I was referred to Dr. Carey by my dermatologist to remove a small new mole I had noticed on my upper eyelid during my skin check. I'm a completely self admitted anxious medical person, especially given that I have a family history of melanoma and have been monitored closely over the years by my dermatologist. Plus, add in it's your eyelid which made me even more nervous. Thankfully I was in the best hands possible. Dr. Carey was so kind, calming, and wonderful throughout this whole process of getting this removed. His staff made everything seamless with scheduling, and answered any questions I had and were so kind when they could probably sense my panic at times about things. I'm almost 2 weeks out from him removing the mole and you can barely tell I had it taken off. I am eternally grateful for his care he has given me and feel so fortunate to have found him. Thank you Dr. Carey! read more

Dr. Tim Carey is, without a doubt, the best of the best. His expertise as an ophthalmologist is unquestionable--he's incredibly knowledgeable, precise, and thorough in every aspect of his care. But what truly sets Dr. Carey apart is his heart. He doesn't just treat patients--he genuinely cares for them. Every appointment feels like a conversation, not a transaction. He takes the time to explain things clearly, answer questions with patience, and make sure you feel seen, heard, and supported. You never feel rushed. You always feel valued. Dr. Carey is a rare and special kind of doctor, and I feel incredibly lucky to be in his care. If you're looking for someone you can trust completely with your vision and your well-being--look no further. read more

Dr. Carey Practices the best ophthalmology I have had and I am 86 years old He is caring and thorough. His office staff is congenial. Parking is easy and his knowledge in the field is exceptional. read more

A very knowledgeable, very concerned eye doctor who seems to really care about his patients. He was able to quickly diagnose a mild, non-contagious condition that I have and recommend the best course of action. Very professional staff, free spring water and coffee in the waiting room and ample parking. If I have any other ophthalmological needs, Dr. Carey will be my eye doctor of choice. I still don't need glasses yet, for which I'm thankful. The wait was a little bit longer than I expected after I arrived for my appointment, but in the end, that is quickly forgotten. read more

Dr. Carey performed upper eyelid surgery for me and I couldn't be happier. I had droopy eyelids that finally obstructed my vision. Dr. Carey's surgery improved my appearance as well as my vision. The end result is very natural and my eye sight has definitely improved. Thank you Dr. Carey and your caring staff! read more

I had a growth in my upper eye lid that continued to get larger. Following a frustrating referral process at UW Physicians that would have resulted in another 6-month wait to surgery (the earliest appointment I was offered through the UW medical system), I decided to find an ophthalmologist on my own. I was impressed with Dr. Carey's credentials and patient recommendations. During my first appointment, Dr. Carey diagnosed what was previously misdiagnosed and performed surgery the same day. Thanks to Dr. Carey's excellent surgical skills and experience, the procedure and recovery process went very well. Dr. Carey is an outstanding ophthalmologist and surgeon whom I most highly recommend. I consider myself fortunate to have found him. read more

During a project where I was working on-site for a Bellevue client, I completely collapsed right at the carpeted entree to my squalid beige contractor cube. It is a sad testimony to the company I was working with that people just apparently milled past me without much concern that I was, you know, sprawled out like something dropped out of a plane. Or I assume that's what happened; all I know is I felt faint, collapsed, and awoke with the carpet pressed firmly into my cheek...oh, and I couldn't see. I struggled up, sure I was going blind. I have no experience I can relate to this; nothing comes close to the panic I felt. I was sure my vision was just gone. I fumbled to pull out my insurance card from my purse, but couldn't see well enough to find it, much less read it. I was almost hyperventilating from the panic, and already, in my head, I was taking rapid-fire inventory of how I could sustain myself and my boys without the ability to see. By the time I found the correct card, I'd assessed and rejected about thirty alternate careers. I'm only kind of joking--this panic was dark and desperate. Fast forward--I flagged someone down to help me; by now my vision looked like a kaleidoscope with black all around the edges...think "Partridge Family's bus, through binoculars, after huffing." At least, I figured, I was still seeing SOMETHING. While talking to the receptionist at Dr. Carey's office, my vision, though rippled, got progressively better--enough to drive myself over to Dr. Carey's office since I was pretty damn sure that looking for help in that office building was barking up the wrong tree. I detailed my panic, but told them it seemed to be improving bit by bit, and they without hesitation told me to come right in, they'd make room. Although my panic had subsided by the time I arrived, I was shaking from a sort of...post-panic, and practically in tears. Dr. Carey was professional but absolutely warm, friendly and supportive. His demeanor was really reassuring when I very much needed it to be. Not only that, but when we discovered that the services he performed weren't covered by my insurance, he resubmitted the invoice at a much lower price so that I wouldn't get nailed to the wall financially. This guy is fantastic, and deserves your business. read more

