The staff is kind and helpful. The Technician, Trevor, was amazing patient and understanding to my 82 year old husband who is very hard of hearing and in a wheelchair. Best exam we've had this year! This was an appointment for a second opinion due to poor results from previous cataract surgery, so he has had multiple exams. Dr Vendal was very kind, knowledgeable and explained the findings and the way to move forward. I am less anxious and very grateful to her and her whole team. Highly recommend Dr Vendal to take care of eye health. read more

Do NOT go to Doctor Vendal. She left cataract debris in the first surgery, went back in painfully.and now I have permanent optic nerve damage and blindness.Her last remarks to me were , 'well you new what you signed the disclosure agreement.' read more

I haven't had surgery yet so far so good I'll get back to you They work with you I just wish that when they confirm your surgery that they would send you a text message telling you start the eye drops an hour before with the address so that you have it in case your life is really busy you don't have to stop and write all of it down it seems kind of primitive for somebody to call you and leave a message where you have to write all that down when all they have to do is send you a text message or an email we'll see read more

I just had an upper blepharoplasty and some Botox on my 11's this morning with Dr. Stan Saulny and I couldn't be happier with the experience. He has such a great bedside manner--super calm, friendly, and really takes the time to explain everything step by step. That made me feel completely at ease. During the procedure, I was amazed by how comfortable I felt. I could sense him working, but I experienced absolutely no pain. His precision and gentle approach made what could have been a stressful experience incredibly smooth and reassuring. If you're considering an upper bleph or any kind of eye-area procedure, I highly recommend Dr. Saulny. He's truly one of the best! Oh and flew in from Tennessee to Texas because he was the only Doctor I wanted to do my surgery! read more

Warning: Do not use Dr. Vendal at Westlake Eye Specialists. Dr Vendall is impersonal and cold. She was rough and thoughtless during my first cataract surgery. Afterward, I was in so much pain that I cried every day. During my followup exam she said that my eye was fine and that I had no reason to be in pain. "Come back in two months." I told her that I could not handle this pain for two months. Bottom line is that she used so much pressure on my cataract that she permanently damaged my cornea. The office was not prepared to handle this situation. I went to four different specialists that said my cornea was swollen and not functioning. I was in pain for 2 years until I finally got a cornea transplant. I want to thank my Cornea Transplant Donor Family and my fabulous Cornea Specialist surgeon, Dr Ryg. read more

My kids and I went to see Dr. Vendal for yearly eye exams. She was cold, abrupt and pushy regarding cataracts. I used to see Dr. Ximena DeSabra and unfortunately my insurance doesnt cover her office. Dr. Vendal and her and extreme opposites in how they practice. Dr. DeSabra's eye exam took a long time and was so thorough, whereas Dr. Vendal's assistant spent more time with me and she did a quick check on my eyes and then determined that I should consider cataract surgery sooner than later. I'm finding a new doctor asap. read more

Dr. Saulny and his Staff made my son feel very confident about a minor eye surgery. The doctor is likely the best in the State. I trust the Doctor to take his time and do incredible work without a hitch. He also does lasik, Optimologist, corrective vision, cataracts and more. One stop shop with incredible results. read more

Westlake Eye Specialists - Austin Office - Dr Saulny - Ophthalmologists Near Me - Austin, Texas

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This provider is not fully covered by Aetna as other optometrists are, there's 10.00 per patient and they kept trying to push some eye photo on my ten year old who's medical history is perfect. They could've either dialated her eye or stopped insisting, it felt more like an upsale than a doctor appointment and quite frankly I don't trust them if that's the appointment then I'm sure they'll do the same on glasses and contacts. Did not disclose any of this over the phone so I would've been forced to drive with dialated eyes I'm assuming downtown. My other optometrist is so good at her field she does eye surgery, wondering how a basic glasses place charges more with less specialties. Would not put on "in network" read more

