Cynthia J MacKay, MD

Excellent experience. The staff was professional, although the whole office visit did take longer than I expected. I would prefer that my vision exams be done by the doctor, but my actual exam with Dr. MacKay was excellent. I had an incorrect diagnosis and problems stemming from an experience with another ophthalmologist. She listened to my concerns and then gave me the correct diagnosis– that I am allergic to the drops the other doctor had put me on. She offered affordable and conservative advice and didn’t push me to come back into the office for a follow-​up unless I felt like I needed one. She is a wonderful doctor and helped me solve an issue that was really decreasing my quality of life. I would definitely recommend.

Since I work in the health field, I like to evaluate Dr MacKay’s clinic as a whole.
I had such a pleasant experience while visiting this clinic; it’s small, but in a nice part of town. Dr. MacKay is welcoming and a wonderful doctor with good beside manner. The one star is for that. On your first visit, you receive a packet of helpful information in an organized folder, which is very helpful and nice. I left pleased with my experience.
However, I cannot believe how terribly ridiculously clumsy this clinic is as a whole. I went to see Dr. MacKay for a simple contact lens prescription. However she wrote a prescription for the wrong contact lenses the first time (picking normal lenses over astigmatism lenses, when I have an astigmatism). Then, when my contact lens providers called to reconfirm the prescription, she wrote a WRONG prescription for my left eye.
Now I have a year’s supply of the wrong contact lenses for my left eye, and wonky/​unbalanced vision. All I wanted was ONE SIMPLE prescription. This is an outrageously ridiculous mistake to make for a simple, basic task.
Not to mention, when I first booked the appointment, the receptionist was so adamant on getting my social security number on the phone, even though I have never been to this clinic. This is ridiculous, considering it could be possible that scammers have gotten a hold of their phone, prying for my social security number. This type of information should be asked in person.

If I could take away the one star, I would. I had to have two different types of glasses made, one for reading and another for distance based on her prescriptions. Both were incorrect. I had the glasses made by an optician I’ve used for over 20 years and everything was blurry. He redid the lenses, same thing. Finally I went to another ophthalmologist and he retested my eyes. He gave me two new prescriptions, I had them filled and they were perfect. Her prescriptions were incorrect. Wasted time, money and suffered discomfort. I would never step foot into her office again.

My husband and I are both patients of Dr. Mackay, but my husband’s relationship with her goes back over thirty years, and since his visual condition (Stargardt’s Disease) is more critical, I’m going to let him speak:
«Of course Dr. Mackay is a fine doctor – check out her credentials for yourself and you’ll find that they are impeccable. What degrees and citations can’t tell you is how remarkably sensitive and warm she makes you feel. I genuinely consider myself not just a long-​term patient but, after all these years, a friend. As we all age, we seem to collect more and more doctors. However, as my list of physicians grows, Cynthia Mackay remains at the very top. I cannot recommend her more highly.” – Dean Thompson
That goes for me too! – Victoria

One day I had a panic moment about a mysterious bump under my eyelid and I called a bunch of ophthalmologists to try to get it checked out. Most of the doctors said they couldn’t schedule me in for a month or two. Dr. MacKay scheduled me in for an appointment the very next day.
When I arrived at the office some very friendly receptionists handed me a folder containing all sorts of useful info on the doctor’s background, office hours, insurance participation and copayments, etc., as well as a few forms to fill out while I waited. Within 7 minutes I was let in for a comprehensive eye exam, which all new patients start with. After the exam I met with Dr. MacKay, who turned out to be very personable and attentive! A lot of other doctors seem like they’re in a big hurry and are only half paying attention to you, but Dr. MacKay was easygoing and made it clear that she would answer any and all questions that I had for her.
Fun fact: Dr. MacKay moonlights as a jazz singer! You can purchase her CD when you go to check out with her receptionist. I didn’t buy it, but I was tempted to just because I thought it was so funny.
Some info from her brochures:
She sees patients in the office on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and she performs in-​hospital surgery on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Dr. MacKay participates in HorizonHealth, Medicare, Oxford Plans, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Aetna/​United Healthcare, and Medigap plans such as AARP, GHI Supplemental, and other secondary plans. If your plan requires a referral you must make sure it has arrived before your appointment.
She specializes in comprehensive eye exams, laser treatment for glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, retinal tears and detachments, cataracts, and macular degeneration.