Turner Eye Institute

I was very happy with the service I received from all the staff at the Turner Eye Institute, especially Dr. Patel, up until my 1 year post-​surgery follow-​up. During the entire process all the staff were extremely attentive to my needs and answered all my questions prior to the surgery. After my surgery the front desk staff called me to schedule all my follow-​up visit to ensure that my eyes were healing properly. This pass month I started to have some issues with my eyes and wanted to schedule an appointment, I also realized that I have not been seen for my 1 year follow-​up (which is included in the package). I expected the staff to call me to schedule as they have for all my other follow-​up appointments. When I asked if I could make an appointment for the issues that I was having and informed them that I have not been seen by Dr. Patel for my final follow-​up visit, the first thing the receptionist said was «significant time has past (7 months) since your 1 year follow-​up, so if you want to see Dr. Patel it will cost you $ 150.00». I explained to her that no one called me for the follow-​up and it had slipped my mind. It had been several months from my last follow-​up appointment. I asked can an exception be made, especially since the 1 year post surgery follow-​up is included in the package (I technically already paid for this). They never addressed why someone at their office dropped the ball and did not call to schedule the appointment as they have done in the past.
They allowed me to see another Doctor for free. I was extremely disappointed in this decision, but decided to go in anyway due to the issues I was having. I felt that they cared more about me paying the $ 150.00 to see Dr. Patel more than they cared about the issues I was having with my eyes. As a patient, I would expect that Dr. Patel would want to see me to ensure that I was ok. After all, I am his patient right?. I wonder if he is even aware of the situation, reviewed my chart, or even knows that I’m having issues with my vision. The doctor that I saw conducted a thorough exam and really listened to my concerns. She gave me all kind of reasons why I was getting headaches, blurriness, etc. and recommended that I get glasses, give my eyes a break from focusing, my eyes may still be adjusting, but she really doesn’t know what’s going on… I appreciate her honesty. But really? After I received Lasik, and wearing glasses since I was 2 years old, no thank you, I do not want glasses.
This was the only issue I had with Turner Eye Institution… I’ve lost so much respect for this institution and Dr. Patel all over $ 150.00. Overall, I will still recommend Turner Eye for Lasik, as Dr. Patel is a great Doctor. I just had a really bad experience during my last visit, which left a bad taste in my mouth.
Oh yeah, and Do not cancel your eye insurance. Although they have a lifetime guarantee on your Lasik, your appointments will cost $ 150.00 for each visit after all your post-​surgery follow-​ups are completed. This was the mistake I made. Check with them to see what insurance they accept. You still need to get yearly check-​ups or have issues that need to addressed.

I had cataract surgery last week. I can recommend Dr Patel unequivocally. I was very well informed re the procedure and possible outcomes. Absolutely no problems. My left eye was almost ²⁰⁄₂₀ the day following surgery. No pain. Just good results.

UPDATE: Just had my second surgery with Dr. Patel and things went so well. Better vision now than when I was a kid. I’ve had eye surgery before, but this experience is by far the smoothest, most thorough, professional experience, with the best outcome ever!

Absolutely the best decision I made to have Lasik done at Turner Eye Institute. Dr. Patel and all the other staff were knowledgable and attentive to all my questions. It took about one month for my vision to be completely normal, so be patient if you do decide to get it done.

I booked my eye appointment here for my husband and I via ZocDocs. This was a much better experience than the previous year at some place in Albany (which kept us waiting for much too long).
I booked /​confirmed everything online which is perfect, but the doctor listed on ZocDocs is not the one we ended up meeting with. Both of us met with Dr. Anney Han and she was great. Friendly and professional and also a Cal grad. Go Bears!
It was a standard appointment for me — eye exam, contact fitting and dilation. The staff was friendly and professional, the offices clean. They have a small parking lot out back and this location is very convenient for us so I will likely come back again next year.
I’m still waiting for them to mail me my detailed receipt so I can claim the expense with my HSA (not sure why I couldn’t be provided at the time), so hopefully I will receive that in the next week or so. HSA reimbursement expenses are always a pain.