PAIN FREE. The best eye dr and nurses in the United States.I had multiple styes and had to get them both drained by Dr Stan Saulny and there was literally no pain at all! It's like he is a magician.if you need anything done with your eyes I recommend Dr Stan Saulny.He is now the only eye dr I will ever use. It took a yr of other drs trying to help and none helped me. after suffering 12 months he finally fixed my eyes with no pain.NO PAIN and very relaxing process. If you only knew he treats the very best ppl in the world and there is a reason ppl travel from around the world to get operations. 2 surgeries and he is a Angel in many eyes and looking like brand new. read more

Westlake Eye Specialists - Austin Office - The man the myth the legend.pain free surgery every time and the best work world wide.(pain free) and very very kind - Ophthalmologists Near Me - Austin, Texas

I have glaucoma and visited Vendal. I was recommended to undergo an SLT procedure. However, the experience was unpleasant. The practitioner was rude and didn't take the time to address my concerns or provide clarity about the procedure. Additionally, I waited for over an hour before being seen, and the consultation lasted only a few minutes before she left the room. I won't be returning here; I believe it's crucial for my doctor to take the time to explain procedures thoroughly, especially when it involves my eyes. I had questions about the billing and wanted an itemized printout which I never received. read more

Would not recommend to Friends or Family. I was referred by the VA. Took 2 months to call me back to setup an appointment.

I have never had a technical issue with this business. However, be careful this business charges you extra if you need a copy of your eye prescription ($50) after having an exam a month ago. Never have heard of such a policy. I was not aware of this practice until I asked for a copy. Try somewhere else. read more

I was so enthusiastic to visit Dr. Vendal's office. Close to my home, a physician with impeccable qualifications, and her office staff was terrific upon arrival. So much so, I complimented her upon meeting. I think I was put in her life to offer the following: You have been given a gift, cognitive skills that are clearly exceptional. You are a good person and a fine physician. With that said, you are practicing medicine in a neighborhood whereby my dog receives more responsive and concerned communication at Westlake Animal Hospital. What happened? Saw the good doctor on Thursday for a first visit. She prescribes drops for Glaucoma and invites me to have surgery on both eyes. The drops, used as prescribed, have a price tag of $786.00, for three containers, and cause my eyes to become harshly red, dry, and irritated. Perhaps cedar allergies exacerbated the problem? I apply the second day, as prescribed, and it is worse, so much so, I have to cancel a weekend trip. Of course, I stop treatment and phone the doctor on Monday. In fairness, the weather is freezing and perhaps staff is not in office. I leave a detailed message asking for a new Glaucoma drop to be sent to the pharmacy. Tuesday, I phone again. A nice young women informs me that the doctor is in surgery on Tuesdays, and she will email her. I check with the pharmacy, no new medication. This is not an emergency. Wednesday, I phone, a different young woman, who informs that that she saw the "note" in my file, and began to tell me that red eyes was a normal side-effect of this medication. I read the entire indications and contraindications of the medication and 31% of patients have an adverse reaction. After I informed her that at 64-years-old, I was fairly confident that I knew when my body was having a bad reaction to a medication, we concluded our conversation, and no medication was forthcoming. By Friday, with no new medication, I phoned to cancel my next appointment for surgery, and nobody from her office thought to phone me, send a new medication, or ask if I had been cared for. So the advice is this good doctor, perhaps in lieu of your tenacity to translate every new patient into a surgery, you might consider caring for your new patients sufficiently to establish a relationship of concern, or at least hire staff who understands what that means. read more

I have received Botox injections for migraines for approx. 5 years now. These were all done with doctors other than Dr. Saulny until today. Dr. Saulny was by far the best I have ever been to for this procedure! I have always told everyone the Botox injections hurt but are worth it. When Dr. Saulny did my injections, there was absolutely no pain at all! He was also much quicker than anyone else I have been to! I would highly recommend him to anyone who needs Botox for migraines!!!! On a side note, Botox has been the only thing that has ever helped my migraines so anyone who is on the fence about trying it should absolutely go for it! It has saved me! read more

