It's quite a jump from one star to four, and I'll try to explain how I came to this update…read more
I got a call from Dr. Marshall the other day, who told me he'd seen my post on this site. He called not to dispute it, but to apologize for any mistreatment, whether real or perceived. It was a conference call, and Amber (who was also involved in the initial review) took part in the conversation. Both Dr. Marshall and Amber were very professional in their words, and I felt they were both sincere. Before the end of the call, Dr. Marshall offered to re-examine my mother, if only to verify Dr. Ritter's results, at no charge to us. He said he would open a space in that afternoon's schedule if that would suit us... and so we went.
Dr. Marshall was nothing if not polite and professional. He came into the exam room (with my wife and me present), and began the consult. Several things became apparent before long: First, Dr. Ritter's numbers appeared to be correct, and Second, my mom's frustration at her inability to see properly (with the glasses) continued.
At this point, Dr. Marshall described the current state of my mother's eyes, and explained the limitations that corrective lenses could be expected to yield. He suggested we explore a number of options (low vision tools) that my mother could try - and offered to schedule a consult with a colleague at Duke that specialized in this.
It was a bitter pill for my mother to swallow: to come to the realization that her poor vision even with the new glasses was a function of the state of her eyes, and not of an incorrect refraction. Nevertheless, it was the missing key to the earlier appointments, and what allowed me to write this update: we finally had the information that allowed us to understand her condition more holistically. It was the information that, had we been told it by Dr. Ritter in April, would have resolved this matter at that time.
Speaking of which: We received a phone call the following day from Dr. Ritter. He also apologized for the breakdown in communication, and left us feeling both heard and respected.
I know that this must have been as difficult an exchange for Dr. Marshall and his associates as it was for us, yet they took the initiative to resolve our complaints, and left me feeling that they, and their business, were both honorable and trustworthy. Quite a change from my original review!
And so why, despite the original expense and improper placement of the bifocal segment, do I now rate them worthy of FOUR stars? It's because I have found that, although it is often hard for people to discuss matters openly, honestly and frankly - especially when one is needing to accept blame (whether merited or not), in order to move on and continue to improve, these folks - Dr. Marshall, Dr. Ritter, and Amber - were all willing to do so, and thus help us to feel served. That takes a lot of guts, and I truly appreciate them for that. I will not hesitate to utilize their services in the future.