Summary:
I had LASIK eye surgery yesterday and couldn’t be happier with the results! I woke up yesterday morning blind, as usual, and I woke up today seeing clearer than I ever have before. I had forgotten what it feels like to see without the aid of glasses or contacts. I’m so happy that I went through with it. I’m literally running around town like a crazy person reading every sign I come across. R.I.P. glasses! You’ve been good to me over the years, but it’s time that we part ways — at least until I hit the 40’s. I’ll miss you, kinda.
Dr. Patel and Turner Eye Institute:
I was referred to the Turner Eye Institute by my eye doctor at Primary Eye Care in Castro Valley. I have astigmatism and after wearing glasses for years and having issues with contacts I decided I wanted to have this procedure done. I could tell from my first visit that this was the place for me. Dr. Patel is very kind, patient, and knowledgable. He took the time to answer all of my crazy questions, even the hypothetical ones. The rest of the staff were also kind and accessible too.
Procedure:
I was a nervous wreck but everyone made me feel at ease. Dr. Patel was very calming during the procedure and always let me know what move he was making before making it. The procedure was actually much quicker than I expected. I did not experience any pain during the procedure, only pressure at certain moments and you are warned of it before hand. You’re literally in and out before you know it.
Recovery:
Afterward, my vision was hazy but functional as expected. Dr. Patel checked my eyes after surgery to ensure the that the flap was looking good. They put on my plastic eye guards and off I went. You’re instructed to use drops and to sleep through to the next day and not to use your eyes. I only briefly experienced some burning and tear production a couple of hours after the surgery (as expected) and then it went away. After the burning I didn’t experience any other side effects. The recovery was painless and I was comfortable through the night.
Next day/​morning:
I literally woke up seeing clearer than I ever have in my life. I immediately went to my front window and looked out at a street sign that I could not read before without glasses. I could see it clear as day. I’m still in shock. My eyes don’t even feel like they underwent any kind of a procedure yesterday. They feel and look hydrated and normal. It’s such a trip! I wanted to hug Dr. Patel at my follow-​up this morning but refrained from doing so.
Closing:
I highly recommend Dr. Patel and the Turner Eye Institute to anyone interested in having the LASIK procedure done. The procedure is scary to think about but having gone through it now, I’d do it again in a heart beat. It was a piece of cake. Getting a filling at the dentist is much worse! I’m no longer dependent on glasses or contacts (still can’t believe I’m able to say this on day 1) and it feels wonderful.

Contact Lens.
I went into the San Leandro office and had the good fortune to see Dr. Tony Gomes who is the Executive Director. I have had two cornea transplants and it is very difficult if not impossible for most doctors to fit me with contact lens.
Not only was Tony quick, his vast knowledge and experience gave me the best fitting and correction I have had in years.
They definitely have the latest technology even just their email and text appointment reminders.
I recommend the Turner Eye Institute, no question for all your eye health needs.

Got my new eyes (LASIK) at TEI about 4 years ago and am still going strong. I go back for yearly check ups and I always am treated well.
The last few times I’ve been Recently they’ve transitioned to Dr Patel and as far as I can tell Dr Turner isn’t around as much as before. Would highly recommend.

Dr. Patel is fantastic. His entire team is extremely thorough. I had my initial consultation in San Leandro with my final LASIK procedure in Concord. I was impressed with both facilities, the thoroughness of explanation, and just one day after surgery I am truly impressed with the results. Thank you!

Dr Turner was very thorough, advising me I was a great candidate for monovision/​lasik. I had it done 10 yrs ago and am still extremely satisfied. I recommend him highly.

Dr. Patel is terrific. He’s everything you want in a doctor.
I’ve struggled with dry eye symptoms for about 3 years and have visited several doctors in the Bay Area (plus one in New York) to get a clear diagnosis and come up with treatment options.
All of the doctors were solid, but Dr. Patel was the right answer for me on multiple fronts:
— Very approachable style
— Extremely knowledgeable — and not just on traditional therapies but also the latest concepts
— Persistent — if the first approaches don’t succeed, he doesn’t give up
I did have the LipiFlow treatment and while it’s a bit pricey it very meaningfully improved my symptoms — by half at least.
Highly recommend.

Dr. Stephen Turner has been my family’s ophthalmologist for 23 years. I was referred to him by a person I met at random who noted a problem with my young son’s eye. I will always be grateful to this person for recommending Dr. Turner to me. I had tried to see several other doctors who were unsatisfactory and could not accommodate a child. Dr. Turner was patient and successful in diagnosing and helping my child. Now as my vision changes as I mature I am trusting him with my sight. He is always kind, professional, and reassuring. There are not many doctors remaining today like this man. I appreciate who he is, and what he represents. Thank you, Dr. Turner for your unparalleled care of my family’s vision. God bless you.

Had LASIK about 3 years ago and my eyes are great. I have an eye touching fobia as well as being photophobic. It sucked right away but the next morning my eyes felt better improving each day. ²⁰⁄₂₀ vision now! Best 5 grand ever.

First experience wasn’t great doc was held up in surgery. got no accurate info on how long the wait would be, etc.
They did waive my copay for that visit, and the staff was apologetic and very nice.
Second experience they really went the distance to make up for the bad first visit. The procedure (chalazion removal) went exactly as they described it, and it was not as bad as i was expecting. They were very prompt, and the doc was attentive. kept making sure i couldn’t feel anything, described what he was doing (thankfully not in too much detail) etc.
The doc seemed competent and the staff was very friendly. I had initially posted a lower score review, but i feel they have made up for my initial bad experience.

