Louis Sobel MD, PC

I had to come and update my review because I just had the most unprofessional conversation with a woman from this practice regarding my trying to order contact lenses through my vision care plan.
This happened last time I tried to order lenses through this office, as for some reason, they can never «find» my coverage, yet when I verified my benefits by calling my vision care and send them screenshots of my verified coverage and trying to help her find my benefits, (which she requested), she became so rude and literally said to me, ‘I don’t have all day to talk to you about this, I have two other people on hold and I don’t have the time to talk about this anymore’ in the rudest manner! I reminded her that I was only returning her phone call and answering her questions regarding my coverage.
I could not believe I was being yelled at and cut short and being admonished –as though I were a little beligerent child– just for returning a phone call and answering questions!
This woman spoke to me in the most rude manner. I couldn’t believe it.
As other reviewers have said, the staff in this practice are completely out of line, I couldn’t believe I was being spoken to in such a rude manner, especially by a health care provider.
If by simply placing a contact lense order with your physician, you’re left feeling verbally attacked, and upset by merely interacting with the staff (that can’t do their own job and who asks you for help, and then yells at you when you do help them for «taking up their time’),
leaves you feeling that by patronizing their business is actually putting them out and inconveniencing
them, it is definitely not worth your time or money, and definitely worth the time spent finding a better practice.
I hope Dr. Sobel reads these reviews because the way his staff treated me was completely unacceptable, in any forum.

Dishonest. The doctor led me to believe that my medical insurance would cover the visit (even though I provided my VSP vision insurance information). This was not true – he would not charge my vision insurance simply because he wouldn’t make enough money that way. If you aren’t going to accept VSP, don’t advertise that you accept VSP. Remove yourself from the VSP website.

ABUSIVE! I regret not having seen the previous Unilocal reviews. I would have avoided Dr. Sobel and his assistant Elise and saved myself considerable grief. Like others, I give Dr. Sobel one star only because I am unable to give NONE, which is what is truly deserved. The experience with this clinic was horrendous. STAY AWAY! STAY AWAY! STAY AWAY!
The examination was fine. With this part, I do not have any issues.
At that time, I offered to pay up-​front for my contact lenses, but I was told to pay when I picked them up. I explained, at that time, that my work schedule did not allow much time for doctor’s appointments and that it might be weeks before I had an opening available to come in. I was told, «that’s fine.»
Later, I telephoned the office again to see if I could order a second pair of lenses as a back-​up. I was told to order them in person, when I came in. Again, I discussed that my work schedule is very tight and that I might not be able to come in for weeks. Again, I was assured «that’s fine.»
Later, Elise left a message to tell me that I should pick up my lenses. I called and tried to make an appointment to do so and was told I couldn’t make one. Instead, I was told that I should «just call on the day you’re free and we’ll fit you into the schedule.» Again, I explained that I couldn’t come in except on rare occasions and that it might be weeks away. Again, I was told «that’s fine.»
Later, I receive another message from Elise stating that «Your lenses are ready and if you don’t come in to pick them up, we’ll send them back to the manufacturer.» Having explained my circumstances to the staff on THREE occasions, I was taken aback by Elise’s abrupt threat left on my answering machine.
When I spoke to Dr. Sobel the following day, he informed me that A) Elise insisted that I had NEVER returned any calls or had spoken at any time to the office staff (which is a blatant lie) and they had a «marking» system that records patients’ responses and that it is «always right» (REALLY?); and B) the he was personally present when Elise left the message on my answering machine and that «she did not say anything inappropriate.»
From his statements in our conversation, it appears that Dr. Sobel feels that it is both appropriate and acceptable to have his staff members A) lie about his patients; and B) to threaten his patients over the telephone. As a patient, I resent being called a liar by my physician or his assistant. I also do not go to a doctor to be threatened. These behaviors violate the basic rules of professionalism.
I was truly shocked when, rather than trying to address or resolve my concerns or even to somehow placate me, Dr. Sobel then went into a «you gotta understand» rant about how people often order contact lenses and don’t pick them up. He totally ignored the fact that I had offered to pay in advance and his staff had rejected my offer.
My feeling is that if Dr. Sobel has trouble with people paying for their contact lenses, he should have them pay in advance. One way or another, at no time should it be his right to unceremoniously dump his concerns on me. I am not his problem; his system and his staff are his problems.
Rather than believe his patient (who had no reason to be other than truthful) Dr. Sobel insisted that Elise was telling the truth. Judging from other Unilocal reviews, Elise’s dubious reputation precedes her. The whole experience with this clinic was repugnant. After my conversation with Dr. Sobel, I could never feel comfortable entering his office again.
Do yourself a considerable favor. Go out and find a professional ophthalmologist — but AVOID Dr. Sobel.

