*** A MUST READ if you are considering becoming a patient here
It took me a while to process the freight train that hit me and write about my experience.
I arrived at the office early, as a new patient, to complete my paperwork. The girl at the desk was somewhat helpful and friendly. I waited about 15 minutes beyond the completion of my paperwork to be taken back.
Andrew greeted me and spent about 20-25 minutes assessing my vision. He really listened to my vision concerns and took the time to see what my corrected vision may be.
When Dr. Blaze got to my room he did three different quick distance segments - red/green, questions. Then he came up for close vision and did two to three vision questions. This was followed by some type of "does this look less clear the further away it gets?" type of questioning. He then proceeded to hit me with rapid-fire options about contact/glasses options. I explained that I struggle with dizziness and dry eyes, so he eliminated an option. This was all done in about 8 minutes and he turned and said, "it was nice to meet you," and was going to leave. I was left a bit overwhelmed by the options, but far more concerned at the lack of treatment. He was perturbed by this and asked what he could do for me, so I expressed that my right eye had issues with blurred vision while my left saw more clearly, and he responded, "I know, that's why I am righting the prescription for different strengths." And I was like, "ok, whew," and then he left. I spent far more time with Andrew then I did with Dr. Blaze, but the experience worsens.
I went to see the man who works with the glasses. At this time I found out that the prescription showed that my left eye was worse than my right. I explained that this wasn't correct. He told me that I would have to make an appointment to return. Ok, why?? I am sitting right here, right now, I was confident it was just a mistake in the writing since I had just discussed this very issue. This man proceeded to tell me that I may "feel that my right eye is worse, but that the machine is telling me that my left eye is worse." Hmmm. After a great deal of insistence, I was put back in a room and made to wait, again, for Dr. Blaze.
Once he finally came back to see me, his first words "so you think I am wrong?" I tried to explain that I thought the left and right eyes numbers were just reversed because one was hand-written, but I never had the opportunity to finish my sentence because he kept interrupting me. I asked if I could finish and he told me, "you've said plenty." He said, "do you want me to check your vision again or not?" Due to a great amount of discomfort I relented and said, "No, I do not." I also requested that my appointment be credited. He turned to his assistant and said, "credit her VSP and get rid of her."
I did remind him of the conversation about the right eye and he "uh huh'd" me and I said that he told me he was writing the prescription stronger for the right eye and he responded, "no, I never said that." Ok, well, this is interesting. Either he intentionally wrote the prescription stronger for the left eye, knowing my right eye was weaker, or he simply led me astray in the original meeting and did not address my concern. Either way, incredibly unprofessional. Did he think I would not notice when I got the glasses? I was too shell-shocked during his berating to realize this.
Two hours and fifteen minutes, and tears. Doctors should never treat patients this way, if only accountability was an easier process.
P.S. - I have a wonderful optometrist now who is patient and kind and listened to my concerns and explained things I never even asked him to. He spent far more time with me as a new patient, but less time in the office overall. And, my left eye is NOT worse than my right and my new glasses say so. read more