing with the scheduler I saw Dr Cook a few weeks later and was given a procedure date in the following month Dr Mishley delayed my refraction to 5 weeks post op When my progressive glasses caused pain and double vision, she consulted with the in house optician wrote a new prescription which was even worse and told me I would never be satisfied with progressive glasses. Another optometrist's technician identified the problem in minutes and my optician corrected his error in making the glasses. I was unable to read or drive for 5 weeks After 25 years if good treatment I will never return. read more

The front desk people in both the contact lens and medical sides are rude, slow, and incompetent. Something is always broken: the phones, the printer, etc. A typical phone call requires being on hold for 20 minute or more. I had an appointment for a procedure one time (snipping a skin tag on my eyelid). I was 10 minutes early for my appointment. I waited 45 minutes in the waiting room past my appointment time. I was put in a room and waited another TWO HOURS and FIFTEEN MINUTES. That's a total of 3 hours. The procedure took 10 seconds. During the time I waited in the room, I went out to talk to the front desk twice and asked for the practice manager. She was incredibly rude and said I just had to wait. I was asking if I needed to rebook because of an emergency. "No just normal busy day." Whaaaat? How is 3 hours acceptable. The doctors are good, but the practice is terribly mismanaged. read more

While experiencing an eye trauma contacted the facility for what expected to be expert treatment. My call was met without compassion nor interest in treatment without regard that I'm a patient of Dr Pearlman. They recommended I see an optometrist locally. After being treated in Fall River for a cornea abrasion it lead to a lack of concern and borderline risk of mistreatment by the wrong level of treatment, had I gone to an optometrist, as recommended by this staff. No concern, and worse bad medical advice was executed by RI Eye Institute! Steer clear of this and any place that will so jeopardize your health and in this case your eye sight! read more

I brought 91 year old patient(who recently had hip replacement surgery)on Tuesday for a visit in Providence .He went and sat down as I checked him in . The woman checking him tells me he can't be seen because his referral expired. I asked when did it expire? She said 10days prior.I said he is here for a 6 month follow up appointment that you made .Did no one check the referral date She then said that was his responsibility....(they received the referral from his primary several months prior,so they had it in their computer.All they were going to do is a pressure test on his eyes.I said I'm sure his insurance will cover this visit.She would not allow him to .She didn't even go ask the doctor.She was like a robot.Where is the common sense,compassion for the elderly population.Do you know what it takes to get someone out at this age for and appointment.I didn't want to cause a problem so we left. The patient was very confused as to why they wouldn't have checked the ending date of his referral prio to making this appointment seeing that they had it . Sad what has happened to the medical community. read more

The doctors are excellent, but the office (Providence) is impossible. No one took calls. I had to physically come to the Providence office to reschedule my appointment. This has happened more than once. read more

I had the pleasure of meeting Mena who is one of the Opticians at the Providence Office. I had arrived on Thursday, June 22 to purchase new lenses for a prescription that had changed after my exam. Mena was delightful to work with and very helpful with my selection of the correct type of lens materials and coating that I needed. I did mention that I would be traveling out of the country on July 5 and she was willing to accomodate my request for the glasses prior to that date by putting a " Rush Note" with the order. To my complete surprise the glasses arrived on June 27 and were perfect. I will be making appointments to meet with Mena for any future prescriptions or eyeware needs. Thanks Again Mena! Dan B. read more