I was a new patient and while Dr. Sobel was a help, he wasn’t very personable/​seem to care much. What made my experience worse though was his staff. Whoever answers his phones (which are a few people) were extremely rude when all I was asking was a few simple questions. They had nasty attitudes and kept cutting me off when I was asking to understand something. I NEVER write reviews but after this I called them back and told them I would not be returning as a patient and I’m taking my business elsewhere. Attitudes are unneccesary when they’re supposed to be helping me and especially when all I asked was two small questions.

my wife called with an eye emergency and the receptionist told her that they were fully booked and she shoudl“go to an emergency room” as they would not fit her in. This office should be avoided– totally unprofessional and uncaring.

Doctor seems okay in his procedures, but seems vacant, and not much into communicating with his patient — hence he did not instill a sense of trust and I am going for a follow-​up elsewhere.
The staff seems oblivious to what caring or customer service should feel like — particularly the woman who will try to sell you more expensive glasses, who is just arrogant and downright unpleasant (and from looking at other reviews here it is obvious this is not just a case of a «bad day».)

One word, insurance fraud, that is what this office is about. Horrible staff, nasty, nasty, nasty… They «double dip». If you come with an eye plan, they get very little back… so they compensate by billing your other insurance plan to get more money. I just went there and the Dr. said «all looks good»…I go home to find out they have submitted to my primary medical insurance with some diagnosis so they can get money. THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH ME… I went for a routine eye exam and just because they didn’t get enough money, this is what they did. This has been going on for years. I never looked at Unilocal before today (the Dr. told me once that he is scared of Unilocal,so that is why I did it today) and it seems that I am not alone in my thoughts or my suspicions of this Dr. DO NOT GO TO THIS DR. You have to «negotiate» to get your prescription given to you (this must be illegal?) and NEVER BUY GLASSES from that Elise, who I think qualifies as one of the most horrible, nasty, people I have ever met in my life.

Did you ever have one of those moments of clarity?
I thought, «Gee, maybe the words in a book shouldn’t vibrate?»
I asked my GP who I should talk to, and he sent me to Louis Sobel’s East Side Optical.
Since then, I’ve been visiting him for over six years for check-​ups, tune-​ups and reading glasses. Dr. Sobel and his team are warm, friendly and professional. I work in advertising, so I don’t just trust my eyes to anybody. Living in NYC, there are plenty of choices in Eye-​care; I’m looking forward to my next appointment at East Side Optical.
(With my reading glasses, the words in books no longer vibrate… which makes 50 Shades of Grey much less exciting…)

If I could I would give it zero stars. too bad Unilocal does not let you.
Dr. Sobel is ok. He’s not great and he’s not bad.
Probably a normal doctor.
HOWEVER, the staff there are extremely rude except for the guy that works there.
Elise (don’t know how to spell her name) the person that is in charge of processing insurance is completely rude; while I was still over the phone she decided to hang up on me.
There is another lady that works there beside Elise.
I think she helps with the insurance; well she is as rude as Elise.
My eyeglass prescription had expired and needed a new pair of eyeglasses.
I called yesterday around 4pm (they close at 5pm) to get a copy of my eyeglass prescription.
The nice guy that answers the phone took down my information.
The reason why I call him nice guy is because I called him 30minutes later asking if the prescription was faxed over and he didn’t get annoyed. My fax machine gets jammed every so often so I wanted to make sure he wasn’t having any problems.
I didn’t even have to explain why I was calling back.
He nicely explained that Dr. Sobel is still with a patient and he’ll get to at the end of the day.
Since I didn’t see it this morning I decided to call around 1:20pm.
The nice guy put me on hold; he said something about there was a note on my file.
The rude lady (not Elise) took my call and said «you don’t have eyeglass prescription, only contacts»
So I had asked her why since normally contact eye exam comes with the eyeglass exam too. I know it doesn’t go the other way around.
She just said «you came here for contact exam so he didn’t do the eyeglass exam». It still did not make any sense. And also said «you just need to come back and get your eyeglass exam!»
So I asked her if I am going to be charged extra for coming in to get the eye exam and she said «NO!»
They charged VSP for the full eye exam so why didn’t they do the entire exam? and why am I being yelled at?
the only reason I went Dr. Sobel was because I had a medical case with my cornea and most optometrist could not see me for it.
And in order for me to get my VSP benefits I had to find an Ophthalmologist that took VSP (it’s ridiculously hard). Basically he was the only one around here so I had no choice but to go to him.
Honestly I would switch doctors but I have a medical condition with my eyes and I get medically necessary contacts (completely covered by VSP).
Switching doctors and explaining everything is such a pain in the a$$, so i think i’m just going to have to deal with this rudeness.
so if you have the option to select a doctor i would go somewhere with nice staff.