I had a torn eyelid, a cut tear duct, and a bad laceration on my upper cheek. The previous specialist didn't notice that my tear duct was cut through, despite my being sent to him for that explicit reason. The previous specialist also used such a thick gauge of stitches, that they began to immediately abraise my cornea after he initially stitched up my eyelid. I count myself extremely lucky that we happened upon Dr. Carey, as he was coincidentally in such close proximity. Dr. Carey's wonderful front desk got me scheduled less than 24 hours after our initial phone inquiry (72 hrs after injury). Within 5 minutes of my visit, Carey informed me that my tear duct had in fact been cut through, "I put the instrument in there and I can see it poking out." Dr. Carey got me scheduled for emergency surgery in the Univ Wash operating room that very same night. 8 hours later, after a one-hour surgery under full anesthesia, Dr. Carey restitched my eyelid with much finer permanent stitches (rather than the thicker dissolvable garbage from previous specialist). Now I could actually get relief from the non-stop scratching on my cornea. Dr. Carey stitched up my badly cut cheek like a master craftsman. He used tiny stitches and expertly line up both sides of laceration. It is now 5 months later and the injury is virtually invisible. And lastly, Dr. Carey ran a 3 inch plastic tube through my tear duct, stitching it in place, to preserve the opening of the canal for 12 months while it heals. In summary, I got excellent emergency surgery from an elite technician 36 hours after my initial phone call. Dr. Carey is in a whole different league regarding his skill set and execution. I cannot recommend him strongly enough. read more

I can see... that this review is not for the overly squeamish (not that any of my reviews are) Imagine you wake up and your eye hurts very unexpectedly... probably pink eye I think to myself as I brush my teeth (and think about all the derogatory comments my boss will make about the women he theorizes I am associating with). I go to the primary care doc and he says, "well you have a metal shard jammed in your iris!" Awesome. So I call Dr. Carey and he saw me the same day. Although he stabbed me in the eye-ball with a huge syringe and chased that up by drilling a hole in my iris... I am not even pissed... in fact, I was very stoked. The guy took great care of me... and his assistants are even hot (wonder what my boss would say about them?) read more

If you are looking for the best, look no further. Dr.Carey and his staff are truly a gift to the Seattle area. They not only lived up to my high expectations but beyond. *** I was immediately impressed with his office and medical staff. They are professional, friendly and attentive. I have never felt so welcomed. *** Dr. Carey greets you in the same manner. Having read his impressive background and extensive training, I quickly learned Dr. Carey is not only an outstanding, highly skilled ophthalmologist but also an exceptional person. He is generous with his time, kind, thoughtful and attentive. Like his staff, Dr. Carey is truly impressive. Having written such a positive review, I know I run the risk of being thought of as a family member or friend, I am neither. I am simply an appreciative former patient who feels very fortunate to have found him. read more

My ophthalmologist found a lesion that needed tending to right away and referred me to Dr. Carey. The best referral I ever had. I was able to get in right away and had surgery. The incisions healed very well with no scarring and on my 4 month checkup, a different type of tumor was found on upper eyelid that went to bone. It was successfully removed last week. I found the waiting room comfortable with many pictures and awards of a very skillful physician and surgeon from military service in trauma unit to Seattle's top doctor, several times and someone who has been used by the Seahawks and Huskies. Sometimes there has been a wait to see him for a scheduled appointment but the wait is worth the time he give you when it is your turn to see him. Dr. Carey is incredibly skilled, confident and sets you at ease. He works well with his anesthiologist and staff. read more