In the Providence office, in Jan., I saw an elderly patient with a pre-disclosed handicap mistreated and disrespected, in full hearing of everyone in the lobby. Several times, a young male receptionist spoke rudely, never attempted to help and muttered under his breath. (I was concerned there could be a racial slant, also concerned because a technician should have helped, as the patient's disability was on record.) I posted about the incident and more than 3 weeks later received an AI msg. to call the Office Mgr. The operator didn't know who that is and kept me on hold, so I called the next day and was given VM for S.B. She left me a VM and I called back, leaving a clear msg., but never heard from her again, so now, more than 6 weeks later, the problem most likely won't be addressed. In my own experience, I have a good eye surgeon there; this time around, however, I'm waiting 7 and a half months to see him for the follow-up surgery he told me sometime ago I'd likely need. I didn't hear back from Barrington, so I e-mailed at "request appointment" on the main website but never heard back. I called Pvd. and was told, oh, that box isn't for you, it's for new patients. (Really? That's not what it said.) I was then made to see an optometrist first, though I described my symptoms, and the sign said I'd be told in advance the cost of any test not covered by ins., but 2 ppl said they didn't know, yet the optometrist really, really wanted me to have it. So I did and she said I have to see my surgeon. So after waiting 4 months, I still had 3 and a half to go. There must be a way to fix some of these things, especially the insolence of that young man. read more

Cataract surgery went very well.. i would recommend for surgery but not annually as the office runs behind .

Like most reviews on here, I have zero problems with our optometrist. Even when we were referred, the referring doc told me I would love the doctor but hate the office. And, he couldnt have been more accurate. The office staff at the desk and whoever they have answer the phones are rude, non informative, non helpful, and frustrating to communicate with. I was just being fed a bunch on nonsense with them telling me I havnt been since 2019, which I know is innacurate. She then informed me the staff sometimes never update the systems and just keep that info in the paper files. Like what?, so when you call and they look up your name, they may not even have the correct info? Ridiculous. read more

Avoid altogether! Expect to wait hours for a routine appointment and receive substandard care. For a simple YAG laser procedure I was cleared by Jane Cook to drive even with her knowing that I had a history of having floaters and colored halos as a result of this procedure. The only initials after her name should be NQ (in dog show parlance means "Not Qualified") not MD. As I was driving home, the colored halos and floaters appeared and then I suddenly lost my eyesight completely ending up in a near fatal car crash. If you want end up with damaged vision or dead then this so called practice is excellent choice. read more

I have been going to this place for about 15 years Always making an appointment for the following year. This year they lost my information in computer along with my appointment that I made over a year ago. After getting another appointment they cancel the day before and could not reschedule till March 2023. I like the Dr. but the front desk and appointment area are awful. I wanted on hold for the lady to give me another appointment which they hung up on me I called back and was told the manager would call me?? Why the manager can't you make a appointment.??? I had it with thia place. Made an appointment for 2 weeks with another eye place. read more

The customer service at Rhode Island Eye Institute couldn't be worse. As I type this I'm sitting on hold, trying to cancel an appointment which was made mistakenly by someone at the Institute. I've been on hold for 30 minutes, and this is my second time trying to get through. I've never waited for less than 30 minutes on hold, whether I was calling to renew a prescription or change an appointment. And when I finally do get through, the person who picks up is almost invariably rude. Although the doctors I've seen here are fine, the experience of going to the Eye Institute is always unpleasant. My last visit was the morning after a snowstorm. The parking lot was left unplowed. Elderly patients with canes, some with near total vision loss, had to navigate across the icy lot, risking their lives just to get into the facility. Patient convenience is irrelevant to this office. They require you to schedule an eye test on a different date than your eye exam, which means making two trips into the office rather than one. There is no logical reason for this. Then there is the question of competence. At my last visit, the woman who did my visual field test couldn't figure out how to turn on her computer, and then did my test incorrectly, requiring me to go through the whole process twice. I've had enough. I'm switching to another eye doctor. read more