Their office ran 35 minutes late. I arrived at 12 p.m. and waited in the reception area until 12:35 p.m. I appreciated that they prioritized me ahead of other patients, while knowing I had another doctor's appointment at 2:15. All of the technicians and Dr. Vendal are superb and highly competent. I can't say the same of their office staff. During checkout, I kindly informed the receptionist at 1:55 p.m. that I had another doctor's appointment at Parmer at 2:15 p.m.. I asked, "Could you call me later today or send me a bill?" She gave me attitude and was not compliant. She said, "This ($20 NuSkin test) isn't covered by insurance." I already knew that as Lisa, the technician, had informed me. Why don't they sell Arbonne or Shaklee while they're at it? I reiterated to them that they were running 35 minutes late, and to either call me later that day to get my credit card information or send me a bill. I quickly rushed to my next appointment. Three weeks later, I received a bill which almost didn't reach my address as it was misspelled. A "C" was misspelled with a "B", and "Drive" was appended to "Pass". That's redundant, like saying, "Avenue Drive". Poor attention to detail. I had to call in to correct my address. My husband paid the bill on September 26 and we're still receiving a bill two months later. My husband called our bank and confirmed the check was cashed. Now I have to call Westlake Eye Specialists again to give them my transaction number. I called their billing department and she said there is a one and a half month lag between cashing the check and sending out statements. Even though Knolle & Young Associates Westlake Eye Specialists cashed my check on October 6, they did not credit my account until November 18. Unacceptable. Howerton Eye Clinic faxed over a request to have my records transferred over on March 21, 2018 and Westlake Eye Specialist ignored them for two weeks until Howerton called them. They've been calling me for the past two years reminding me to come in for a check up even though I've been telling them I don't go there anymore. read more

Appointments mean little here. I understand it's a busy office but seeing people over an hour after their appointment time is ridiculous. The issue was consistent throughout my handful of appointments, and once it was almost 2 full hours. I tried to schedule their earliest appointment to avoid this but sat and waited for the doctor to arrive for 40 minutes. When I dared to leave the room and ask if I'd be seen soon, the assistant scoffed as if I was being impatient. Had a ton of trouble getting information from the office for time sensitive matters until a supervisor stepped in. Rocky has always been great to deal with. Pterygium surgery was in August and my eye looks worse and sees worse than before. Not sure how much of that is just my luck but figured it's worth a mention if you're considering having your eye operated on. I know I was really nervous about it and now I'm feeling regretful that I did it. read more

NO! Don't go there! I was under the care of Dr. Vendal (owner of the practice) for cataract surgery. There was never a consultation with the doctor regarding my current vision, how I use my eyesight, and possible outcomes. In my opinion, Dr. Vendal is terse, dismissive, condescending, impatient and unfriendly, and she sets the atmosphere for the office staff. Communication across the board was poor. The patient in this office is a commodity on an assembly line, being processed robotically by a staff under orders to work quickly with the goal of getting the patient moved to the next holding station and out the door as quickly as possible (patient appointment/arrival times are schedule in 5-minute intervals). I have discussed this at length with the office manager with no inkling of the possibility of change in the office protocols. read more

Had a first morning follow up apt (first apt of the day) - provider was still not in the office 25 minutes after apt. I had another medical apt that I had to go to and could not wait any longer. Very disappointed since this particular day was that providers last day and I needed a follow up for my eye infection. Asked 2 staff members to have the provider call me so I knew how I should proceed with care and when to stop taking the medication. No one called and now I have no clue how I should continue my eye care for my eye infection. Front desk staff member is not knowledgeable and has dropped the ball twice scheduling me an apt. read more

Poor patient follow up. Simple refill request not being fulfilled after a week of calling, leaving messages and even speaking to someone who isn't relaying messages. Maybe this will warrant action. read more

They wanted to charge me $150 for a consultation. This was not mentioned at all when I made the appointment.