I was referred to Dr. Carey by 2 other people in my place of employment who had used him for eye surgery and had a very good experience. From start to finish I have to say that I had a great experience with this office. The staff is very nice and professional and the doctor and anesthesiologist were top notch and very skilled. I felt completely comfortable from the consultation appointment to my suture removal. People keep asking me who I went to and I always refer them to Dr. Carey. The results are beautiful as I knew they would be from what I had seen before. Thank you Dr. Carey and your team for a great experience. read more

I was a recent new patient of Dr. Carey, after receiving strong recommendations from a couple of friends. I was so glad that I took their advice to see him about a white bump on my upper inner eyelid waterline. It turned out I needed surgery to remove a growth. Dr Carey explained the condition in great detail to make sure that I knew all of the facts, and eased my concerns about surgery. I am a worrier, but he addressed all of my concerns and validated all of my feelings. At the time, I was unaware of the extent of this incredible credentials. He is kind, extremely intelligent, yet very down to earth. The entire staff was also so warm and compassionate and made me feel very comfortable, assuring me that I was in good hands for the upcoming surgery and that he had performed thousands of the same procedure. My surgery went very well and I was surprised how fast I recovered, and my eye is now completely back to normal. Dr. Carey had suggested homeopathic remedies (in addition to the standard medications) to speed up recovery and reduce bruising/scarring which also impressed me. I cannot recommend Dr. Carey highly enough! He is a highly skilled ophthalmologist and surgeon, has the depth of knowledge and experience one looks for, and really demonstrates how much he cares for his patients. read more

This guy has got to be the best, or close to it. I had a tricky situation with what was always referred to as a "birthmark", or aggressive lesion, on my lower left eyelid. Dr. Carey had done a wonderful job of reducing its size back in 2001, but as was expected, it had grown back somewhat. I decided to try and take care of it for good, and Dr. Carey agreed to take it on. The in-clinic operation was more difficult than expected, the lesion being even more extensive than anticipated. However, he quickly adjusted to the situation, and did what can only be described as a masterful job. There is virtually no visible trace of the operation, quite surprising as a good part of the eyelid had to be removed. Really nice guy, great staff, can't say enough! read more

I had a DCR procedure on my right eye. But the surgeon who performed the surgery in Tacoma did a bad job, and it had to be redone. Dr. Carey did it over and did a beautiful job. He is very skilled, professional & trustworthy. I would never have surgery on my eyes by anyone else. Also, finding a board certified occuloplastic surgeon is not easy. This is not a general plastic surgeon, but much more than that. He's the best around & we're fortunate to have him so close, but I'd drive or fly to have surgery by him. read more

I am new to Seattle and found Dr. Carey through online research and word of mouth. I called for an appointment and they were able to accommodate me that week. The front office was courteous and professional. I arrived at the office and the were able to see me right on time, that was impressive! After my consultation with Dr. Carey, I found him to be very knowledgeable and he took his time talking to me and provide his recommendation. I felt comfortable and at ease and decided to schedule my surgery with him. Once again, his staff was able to prepare my case and schedule me the following week. I went in for the procedure and was pretty nervous (it's my eye we're talking about), but Dr. Carey was extremely patient and calming. He talked me through the entire procedure and before I knew it, he was done! Fantastic experience every step of the way. Dr. Carey is a class act professional. Thank you!!! read more

Visited Dr. Carey for a standard eye exam. It was very easy to make an appointment within about 2 weeks. When I arrived apparently I had my days mixed up and was a day late however the receptionist juggled some other appointments and was very helpful in getting me accommodated that day. I ended up waiting less than 15 minutes to be seen. The entire staff was so friendly and welcoming. Dr. Carey was very professional and took the time to thoroughly answer all my questions and explain everything he was doing in plain English. I felt like Dr. Carey did an excellent job and was quite comprehensive in his exam. I will definitely be back to Dr. Carey next time. The only thing I would do differently is not schedule an appointment towards the end of the day given the terrible rush-hour traffic on Montlake Blvd. (obviously not something under Dr. Carey's control!) read more

Dr. Carey recently performed surgery on my eyelid to remove a pre-cancerous mole. Despite the fact that I had let the mole get much larger than I should have, the surgery went very smoothly. Dr. Carey was so skillful that I didn't even need to use pain medication the next day and was able to go right back to work. I was shocked to receive a follow-up telephone call from him the day after surgery, despite the fact that he was on vacation! It is very rare to find this type of caring dedication now days. In addition to being extremely skillful he is also very personable. I highly recommend Dr. Carey, he is a great Ophthalmic Surgeon and great guy besides! Mike Marinella Seattle read more

