Retina Group of Florida, Fort Lauderdale

The Retina Group of Florida and ALL of the doctors are amazing ! It’s rated very high among all of the doctors around. Some people just like to be pathetic and complain about really ridiculous things that has nothing to do with their treatment.

Great place. Doctors and staff are super nice and knowledgeable. Definitely would recommend this place.

My husband wrote a review for me to protect doctor-​patient privilege, but Retina group lobbied successfully to remove that review as ‘containing secondhand information’ (a fair point). As soon as his 1-​star review disappeared, up went a 5-​star review, creating a 180-​degree ratings review overnight! I think my story still needs to be told here on Unilocal,so here is my first hand review.
This summer I was diagnosed with retinal detachment in one eye, and referred to Dr. Anagnoste at Retina Group (Hollywood office). An appointment was scheduled, but the attending physician was a Dr. Uchiyama (Anagnoste was on vacation, and I think it should have been disclosed when I made the appointment since it was presumably known then).
After a very invasive and painful exam, the diagnosis was for immediate surgery!
This was such a shock, that my husband called an attorney friend experienced specifically in retina malpractice (don’t believe it?:
). He said to get a second opinion from Bascom Palmer, and specifically from a Dr. Smiddy. Only there did I appreciate how rough the first examination at RGF had been. While at Bascom Palmer, I not only got a second opinion, but also a third from an attending physician (not because I asked for it, but because BP practice seems to involve multiple reviews to get greater certainty in its diagnoses). The concurring second/​third opinions were to defer surgery: the retina was expected to re-​attach, and by the time of my 2-​week follow up visit, it had.
Dr. Uchiyama’s opinion was not necessarily wrong (good doctors can agree to disagree on a course of treatment), but in my case the opinions were so divergent, and the consequences of surgery were so extreme (thousands of dollars, inherent risk of surgery generally, loss of time and productivity, looking like a pirate, etc.), that I really have to wonder. The doctor read my husband’s (removed) review and contacted him to say that he is salaried, and would not profit based on «volume,» but the practice as a whole, which pays the salary, would.
Bascom Palmer’s examinations were fully covered by insurance, whereas RGF’s resulted in several bills including one for $ 80 after I conveyed the more favorable prognosis from Bascom Palmer and cancelled the surgery. The office manager explained to me that Bascom Palmer, as a hospital, basically is more fully covered by insurance. All of which leads me to wonder: why would a person go anywhere BUT Bascom Palmer: they were less invasive, did not switch doctors on me, saved me the pain/​suffering/​cost of surgery, AND were more completely covered by insurance. Win, win, win, and win.
These are your eyes. You only get 2. If you’re told you need surgery, don’t proceed directly to the operating room with your checkbook. Take a deep breath, get a second opinion, and make a fully informed and well-​reasoned decision.

I have been seeing Dr Thompson for years and highly recommend him and this group. Their staff is personable and kind. I always enjoy chatting with the front desk staff as well as the techs who do the initial exam. If you need a retina specialist, I can’t think of a better place to get treated!