This organization is shamefully incompetent and totally disorganized. DO NOT DO BUSINESS HERE!! I have a bill outstanding of around $150 since 2020 because their billing department not being able to get their act together to bill the correct insurance company, after I've countless times left messages (none returned) and given many times the right provider. They are too lazy to ever call me back, but just keep trying to collect from the wrong ins provider. I even spoke to the office manager who was bewildered why things are such a mess. Others are complaining when I'm in their office so it's not just me. I've changed my eye specialist and anyone suffering from third world customer treatment at Westlake eye should do the same. btw, my actual surgery was fantastic! So unfortunate that most of the staff should not be employed there. read more

My referring doc stated I likely needed cataract surgery in one eye. He referred me here. Dr. Vendal immediately told me I needed it in both eyes. They had a slick portfolio full of vanity info on the doctor, and the prices, with little mention of insurance. Basically, it's a cataract factory. Line 'em up, cut it out, ship 'em out. I like a little personalization along with any surgeries. read more

My wife and I have been going to this office for more than 10 years. Dr Vendal and her staff are highly competent. The handle visits and surgical procedures with excellence. We recommend this office very highly. Phil Spertus read more

Unfortunately, I have to rate a negative review for my experience with Westlake Eye Specialists. I went in for a new patient consult and then scheduled for a follow up to review insurance/fees and get on the schedule. To be clear, I did have a great experience at the initial consult because of the front desk check in lady, assistant who performed my eye tests, and Dr. Stanciu. So now I am waiting for the coordinator to call me at a time the office set us up for a phone visit. She didn't call so I called the office and was told she was with a patient and got my info to call me back. No call back. I called for a second time that afternoon, again, I was told the same thing. I called the next day, and you see how this experience is going... I have now called 6 times and cannot get a call back to simply schedule. That's all I wanted, to schedule my procedure with Dr. Stanciu... I understand it's hard to find people to work these days, but no excuse for this to happen. Now I am forced to find a new Dr, new consult, etc... :( read more

Honestly I haven't even gone here. I just got an ad for this while I was studying and decided it didn't need a good review. I don't apologize though. You probably suck tbh. read more

**UPDATE** I have updated my review from three stars to four due to the very kind offer of the office manager, Val, to take off a chunk of my out of pocket costs to them. I am now only paying what I expected to pay for of the visit and I'm glad that only after two calls I got some resolution on the matter. They do have some excellent staff; thanks again to Westlake Eye Specialists, you definitely changed my mind. Original Review Below: --------------------------- Three stars for the experience; Dr. de Sabra was wonderful and very professional. It would be a five-star experience had I not received a bill in the mail a couple weeks later. I had called and asked them if they took my vision insurance; they said that they did. This was not the case; they were not in-network, and instead chose not to disclose that fact to me. They charged my medical insurance, using none of my vision plan and leaving me to foot the rest of their cost. I am now filing an out of network claim with my insurance to recoup some of the cost that I lost to them, all on my time. Great staff, great service, but don't trust word of mouth that they take your insurance. read more

On February 7th 2022 I went to Hill Country Eye Care at 690 Old San Antonio Rd in Buda Texas to get a new eyeglass prescription. Dr Carla Gasparini looked at my eyes and said "I am not going to give you a prescription, you need cataract surgery". As I was leaving I was handed a card with a photo and bio of a Dr Zarmeena Vendal, who is an Ophthalmologist at WestLake Eye Specialists, 20871 N IH35 in Kyle Texas. I had not requested, or was told, I was going to get a referral to Dr Vendal. I researched several places and doctors in the area that did cataract surgery. Based on all the information I found, I decided to made an appointment to see Dr Vendal at Westlake Eye Specialists. My decision was based on Dr Vandal's qualifications and the fact that the Westlake Eye and the surgery center was located only about 5 miles from my home. On March 3rd I had an appointment there to examine my eyes. Was told I needed surgery on both eyes. On March 9thI had a pre-surgery appointment. At this appointment I was told that my cost for the surgery for was going to be about $2600 per eye and that the cost was split up between different Westlake Eye Specialists and Hays Surgery Center. I was not told that I would be referred back to Hill Country Eye for a post exam. I had the surgery on March 21st. On March 22ndI received a call from Hill Country Eye Care stating that I needed to make a post-op exam appointment with them and it would cost $300. I had no idea why I was needing a post- surgery exam there when they had nothing to do with my surgery. Was told it was a referral from Westlake Eye Specialists. I told them I was not aware of this and was not going to pay them $300 for something I did not want. About an hour later I received a call from Heather Brady at Westlake Eye stating that I had to make the appointment at Hill County and pay $300. I told her that this fee was nothing more than a "kickback" for a referral that I did not ask for, or want, and was not going to do it. On April 1st I had an appointment with Heather Brady to set up the surgery on my other eye on April 11th. At this appointment there was an assistant manager in attendance, and later another manager got involved. They had all the paper work on the desk for me to sign for the surgery. The very first thing I was told was that I could not have the surgery unless I first paid Hill Country Eye Care $600 for post-op appointments. (I never had a post-op exam from anyone for the previous surgery.) I told them that I had 3 other eye doctors that I could go to at no cost to me. They insisted I pay Hill Country. I told them that this was nothing more than a "kickback" to Hill Country for their referral and I was under no obligation to pay them. They replied that they had a signed agreement or contract with Hill Country to pay for referrals. I told them that was their contract, and that I had no contract, or agreement, and was refusing to pay their "kickback". Westlake Eye Specialists then said they would not do the surgery unless I paid the $600. I then requested a copy of my medical records and left. This is a case of Westlake Eye Specialists withholding a surgical procedure by attempting to extort money from a patient to pay their debt to Hill Country Eye Care. read more