I have had Graves' disease since 1978 and as a result suffered with ptosis of both eyes and eventually left eye displacement. My eyes were bulging and not symmetrical and I suffered with dry eyes constantly . Dr Carey performed surgery to correct the ptosis and eventually performed an ocular decompression of my left eye. The surgery was successful and after years of misaligned eyes I finally had the result I was looking for. Anyone and everyone suffering with Graves Disease should be seen by Dr. Carey. He is the most knowledgable physician with an extensive history of treating Graves' Disease. I have seen a lot of eye doctors over the last thirty years and he was the only one who treated my problem and achieved outstanding results. Graves Disease sufferers.....make an appointment! You will not be disappointed. read more

I had a dcr to fix my clogged tear duct plus sinus reconstruction. The surgery went really well and you can barely see the scar. Dr. Carey and his staff are very knowledgeable and helpful. read more

Dr. Carey is awesome! He is super nice, as professional as it gets and is very caring about the well-being of his patients. He has a way of making you feel like family. I highly recommend him. read more

I'm a retired RN and never thought I'd choose a Dr from an internet search but soon after arriving in Seattle and knowing no one I developed yet another eye infection due to blocked tear ducts. I'd suffered with this for years and had had no satisfaction with eye Drs in NJ. As luck would have it my search turned up Dr Carey. Truly my lucky day! He examined me, diagnosed me, came up with a treatment plan and scheduled my surgery in one visit. He did DCR surgery first on my right eye and then my left. I've had no complaints since. He is skilled and a true professional. Ditto for his staff. I cannot believe the years I struggled with constant tearing and gloppy infections. We're moving out of state next week and I'm seriously considering flying back to Seattle 3 times a year just for follow up. He really is that good! read more

Dr. Carey was able to diagnosis and treat my condition where years under numerous doctors including primary care, neurologist, dermatologists and immunologist could not. What I thought was going to be a routine office visit with a new doctor turned out to be the answer I had been waiting for. It is a comfort to be in such highly capable hands dedicated to his patients. The whole team at Dr. Carey's office is professional, friendly, efficient - a gem! Although my condition had nothing to do with Dr. Carey's field of expertise he was the one who figured it out and turned my condition around - amazing! Could not recommend this doctor enough! read more

A few months ago, I developed a strange eye condition and my eye would no longer drain. I soon developed an infection often accompanied by severe pain and decided that it was time to visit my doctor. My first $40 copay went toward a 4-minute visit and a prescription for OTC allergy eyedrops. In the 2 weeks following I saw numerous doctors including 2 general physicians, an optometrist, an urgent care physician, an emergency care physician, and finally a referred ophthalmologist in Lakewood who after a 2 hour wait simply referred me to another acquaintance of his for a DCR surgery. At this point I had exceeded $400 in copays and was out of patience. I decided that my health was in my own hands and was determined to find the best eye care doctor in Washington state to help me. Dr. Carey had great reviews and for good reason. He earned my total confidence in him with his knowledge of my condition, and I couldn't be happier with the results of my DCR surgery. I just reached my 1 month post-op today and can barely tell where the stitches were. He's a busy doctor, but for good reason. He's an expert in his profession and a very gifted surgeon. Highly recommended! read more

I felt it was time for a fresh look and found Dr. Carey through a recommendation from a friend. I had an upper and lower eye lift. I look 10 years younger and still myself. He does reconstruction and cosmetic surgery. Many women who have had terrible eye surgeries from other doctors, go to him to get their procedures fixed. Save yourself the time and see him first. You won't regret it. read more

I have been meaning to write a review for awhile about how amazing Dr. Carey is. I moved here 2 years ago from L.A. and have had ongoing problems with my eyes (stys, cysts, etc.) most likely stemming from some cosmetic surgery several years prior in L.A.. Shortly after moving here I developed a cyst in my lower lid and needed surgery to remove it (lucky me). Being new to Seattle, it was by pure luck I found Dr. Carey and I am so grateful I did. My only minor complaint is that you usually wait at least 30 minutes past your appointment time to see him, however once you do he never makes you feel rushed. He is very patient, thorough, kind and genuinely cares about your well being. I unfortunately need to have a 3rd surgery to hopefully correct my final issue. Even though I am not looking forward to it I know I am in good hands. Highly recommend!!! read more

