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I am a 51 year old presbyopic doctor who went to LVI in Garden City, NY in the hope a getting my eyeglasses forever by getting monovision LASIK done. A young Optometric "doctor"(not ophthalmologist medical doctor) Dr.

Jae Lee told me monovision is not good for me because my brain is too sharp and I will have depth perception and I will have difficulty inserting IV to my patients. She persuade me to do LASIK distant vision correction for both eyes instead and wear reading eyeglasses to read fine prints. She then proceed to write in my chart that it was "patient doesn't like monovision" without my knowledge. I then was supposedly offered a good deal by the office manager Michelle Uruena as sales talk which I so stupidly believe.

I did not even see the surgeon before LASIK. I then went for LASIK distant vision correction for both eyes. 2 hour after, I told Dr. Lee I can see distant clearly but lost vision for anything under 20 feet.

She reassure me over the phone it is OK. At post-op day 1 visit, I told Dr. Lee I cannot see clearly anything under 20 feet. She just told me to get a reading glass at Walgreens and left a technician Andrea to deal with me defensively.

Dr. Lee apparently did not tell me that with both eyes corrected for distant vision, my presbyopia will get worst. She kept telling me my near vision will improve and to trust her. I demanded to talk to the surgeon Dr.

Garrana whom I then realized is an independent surgeon who go from one state to another to do LASIK. Dr. Garrana only come to this particular center twice a month to do a Lasik. It took Dr.

Garrana 5 days to call me. Dr. Garrana then told me that Dr. Lee should have given me a monovision contact lens trial first before saying that monovision is not good for me.

I was then given a contact lens monovision trial which my eyes and brain quickly adjusted without any problem. Dr. Lee felt so embarrassed and she did not schedule a one month follow up visit with me. I requested and insisted for the one month follow up visit.

I told Dr. Lee I like the monovision contact lens trial and my brain adjusted to it quickly without problem, no difficulty of depth perception and dizziness. Dr. Lee kept telling me to re-consider not doing monovision enhancement without giving me any reason.

I am now scheduled to see the surgeon Dr. Garrana in 2 weeks to re-evaluate my left eye for possible enhancement monovision LASIK.

This (second time LASIK) enhancement LASIK could have been avoided had optometrist Dr. Lee gave me the monovision contact lens trial during the first office visit, and had the office manager Michelle did not rush me into accepting the good deal and persuade me to do the LASIK as soon as possible.

Beware of LASIK Vision a Institute. It is a LASIK mill who wants fast money.

You don't see the surgeon before and after LASIK. You are left to follow up with a young inexperienced optometrist who claimed to be a medical eye doctor. Beware! Beware!

Go to other LASIK center with a surgeon who will evaluate you pre-op and follow you up post-operatively.

Don't go to LASIK Vision Institute because of the lower price. Lower price means cheap quality care.

Monetary Loss: $3000.

Location: Garden City, New York

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Guest

I understand this is a "pissed consumer" site but really? Optometrist bashing of the whole profession because you're disgruntled about LVI?

Please stop bashing when you are uninformed. Optometrists go to school for 4 years undergrad, 4 years doctorate level and residency (usually 1 yr) which equals 9 YEARS of schooling!! This is with NO TIME OFF - including summers. It is a grueling, very focused program.

They are called "doctors" because THEY ARE doctors. No, they are not surgeons and don't claim to be. They are primary eye care doctors.

Your complaints should be focused on LVI who tells them what services to push. This is obviously not a reputable place to get your Lasik done.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-969840

Obviously Eyeseeu is a guilty optometrist! Sorry if you got offended, fake doctor.

Guest

To Anonymous: you should understand that LVI Garden City optometrist Dr. Lee tells her patients (whom they screwed up) that "it is OK to wear eyeglasses after Lasik, at least they did not get blind".

What kind of doctor tells her patient that? Only an insensitive unethical "fake" doctors tells that to her patients.

A 4 year degree optometrist doesn't have the medical knowledge of a full pledge medical doctor! They should not be addressed as doctors!

Guest

Please understand, people: no matter which ophthalmologist you see anywhere for any kind of care, the MD will not do all of the testing. All ophthalmologists use technicians and/or optometrists before and after the MD's do their part.

Doctors of Optometry are 4-year-graduate-degree primary eyecare specialists, and ophthalmologists are eye surgeons.

Optometrists are specifically trained in eye surgery comanagent, but anyone working for any discount or chain retailer is not to be trusted!! DO NOT allow an unethical business like LVI to influence your opinion about an entire profession!

Guest

NCOD, you cannot call a 4 year course as doctorate degree! A 4 year course is "Bachelor" degree.

After Bachelor degree, you study further to have "Masters" degree. Further studies make you become "Doctorate" degree.

By no means can a 4 year rushed course make you a medical doctor. An optometrist is a "fake" medical doctor.

Guest

"Good Grief" is an optometrist who is trying to defend herself! For patient's sake, please stick in doing eyeglass.

Do not pretend to be a doctor after 4 years of school. Do not try to diagnose and do quack surgeries.

STOP hurting patients. Be professional!

Guest

Optometrists remove foreign bodies all day long.

Optometrists treat glaucoma, eye infections, lid inflammation, kids, adults, and everything in between.

But you are right...our local emergency room will throw sulfa on any "red eye" and tell them if it's not better tomorrow, go see the optometrist across the street!

Guest

NCOD, I agree with Liman. I still do not agree to call a 4 year optometric degree a "doctorate" degree.