I was referred to Dr. Saulny by my PCP regarding an infection in my eye. After waiting for over an hour, he was rude and provided no course of treatment to get rid of the infection and told me to see a specialist (I thought he was a specialist). I feel that it it not only incredibly unprofessional but also unethical to send a patient away with no course of treatment whatsoever, especially with an infection that caused my eye to swell up so badly that it began bruising and I couldn't see. I called the office to discuss this matter further and they were rude and provided no help, either. I do not recommend this facility to anyone looking for a "specialist" to help get rid of an infection in their eye. read more

I went to work this morning and my contact was irritating me. I tried to take it out to rinse but it ended up tearing so I have a small piece of contact floating in my eye. I went by Westlake Eye specialist and the technician Mike was able to get the small piece of contact out and I was able to get back to work in less than 10 minutes. Thank you much to the staff for getting me in so quickly for this minor issue. Nora Great Austin Allergy Asthma and Immunology Westlake read more

I appeared between 8:15 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. (on-time) for my 8:35 a.m. appointment, and checked-in at the front desk. When asked for my driver's license and insurance card, I handed them to the receptionist, who copied them. The receptionist then handed me a clipboard with a sheaf of papers on it, and the receptionist told me I needed to fill them out and sign them before I would be seen. I told the receptionist that nothing on the forms had changed over the last year, and I have been a patient there for many years. The receptionist informed me that I needed to complete the forms anew each year. That was news to me. They could have printed out my intake forms with the information they had in their system, with only the signature line left blank, and asked me to make any applicable changes, sparing me the needlessly onerous burden of the forms, like every other doctor I see, but instead they chose to maximize my burden. On the forms, I started drawing arrows pointing at the bottom with the words "Same as Last Year" written next to the downward-pointing arrows, when the receptionist told me "You have to fill them out completely. If you are writing 'Unchanged' on the forms and signing them, it won't count. You'll have to do them over again." At that, I I removed the forms from the clip-board and tore them in half, and then tore them in half again, telling the receptionist, "No, I don't have to do that," and turned to leave. The last thing I said before leaving the office was "Do not put a charge on my Visa card." We'll see if they commit credit card fraud against me. 2021-11-08 read more

I came for cataract surgery while having a macular pucker in one eye. Some friends have had bad experiences with cataract surgery but my experience with Dr. Vendal couldn't have been better. She kept track of the pucker and referred me to a great doctor when the time came to remove the pucker. I still need only readers. I'd give them five stars, but parking is horrible, it was impossible ti see Dr. Vendal, and some extras not covered by insurance seem a little pricey. They improved my dry eye problems, so it was money well spent, but it was a lot of money well spent. If anything, they were overly prompt, so delayed appointments aren't something I've experienced and the staff has always been knowledgeable and efficient. read more

First visit. Very welcomed. Staff was superb and explained everything thoroughly. Haven't been to the eye doc in a long while, really took their time and I felt really cared for during the exam. Highly recommend. read more

