Beverly Sarver, MD

Please don’t go there.
Dr. Sarver seems to be really nice.
But I went there to get a new pair glasses which never work for me, which cost me more than $ 400. Wearing the glasses make me dizzling and headache.
I went to another eye care checked the glasses, and you know what.
Turns out that I am right about the glasses, because the glasses is much overprescribed.
Luck for me that I start wear that new glasses at the end of year, and I can quickly get a new one because insurance will renew based on calendar year.

Have been going to Dr. Sarver for years. She is kind, patient, never less than professional, and always takes the time to answer your questions.
Her staff is helpful and will try to accommodate appointment and emergencies as necessary. I found the waiting room experience quite pleasant in contrast to another reviewer on Unilocal,and her office has a convenient and well stocked optician dispensary on the premises with all the latest and most stylish frames on the market.

I met with Dr. Sarver in 2014. I brought my reading glasses for stigmatism. I needed an upgrade in prescription. She only provided on for driving and said that I didn’t need one for reading/​computer work. I was surprised. But, she was the eye doctor. Maybe my eyes got better. But, a year later, my dentist found I had been clenching more, cracking more teeth. My tinnitus worse. My headaches worse. All this contributed to more stress and more financial outlay for dental work and hearing physicians.

Dr. Sarver is extremely nice and kind and probably a great doctor. However, I had a below par experience. Her waiting area was a ZOO, I mean standing room only. Our appointment was at 2:30 and I was not called back to a room until after 3pm. I have a stye in my eye and have had it for several weeks, I was coming in for a «pre-​op» to have it lanced. Dr. Sarver did a brief exam and then explained to me what a stye was and that I needed to put hot compresses on my eye and lay down for 15 minutes 5x a day. Ok… while that sounds very nice and great– I just had a baby and have had this stye for several weeks. Laying down for 15 minutes 5x a day with a warm compress sounds amazing, but isn’t going to happen. This is like a doctor telling you to lose weight so only eat spinach– sure sounds great, but let’s be honest that isn’t the real world.
This also isn’t my first stye, I know what they are and I HATE having them lanced, but this sucker has been there for a few weeks and is as hard as a rock– it needs to be lanced.
I am mostly upset because I need to find a new doctor who is realistic and can actually treat my problem. And I wasted a whole afternoon on this lady and probably a ridiculous amount of money.

This review is for the office staff, not for Dr. Sarver who I did not have the chance to see.
Dr. Sarver’s staff in the office (101 San Mateo Drive) needs to improve their customer service. They are not even able to schedule appointments correctly, so I would be very cautious in going here.
I called yesterday to make an appointment for an eye infection that needed to be seen ASAP. They told me to come in today at 11 AM for an appointment. Even though this was not the most convenient time for me. I changed around my work scheduled and paid for parking in downtown San Mateo. However, when I arrived the first thing they tell me is that «You are late. Your appointment was at 10:45. You can make an appointment for later today or wait but we can’t guarantee that you will be seen soon.» I was shocked as I knew I was not late, Francis on the phone told me 11 AM. I wrote it down on a piece of paper right when she told me and also put it in my calendar. I explained that I and went through a lot to make it to the appointment as my eye was hurting me and I needed a doctor to see it.
I couldn’t stay as I had work meetings to go to and not enough money to pay for more parking at the meter. I did call and talk with the appointment manager Terri, and she said «what do you want me to do?» which I don’t think was very polite. I would have liked to have seen the staff try to make up for their mistake («can we give you the first appt tomorrow morning since you can’t make it today» or «let me go see if there is another doctor who can squeeze you in in the next hour» would have been nice) and be more apologetic about their mistake. But instead they acted as if it was my mistake.
I hope that this does not happen to any of you. If you call and get Francis on the phone, I would ask to talk to someone else to be sure they give you the correct time.

I had a botched cyst removal on my eyelid a few months ago. I was left looking like I’d been in a street fight and the cyst remained alongside the black & blue. I vowed to leave the cyst alone and live with it. that is until it flared up again, the red lump becoming noticeable to friends & family.
I found Dr. Sarver on Unilocal and had a pleasant visit. She was gentle and recognized I might be a little nervous about anyone going near my lid. It was fine. Yes it is a chalasian cyst… yes, it *could* be removed with another surgical attempt. But, howsabout we try a NON-​invasive method first. Yup, I took a couple of shots (anesthetic & steroids) to the eyelid.
We’ll see how it goes, but I feel like the visit was handled professionally and with kindness. And that’s probably as good as it gets when you’re having a needle poked in your eyelid.