Optometrist cannot even remove a foreign object in your eye and yet they call themselves doctor.

Current healthcare system uses physician extenders to see patients and it is scary. A lasik center should use an ophthalmologist and not an optometrist to do pre-op and post-op exam.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-815340

It's inappropriate to form opinions about things you don't understand. Optometrists receive the same quantity of medical science training as MD's, and they DO remove foreign bodies.

Optometrists specialize in primary care for the eyes and ophthalmologists are surgeons. Optometrists are specifically trained for surgery comanagent, but ANY employee of any such cheap, fly-by-night "eyecare" places, including chain optical stores, are NOT to be trusted!!

Guest

You are correct that low price LASIK usually equates to cheap quality care. You get what you pay for.

What did you expect, honestly? There is a reason other places cost more... better quality results and better quality care. However, your story has nothing to do with having being seen by an optometrist for pre- and post-operative care.

At MANY Lasik centers across the country, optometrists are the GOLD STANDARD for providing pre- and post-op Lasik care, and you only see the surgeon afterward if there is an actual infection or complication. Unhappy patient with blurry vision does NOT count as a complication from surgery. True, the optometrist should have trialed you in a monovision contact first. You went to a cheap place and got cheap service.

But optometrists ARE MEDICAL PHYSICIANS and attend 4 years of DOCTORATE level school, just like ophthalmologists.

They are certainly trained to give pre- and post-op care, so for you to say that they aren't is simply misinformed. You should have chosen a better surgery center.

Guest

It is so scary how LVI Garden City does business. Employing an optometrist (not an ophthalmologist medical doctor) to do pre-LASIK eye exam is definitely the most scary part here.

An optometrist is not a medical doctor. Also, using an independent eye surgeon who does surgery from state to state ,and only does surgery at Garden City twice a month is even more scary. If something goes wrong after LASIK, you have to wait at least 2 weeks to see the surgeon again? This is totally unacceptable.

Also, by giving false advertisement of $299 for LASIK says it all about LVI at Garden City. I suggest you file a complain with Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General. LVI operates in several states and it's headquarter is located in a Florida. You can file a complain at LVI headquarter.

There is an online news saying LVI is losing money and might file for bankruptcy. It is a shame how businesses out there just want your money in return for poor services.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-792735

Optometrists are physicians, just like opthalmologists, sweetie pie. They both attend 4 year doctorate programs and both are licensed to diagnose and treat eye disease with prescription drugs.

Guest

Very funny considering you are the " :grin educated doctor"!!! Perhaps you should do your research and stop blaming others for your haste in doing surgery....just saying I had my surgery here and it seems as though you are a typical OCD patient.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-792704

You don't know *** about what you are talking about. You must be paid by LVI to promote their business.

LVI sweet talk you to lure you into doing business with them.

You must be their paid promoter. What a pity!

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-792704

To Anonymous: All patients should be treated with respect. When a patient is not satisfied with the result of his or her treatment, the doctors should attend to him or her immediately and do the necessary corrections ASAP.

You probably are one of the lucky patient with good outcome. Perhaps you should just be thankful that the procedure went well for you and don't dwell on the misery of others. Observe the Golden Rule.

:) :roll

For the patient above who started this thread of conversation, I wish you well. I heard quite a few bad comments from my friends about LVI in Garden City.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-792704

This is the way I looked at your comment, Anonymous. This is the site for pissed customer to vent.

Obviously, you are connected somehow to LVI for you to comment that way. It's so sad that you don't believe in the complain. I am glad people write their complains in this site to warn other customers.

And we should thank them for that.

Just out of curiosity, how much did LVI pay you, Anonymous?

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-792704

Very scary! If LVI Garden City can fool and lure an educated doctor into having LASIK without full evaluation and not having him try contact lens first, how much more about us the lay people whom they can fool, isn't it?

I believe there is no such thing as OCD patient. A patient has all the rights to complain if he doesn't feel well after the procedure. I honestly believe a medical doctor should evaluate a LASIK candidate, not just an optometrist who is acting like a medical doctor. An eye surgeon should always be available immediately in a LASIK center for emergencies.

It is scary to think that an eye surgeon is only available in the LASIK Center 2 times a month (2 half day a month). Thank you very much for the doctor who started this thread of conversation. I know now where to go get my LASIK done.

Definitely, NOT in a LASIK mill like LVI Garden City with an impostor optometric doctor and some technicians. Shame to LVI Garden City.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-792704

Sorry Anonymous, but I agree with liman. LVI Garden City is the worst LASIK center I have ever been.

You don't get to see the eye surgeon until the procedure itself. The eye surgeon doesn't even say hi to the patient. She just proceed to do the procedure without examining you. She doesn't even do the post-op care.

She left everything to the clueless technicians and the "pretending to be" eye medical doctor, an optician Dr. Sarah Lee. I did not gain 20/20 vision after the procedure. It's been 4 months since my procedure and I am only seeing 20/25.

You are one of the few lucky patients and you should be thankful. Don't be happy on other people's misery. Be nice, Anonymous.

Life is like a wheel. You are not always on top of the wheel.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-797424

It is the same In Los Angeles, they don't care about customers!! They just care about money, they don't care about what tha pacient is going trough!!

Like in my situation , I told the Dr about my concern. ...it's seen to be like she doesn't care.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1114698

Very true. LVI is only after money. They need to meet the quota required of them otherwise their clinic will be closed.

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