Office Staff: Each very kind, calm, affable, yet efficient. Professional Staff: very knowledgeable, well informed and well trained, Very detail specific to the various test requirements of the eye illness or condition Physicians: Spend the extra time going over your specific condition and test results and making sure every detail going on record (for future tracking) is in agreement with the lead physicians. The result is in knowing they are prepared for any future conditions that may arise due to changes in the eye..... Because catching things early enough is always the key to prevention. Good job Westlake Specialists.. All of you. -50yr - Pharmacist and Chem. Engineer read more

If you enjoy waiting 1.5 hours for EVERY appointment with a doctor who is terse, brusque, makes no eye contact outside of an apparatus, and can't be bothered with any treatment-related questions you've waited at least 90 minutes just to ask, then Dr. Vendal is definitely for you. read more

My primary care doctor referred me to Westlake eye. I have never been to an eye doctor nor had an eye exam. I was told the appointment would take around 2 hours but my appointment only lasted 45 minutes. The nurse and doctor seemed rushed and were not informational. The doctor never even explained that I only needed a prescription for my right eye based on the quick exam done by the nurse. I got glasses and now I have to go back because I definitely need a prescription for my left eye as well. This all could have been avoided if the nurse was more thorough and the doctor went into depth about my eye exam and prescription. read more

Dr. Vendal is an outstanding ophthalmologist and surgeon. I was a patient for several years and Dr. Vendal truly reviewed my eye issues in a personalized way and did not lump me into a typical diagnosis. I cannot thank Dr. Vendal enough for her care and true interest in the individual patient! read more

I have been referring patients to this group for a while and recently I found myself on the other side as a patient. As a physician I have over 30 years of experience and I feel that I am a good judge of character and more specifically physicians. From the time I entered the office I was greeted by a very friendly staff and within a few minutes I found myself being tested by a highly qualified and very caring compassionate assistant to Dr. Vendal I was very impressed and satisfied with the very thorough and professional exam and explanations of my condition provided by Dr. Vendal She went out of her way to explain things in detail and I found her to be a very knowledgeable kind and warm physician. We live in a fast food society where no one wants to wait but I guarantee you that in this case any wait is worth the time she spends on every patient. I will continue to refer patients to her and I am very grateful for the wonderful attention and care she provided. I don't feel that I was treated special and I would highly recommend her to any of my patients.I am very impressed with her professional skills both scientific and communicative and I thank her for taking care of me. She is definitely a five star physician! It is without reservation that I highly recommend her. read more

First, I would like to state that I have been a patient at this office for many years and had satisfactory experiences in the past. However, my recent visit did not go well. Dr. Vendal spent very little time with me and barely explained my eye condition. The technician struggled with some of the testing equipment and some tests had to be redone. Most importantly, if you are diagnosed with MGD (Meibomian gland dysfunction) I implore you to obtain a second opinion. The diagnosis was correct, but the treatment plan was not and would have made my condition worse. I had severe inflammation and dryness. Without addressing those issues first the warm compresses, Lipiflow and IPL would have exasperated my condition and kept me coming back for more treatments. They do not appear to have the proper training and lipiflow is an old treatment. I will not be returning. Sadly it seems like dry eye has become a cash cow for some ophthalmologists. read more

The doctors have great credentials and my exam was good last year. The support staff lacks when it comes to insurance and billing. Last year, they did not bill my insurance correctly, resulting in numerous phone calls to resolve the issue. Even though I presented my vision insurance to them, they chose to bill my primary health insurance instead. This year, they waited until I arrived at my appointment to tell me that they no longer accept my vision insurance. And they told me that they could just bill my health insurance instead--and that is not the case after speaking with my health insurance company. read more

Dr. Vendal has been my eye specialist for over 4 years now. She takes great care in going over her concerns and your own. She won't hurry you along. I had a glaucoma scare with another practice and she was extremely thorough in her examining and monitoring until we both felt I was in the clear. The office is great and I usually don't wait more than 10 minutes in the waiting room. You can have your routine eye exam done there as well if you wish (for glasses and contacts). I take my teenager there too for her eye care. When it's time for my cataract replacement this is where I will be going! read more