Thanks to fellow Unilocalers, I met the bestest eye physician around!
Dr Sarver is very giving– she is kind and concerned like a family member.
I have not had any issues with my vision (for the past 27 years of my existence) and felt near sighted a few months ago. It was not severe enough to bother me, but I wanted expert opinion and Unilocaled for a good eye physician and I must say thank you all over again!
The staff is very knowledgeable. They help you with your paperwork and give you the right information about your insurance and VSP. I had to get a refraction done and that is usually additional charge alongwith your copay, but thankfully I was also covered under VSP and ended up paying ten dollars as copay (which was returned, read further :)).
After 2.5 hours of examination, I discovered I was right about nearsightedness but not enough to really need glasses and mostly as an option (if I was concerned about driving or being in a lecture hall etc).
Dr Sarver was polite enough to answer my curious questions on Latisse– an eyebrow extension product. She told me that it works but would require daily application for 3 months and continued application thereafter on alternate days. She said it was originally a component used in a medication that was used in Glaucoma treatment and most patients had darker eye lashes when treated, which helped Latisse create this brand.
People could use it if they had to, but she confirmed that it was expensive and will be a daily ritual for a few years until you are satisfied with the length of your brows. But this is what endears Dr Sarver to me, I would probably not chat with any other Doctor about an eyelash extender the first time I meet them.
I decided to pick a pair of glasses for emergency. Did so at the in-​house optometrist’s. The staff noticed I was picking up glasses and wavered my copay. I payed 5 bucks for my glasses (as my VSI covered both lens and frame) and visit to Dr Sarver and had the best eye exam in years.

They will charge you extra $ 35 for contact lens fitting, this appears to be common.
If you have vsp eye insurance, this is the place to go, they have the optometrist in the same office area you can pick your frames and lens (about 5 – 7 days until pick up depending on regular or bifocal/​specialty may be longer). I have gotten my contacts through them as well, but I usually ask for the prescription and go online order.
I have also seen Dr Koo, Neumeyer, and a few of the ODs (Garcia) they are all good. The recently switched to digital records and expanded their offices on the 3^rd floor.
Another free parking tip, if you are on 3^rd ave, make a right onto San Mateo Ave, you will see the offices on your right and a big parking garage, make a left at the traffic light onto Baldwin, you will see an Episcopal elementary school on your left, at the next light get in right lane, you will see a gated small road at your 2’oclock position (El Cerrito Manor). There is free 2 hr parking! A short 1.5 block walk to the office on San Mateo Ave.

Thank you again Unilocalers. After reading all of the reviews I decided to go see Dr. Sarver for an eye exam.
I have always had great vision but had not had my eyes checked in over 10 years. One of the nurses who did some initial eye checks did scare me. She told me I would need glasses. I got really upset and when Dr. Sarver came in to ask how I was I told her I was sad because I was going to need glasses. She said let’s just wait and see.
Turns out I was born with an astigmatism. She thoroughly explained this to me and told me that my vision has probably not changed throughout my life and probably will not change much more for the rest of it. I do not need glasses, but if I want them for when my eyes start getting tired or for road trips, then I have that option. She was really great and answered all my questions. She sat and talked to me as long as I needed her too and was very thorough in her testing. She said I have excellent vision and would not need to be rechecked for another 2 or more years.
She is super sweet and I highly recommend her. The location is easy to get to. Parking is confusing, I was not sure where to park so I ended up in the hospital parking garage across the street. But all of CA has confusing parking. I am sure if I had just asked the office staff they would have told me where to park. I did have to wait about a month for an appointment, but it that is usually typical of any great Dr. and was no trouble for me.

I just had my PRK done not long ago, so I want a GOOD doctor to check my eyes. Dr. Sarver and other doctors in the office are friendly and they DO take the time to answer your questions. I received a full, detailed eye exam: Dr. Sarver is very careful, very organized, very patient, and a really nice doctor to see again and again!

I asked my most respected doctor who he goes to and trusts his eyes as well as his family’s eyes with and he said Dr. Sarver! I had a great experience with my check up with her too.

Dr. Sarver was great! I highly recommend her too. She must be super popular cause we had to wait 3 weeks to get our appointment. She was super nice and took the time to explain everything to us, how the eye works, why our vision is the way it is, when wearing glasses would help, etc.

My whole family goes to Dr. Sarver and have been going to see her for as long as I can remember. She is super kind and does an excellent job. Her assistants, opticians and the receptionists are also really nice and are eager to help. I HIGHLY recommend her!