I was a patient for many years, but today Dr. Carey yelled and bullied me and his staff for no reason at my appointment, and I will not be going back. Dr. Carey's staff cancelled my Friday appointment on Friday morning and rescheduled it for Monday. On Monday, after waiting 30 minutes in a room with no one checking in, I asked the staff when the doctor would be able to see me. Dr. Carey just came out then and was about to go into another room when they corrected him and told him that I had been waiting and I was next. He started yelling at me about being an urgent client, and that he had other clients he had to see. I said I had no idea what he was talking about and that I was a normal client and had never said it was urgent. Then he yelled at his staff for incorrectly labeling my chart. Then he finally walked into the room, glanced at my eye, and then went into the Hall to yell my prescriptions out angrily at his poor staff people. He never told me anything about the diagnosis and only looked at my prior medication on my chart after I asked him. This entire interaction took only 2 minutes, and he did the entire thing while my room door was open so everyone in the waiting room heard the entire humiliating thing. He told me to come back in in a week so he could perform surgery. He will no longer have my business. read more

I lost the sight in my left eye three days after noticing a growth on the side of my eye. I was referred to one of the top neuro-opthalmologists in Seattle. After numerous blood tests, CT scans and visits to an eye surgeon he seemed to be at a loss even though I repeatedly told him that I lost my sight after the growth started on the side of my eye and pointed out that there was swelling and pain around my eye. Both the neuro-opthalmologists and the eye surgeon assured me that the growth would not cause my sight loss. They could not figure out what was going on and finally the neuro-opthalmologist told me he thought I could probably see but was having a case of hysterical blindness. I immediately went home and started searching for another eye doctor and came across Dr. Timothy Carey. I made an appointment and went in to see him. He was a very good listener and told me that I needed to have the tumor on the side of my eye removed and that he would biopsy other areas around my eye because he didn't like the swelling. Because I had been to see so many doctors and it had been over three months since it all began, he said he would find time at the end of one of his days to operate. He operated within two weeks after my first visit and removed the tumor and the next day my sight was better. I now have 20/20 vision back in my eye and the tumor that he removed was the cause of my blindness and nothing else. I highly recommend Dr. Carey. He was very caring, listened well, explained what he thought needed to be done in terms that I understood and restored my sight. What more could you ask from a doctor. read more

This is the 2ND time that an error billing has been made to Medicare. It shows that I saw him in August of this year (NO!!) and when I initially saw him in May of 2010 and did not want to use him for my eye Doctor (the office is not clean and equipment and rooms are not shiny and clean either) I was billed for a presedure that they did not perform. They said it was miscoded when I complained. This time it's for $260.00 for a visit and services that I didn't have. So if this is another patient mixup - shame on him and his office staff or it's FRAUD. I'm complaining to MEDICARE now. read more

