Gelbart S Samuel MD

I am so fortunate to have found Dr. Gelbart. I’d always been told that my eyes were complicated, but I had no clue just how complicated. I began seeing Dr. Gelbart in October 2013, after a horrifying event in February that left me a blink away from blindness. The procedure to save my sight and reduce the IOP sent me on a fast track to cataracts, something that UCSF had not informed me was a possibility. I had surgery in March and April of 2014 and could not be happier with the outcome. It is worth the weekly appointments, countless tests to check the topography of each eye and all of the other screenings. Not only is he a skilled surgeon, he is also a good listener, extremely calm, kind, smart and patient. He weathered my emotional storms and gave me sight that I could never have imagined. While it is true that there is often a long wait, relax and try to understand that complex problems require time, and know that when it’s your turn in that chair, you will also receive that same quality of care. Oh, and I neglected to add that he is a humble surgeon – rare as that is, it’s true. As another patient entering his office one afternoon sang, «that man in there, Doctor Gelbart, gives sight to the bind!» and he is absolutely correct.
Claudia runs the front of the office and she is beyond phenomenal! Every office needs a Claudia. She is extremely smart, professional, efficient, calm and caring. She, like Dr. Gelbart, lived through a few of my emotional tantrums and it did not seem to phase her, but rather she managed to make everything feel «all better», much like a good mom would do. So comforting to know that she both knows and does her job so well. When she tells you that she will do something, consider it done!
This review would not be complete if I neglected to mention Dr. Ahgee Guo, the optometrist at the Stonestown office. Previous to Dr. Guo I had been seeing the same guy, family run business in the Mission, and just thought that they were all alike; busy and uncaring. Dr. Guo is super smart, super kind and sweet, and never makes you feel rushed. She saw me through some really rough times, times when I just couldn’t really see. Her knowledge of my extreme farsightedness and narrow angle glaucoma blew me away.
If you want the best, look no further!
I am forever grateful