I am writing this review NOT about any doctor at RI Eye Institute but rather the manner in which the Providence office itself is run. My husband and I have been going to RI EYE for nearly 25 years. With one exception, we have had consistently great care from the doctors there. We have seen several. Dealing with the office itself is always a series of frustrations and annoyances. The front office staff and surgical coordinators are generally rude and indifferent to patients; medical records are lost; double and even triple booking seem prevalent considering the often extremely long wait times; phones take ages to be answered; information over the phone, once answered, is sometimes incorrect, and/or outdated; there is no way to leave a message except by answering machine only during business hours and then the call is sometimes not returned; you cannot pay your bill online if you are billed for an emergency; and I have twice overheard Providence office staff in the back hallway using very off-color language about a patient. I was so exasperated by this behavior that one time I called the practice manager to report it and had a heck of a time even getting through to her. Let me be clear that my review is ONLY about the Providence front office staff. Those at the Barrington office are just lovely. Why do we still patronize this practice? The opthamologists and professional staff are first rate and caring and those accompanying the doctors into the exam rooms are uniformly pleasant. I am rating the entire practice's procedures and not the doctors themselves. read more

I like how the appointment reminder print-outs use the world's smallest font size. Is this some kind of sick joke? Of all the places to print out appointment info with small font...You know we can't see anything, right? I would assume they would use a 12 or 14-point font, but I guess that amount of printer ink isn't in the budget despite my $65 co-pay. read more

Love the care I get. But can't ever get though on the phone. Well, not true exactly. Waited online listening to the Washington Trust jingle over and over for 17 minutes, and then, finally got though, but the person on the phone's volume was too low for me to hear, so she ridiculed me for my hearing, and then transferred me to a voice message. So :sick" of the healthcare industry's automation and phone systems. Unfriendly and unproductive. read more

I recently visited the RI Institute Optical Shop in Providence. I needed new eyeglasses after cataract surgery with Dr Jane Cook. Dr. Cook and the cataract surgery team were amazing! When I walked into the Optical Shop with my daughter, we were greeted by Stephanie. I was very impressed with her knowledge and expertise! I remained seated while she brought me three pairs of frames that she chose based on my prescription and the style of my face. I had difficulty decided between the three frames. They were all very flattering and exactly what I was looking for. I chose a frame and Stephanie put all my paperwork aside so that when I returned after my eye exam today with Dr Boivin (who is phenomenal!!), I was able to bring her the prescription and we were able to complete the purchase. I highly recommend visiting the Optical shop for a wonderful selection of frames and a very talented and professional staff. read more

Today I woke up with moderate/ severe eye pain, which progressed on my way to work. It seemed as though I may have scratched my cornea, which is not an injury to take lightly. In a panic, I looked up eye doctors in the vicinity of my work, as I was on my way there and i wanted to see someone ASAP. (My normal eye doctor is 20 minutes further than my office) I dialed the number, selected the emergency/ visit option, and proceeded to wait for the operator. Once i explained my situation to her, in hopes of finding a solution to my problem, I was floored with her response. Me: I need to see someone regarding a possible scratched cornea. Her: Ok... have you been here before ? Me: No Her: ok.. where is your normal eye doctor ? Me: (I explained my situation that i have previously stated above) Her: Oh ... well why don't you just go to your normal eye doctor I'm sorry... WHAT?! I have a need for immediate assistance, I can barely see out of my right eye (or drive !!), and you basically tell me to kick rocks. But wait, it doesn't end there ! After I insisted I see someone due to my predicament, I was put on hold once more, for several minutes, only to be told "we don't have any openings, why don't you just call your eye doctor." Now I know how Mary felt when she was turned away from the inn. read more

Block out your calendar for the entire day if go to Rhode Island Eye in Wakefield. Plan on staying/ waiting 3 plus hours. This happens to my wife every time she goes there, wait, wait, wait, with no explanation but you can clearly see that they overbook even though there are several doctors there. Their website does state the you can expect to wait 1 to 2 hours which is a joke, like I said, more like 3 plus hours. I understand there could emergencies, special people (more like favoritism) etc. when you're the only Big Player in town I guess they can treat their patient this and if you don't like go elsewhere. The Good: Both the doctors and the services they offer are great so you have to weigh that factor in. There is also plenty of free parking compared to places that are located in big cities this may be the reason they can overbook. read more