Dr. Carey was recommended to me by one of my doctors. My doctor told me that Dr. Carey saved his sight and his career by diagnosing his eye problem correctly after the emergency room doctors missed it. I think he said it was a broken blood vessel in the eye, but I'm not sure. To this day, my doctor and his family see Dr. Carey for their eye check-ups. Anyway, I had been complaining that I kept hitting my head on things and was having trouble reading at night because of my droopy lids. My eye lids had never been the same after I had facial trauma (in my early 20's) when our car went over an embankment. That said, being a little droopy young, turns into being a lot of droopy in middle age. I was less than thrilled at the way, all of a sudden, everyone was telling me how "tired" I looked. My doctor told me that Dr. Carey is the surgeon patients see to fix the mistakes other plastic surgeons have made on their eyes. "Best lid man in town he told me." I did a little more research and found that Dr. Carey has treated many grateful sports stars and famous people from his modest little office and that he had gone to Iraq and done reconstructive eye surgery on the wounded. I went to see another pair of doctors in Bellevue to compare. The office was expensive, they brought me espresso, and everyone there was happy. But when I read some of those surgeons' online comments about what to expect after eyelid surgery, I realized that their performance standards were lower than Dr. Carey's, in spite of their spa-like office. I don't have a lot of money, and my insurance wouldn't cover the surgery (not until my peripheral vision was impeded, and I was already feeling like I had vertical tunnel vision) so it took me some time to save enough (a lot of it went on my credit cards too). Dr. Carey gave me a very good deal as well so I was able to get both my uppers and my lowers done. I told Dr. Carey that I didn't want to look like I had plastic surgery. I just wanted to feel better, see better, and look better. I asked him to be conservative in his approach. I didn't want my eyes to look tight or surprised. He gave me exactly what I asked for. For most patients Dr. Carey doesn't use general anesthesia, just some pills and a local anesthetic, but my doctor recommended to Dr. Carey that he use an anesthesia nurse while he worked on me, along with the local anesthetic. I was nervous about general anesthesia, but I wasn't put all the way under. To be honest it was like drifting in and out of the best afternoon nap ever. I felt great afterward too. They gave me a mirror so I could see what he had done for my eyes before the swelling started. It was great. Dr. Carey is an artist, not just a surgeon. He didn't just cut and pull up my lower eye lids, he took the fat under my lower eyelids and "moved it around" so that I had a fuller look and the dark circles and lines were vastly diminished. Also, as we had agreed, he tightened certain muscles so that I no longer crinkle up so much when I smile. My upper lids are gorgeous. Finally, once again, I have my mother's eyes. After the surgery, I iced 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off the rest of that day and the next day, and I slept in my recliner for 3 or 4 days. My eye lids swelled up like crazy and turned blackish purple. It was amazing. But all of a sudden I could see the sky without tilting my head. The world had gotten bigger. I could see EVERYTHING. The world looked like it did when I was a kid. I wore big dark sunglasses a few days later when I went out. It is just a month later and already my eyes look fantastic. I have the same minor asymmetry I was born with, but I'm getting lots of dates and I feel fantastic. I used dermablend tattoo cover (primer) to cover the last bit of bruising on my cheekbones, but I don't need that anymore. I still use the dermablend as a base before I put on my eye makeup. If they look this good now, I can't wait to see what they'll look like in six months. Are my eyes perfect? No. They weren't perfect or perfectly symmetrical when I was 21 either. (perfectly symmetrical people look oddly creepy) But they are great eyes. Here I am, 46, and I've got the eyes of a 35 year old, and they look natural. I would definitely do this again. Also, I've stopped banging my head on everything, which is another big plus. It was worth every penny, and Dr. Carey and his staff are so supportive and careful. I'm so glad I trusted him with my eyes. Eyes are his sole focus (and it shows in the results). 7/12/13 UPDATE: It's about a year after the surgery now. I don't use any cover on my eyelids, and the scar isn't really visible. It just looks like a normal crease in my eyelid. My under-eyelid looks great. It was the best money I ever spent. read more

DR. Carey did a great job removing an eyelid tumor for me. Can hardly tell which eye it was done on. Plus he is a really nice guy.

I had a successful orbital fracture surgery by Dr. Carey a few years ago. If you have an orbital fracture you only get one shot to get it done correctly, and the timing is VERY important. Make sure you do NOT delay getting this treatment. It is likely you need the surgery exactly a week after the injury. I heavily researched my options for surgery throughout Washington and Oregon. This is an invasive procedure and it has to be done right. Dr. Carey's board certification in plastic surgery for eyes is RARE and was exactly what I was searching for: the best professional for the job. Dr. Carey is an experienced combat surgeon and has done thousands of procedures. A very rare complication during my procedure would have resulted in blindness if not for his skilled care. I am indebted to him for my vision today. After several years, my eye remains 20/20, pain-free, and still looks and feels as good as 'new.' I have recommended him to many, including other physicians. If you are searching for an eye doctor or surgeon, consider this: A multimillion dollar organization like the Seahawks can choose any ophthalmologist they desire. They choose Dr. Carey. Fortunately, he does routine eye care as well, so as my need for glasses is coming up fast, I luckily have the best doctor anywhere to for the best care possible. (Dr Carey, THANK YOU for your professionalism, excellence. and skilled care during one of the scariest times of my life. You literally saved my sight.) read more