I’ve had different procedures and surgeries done for both my eyes. I am a patient living with keratoconus and until i fount the eye turner eye institute i thought the road to better vision would be a hardship. Not with Dr. Patel and his team. Everyone at the office is super sweet and helpful. Eye surgery can be worrysome but all the anxiety goes away once you’re seen by any of staff members. Dr. Patel has implanted intacts into my eyes and I’m seeing a lot better than i ever could. I still have to use contacts but now i get soft lenses vs the hard lenses which were a pain. Tony is a great lens fitter as well if you’re looking for that. I’ve seen different Doctors over the years but no one compares to Dr. Patel and the eye turner institute. 5 stars! Thanks guys!

Went in Tuesday for my 4 week followup from my PRK surgery. My operated eye has been healing very well. No pain whatsoever, and not seeing any halo’s at night. Arrived 15 min. early for my appt. and only had to wait a few min. Assistant was very friendly, she checked my vision. ²⁰⁄₂₅ and then gave me some eye drops. Dr. Patel came in checked my eyes and gave me an eye pressure test. Then we chatted a little bit about the how my vision is doing. Told him it seemed like some days my vision was sharper than other days. He said that was normal, and that it could take several months for the vision to adjust and become permanent. Everything looked good and he sent me on my way til my next appt. in 30 days.
Will post again after my next appt.

The $ 8,000 I spent on my PRK procedure in 2005 was left to me by my grandmother. When she passed away, I thought it was poetic that from there on out, I would be looking at the world with vision left to be by one of the most important people in my life, my Granny.
Six years later, the procedure has completely reverted. I wear glasses again.

I recently worked with Dr. Tony to get hard lenses fitted after my keratoconus surgery — Tony was awesome to work with — really professional and patient — ended up fitting my lenses perfectly and now I’m seeing like I’ve never seen before — awesome! highly recommend Tony to anyone looking for special, fitted, hard contacts!
Nikhil

If you would like to know your options for corrective eye surgery, hear the pros and cons of each, and understand which surgery would be best for your specific needs (based on the numerous assessments they perform on your eyes), this is not the place for you.
While the receptionist and lady who performed my assessments were friendly and helpful, Dr. Turner and the «counselor» were not. After undergoing the necessary tests, I was asked to watch a video (made in the 90’s it seems, complete with 90’s ‘dos and attire) about the different treatment options and risks. Before I could watch the whole video (~15 min long), they pulled me into Dr. Turner’s office for our «consult.» I literally saw him for less than a 1 minute — he scanned my results without explaining them, and then he passed me on to the counselor, who he said would be able to answer my questions.
That was not the case. The counselor told me I would be a good candidate for all laser LASIK (as instructed by Dr. Turner), which is supposedly the best kind, but she hurriedly glossed over what the types were and how/​why some types would be better than others. She had a spiel, and each time I asked a question, she would look at me like I was dumb and just repeat her spiel without answering my question.
I told her I was doing my research and getting second opinions before making a decision, but she kept saying, «The next step is to schedule your dilation…» When she showed me the pricing on a pre-​printed sheet ($ 2300/​eye), she asked me to sign on the bottom «indicating that we’d gone over the costs.» When I read the paper, however, it was a financial agreement. I asked her about that, and she said «Oh, you can sign it if you feel like it… you’re not committed until you make the appointment.» Smells fishy to me. Why have me sign something if it doesn’t mean anything?
Overall, I left feeling uninformed and lucky that I hadn’t been tricked into committing.
I’m not doubting the technical skill of the doctors here, but if you want to make an informed decision without being rushed, I would avoid this place.

I came here because my Aunt got her LASIK done with him and the reviews on here seem to say that he is the «BEST» out there, despite his lack of bedside manner. I didn’t care if he had bedside manner or not, it was my EYES I was getting surgery with and I want to make sure I don’t become blind from this procedure and get it done by the «BEST.»
What I was concerned with was that I’m 22 and I asked the optometrist if I am too young to get this procedure done. He told me that because I’m still young, that they will try to overcorrect my eyes so that if it still does change that it would still be ²⁰⁄₂₀ vision until I’m 25. However, here are some of the problems:
1) It’s been about 6 months since I got my LASIK done, and I still receive some halo in my eyes. This means I have some astigmatism, when I didn’t before!
2) My vision is about ²⁰⁄₂₀ or 25/​25, where I know I could see better when I had contacts on (probably ¹⁸⁄₂₀). So the optometrist lied! I’m not sure if it was worth spending 4k to have vision that was worst than what you had with contacts. Yes, it is very convenient that I do not have to deal with putting on and taking off contacts and buying solution anymore, but you still have to put drops of Restasis every morning and night that is expensive (an additional $ 85). PLUS using refresh tear drops about every hour so your eyes don’t dry out.
It’s up to you if you want to spend 3 to 4 thousand dollars on getting surgery, but I say if you are fine with your contacts/​glasses, just stick with it because your vision without them would probably not be as clear as they were with them. Like I said, it is very convenient to be contact/​glasses-​free, but with the complications I faced and comparing to my vision before, I would have been fine without the surgery.