Ophthalmologists
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Ophthalmologists
Editorial Note:
Some doctors recommended below may be optometrists, not ophthalmologists.
This is because people often do not specify the type of doctor
they are recommending, and these two types are often mixed up.
Please let us know about errors on this page by emailing
Berkeley Parents Network.
You can't do any better than William Good, M.D. Offices in Walnut Creek
and San
Ramon on this side of the Bay. Offices in SF and Larkspur over the bridges.
He is the best!!
Anon
My daughter has been seeing Dr. Tamura at Kaiser Richmond since
she was just over a year old (she's now about three-and-a-half)
for strabismus. We really like him a lot. He is very good with
my daughter; he's calm and quiet, very soothing. He is very
patient and encourages my daughter when she is confused about
what he wants her to do so he can evaluate her. He is very
conscientious about making sure we understand what his proposed
treatment is, and why he is suggesting it.
My only problem with Dr. Tamura is not with him as a person or
as a physician, but with his apparent popularity. It can be
quite difficult to schedule an appointment with him; if a
postcard arrives in the mail with the next scheduled appointment
(scheduled by computer), you'd better hope you'll be able to
keep it because if you need to reschedule, there will be a long
wait.
We have the opportunity to change insurance soon (new job for my
husband), but I am seriously considering staying with Kaiser, so
that we can continue to see Dr. Tamura. I recommend him highly
June 2006
We just got back from our son's 12 month appointment with our
Pediatrician. We live in San Francisco. The doctor said that one
of our son's eyes was not ''tracking'' correctly, ie. it was slower
than the other. This is not visibly apparently (or atleast not
yet). He suggested that we go to Dr. Otis Paul. Does anyone have
any experience with Dr. Paul? Any recommendations for a top class
pediatric ophthalmologist would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Anon
We took our 18 m.o. daughter to Dr. Susan Day in San Francisco. She is supposed to be one of
the best in the Bay Area, and she was terrific. Her assistants did a great job managing our
daughter and entertaining her throughout the appointment
Amy
You are lucky to catch this so early. We are dealing with it at age 8! Eye tracking
problems can impair reading, math, and sports. Otis Paul is a great doctor but go to his
Walnut Creek private office to avoid waiting 1-2 hours at the Oakland Children's Hospital
clinic he has. Better yet, make an appointment online for the ''Binocular Vision Clinic''
at U.C. Berkeley's School of Optometry (642-2020), and they will evaluate your child and
administer ''exercises'' (unless he's too young for them) on a weekly basis, plus giving you
some to do at home. anon.
Dr. William Good is excellent. He has offices in Walnut Creek and in SF. Fran
Otis Paul is the pediatric opthamologist who sees my son. He
came highly recommended by my son's pediatrician as well as a
close family friend that is a pediatric opthamologist in the
South Bay (too far away for us to use). Dr. Paul has been
treating my son for about a year and will be performing surgery
on him in August. Dr. Paul seems very capable, and I have been
pleased with his treatment of my son thus far. When surgery was
recommended, we got a second opinion from Dr. Susan Day in San
Francisco, who also comes highly recommended on this website. She concurred with Dr. Paul's
treatment plan. You'll do fine
either way
Susan
We've seen Dr. Paul twice in the last couple of months (at Children's, he also has a
practice in Walnut Creek) for care with our infant daughter. He has been very approachable,
willing to answer all of our detailed and probably paranoid questions in great depth. He's
not one of those doctors who radiates brillance (which can seem somewhat intimidating and
often arrogant), but he did seem extremely competent and experienced. He was also great
with our 4 year old who I had to bring with us for the appts.
I trust our pediatrician utterly, and she said he is the best. It can take a while to get
the first appt., but it's worth the wait and follow-up appts are easier
Pleased Parent
Feb 2006
Does anybody have any experience with Dr. Richard Litwin at
Berkeley Opthalmology? I've checked the website and haven't seen
anything.
Thanks
OK, the good news first: I've been going here for probably 5 -8
years, and will probably continue going here. They are
reasonably efficient, do a reasonably good exam, etc. Here's the
mediocre endorsement part: 1. I've NEVER seen Dr. Litwin-don't
even know what he looks like. My exams are always done by very
very young junior optometrists, some of whom don't realize that
what they are saying reflects a lack of experience. Only twice
have I been seen by the same person in 2 yrs. I assume they
don't pay their junior people well, and I am guessing the office
is a stepping stone after optometry school to establishing your
own practice. If I found another office that I loved (that my plan
covered) I'd jump ship in a minute, but this is the best office
on my plan (the other option is Dr Sorensen, who allowed
a ''trained'' receptionist to do my eye exam--and yes, she
admitted that she did not have any training or licensing other
than what the doctors had shown her--which is not even legal,
and it seemed like it was a routine since the patients are
apparently seriously overbooked). Good news about Litwin's
office is that the office is actually a relatively pleasant
space.
I've seen Dr. Litwin and he's been fine -- the office is very
busy, but they are thorough and I think they are likely to catch
problems. I haven't had anything serious -- just pink eye, and
routine care. They were good about giving me a Saturday
appointment, when I had a problem that could have been serious.
Carol
May 2005
My elderly mom has to have a cataract removed from one eye. She just moved in
with us a little while ago from the east coast and has no doctor network to tap into.
She is also a heart patient, has a bad back, etc so I would like to find her an
extremely good and thoughtful opthamologist.
I would also love to hear from anyone who has had to have a cataract removed or
has a close familiy member who has. What was the experience like? Were they
bedridden for a day, a week? How quickly did they recover? Is it an in and out
procedure? Any information would be most welcome.
Thanks,
Anna
Dr. Mark Mandel is very well-known for performing LASIK
surgery, but he is an equally excellent cataract surgeon. His
office phone number is (510) 886-3937. I suggest that you take
your mom there for a cataract evaluation. He will educate you
about the process.
The actual surgery takes about 12 minutes, but you will spend 2-
3 hours at the office. It is an out-patient procedure. Your
mom should be resting after her surgery, and she will go back
in to the office the following day for a check-up. She should
be feeling pretty comfortable and starting to see better that
next day. She will be on some eyedrops for a few weeks, and
within a month, the eye should be stable enough to get new
glasses prescribed. Patients are usually doing normal daily
activities right away--no heavy lifting or bending over too
far. Cataract surgery tends to be highly successful.
suzie
Jan 2005
we are
looking for people's current recommendations for an excellent
opthamologist in the Berkeley/Oakland area. We want someone who
is strong in diagnosis, as one of us has developed some symptoms
that the optometrist we had been seeing cannot explain.
Thanks,
Loni
Erich Horn,MD is a great ophthamologist. I've had the most
thorough exams, and he is an incredibly nice person as well.
His office is near Summit Hosp. in Oakland...the number is 836-
2122. Address: 491 30th St.
Happy Eyes
I highly recommend Drs. Sarver and Yokoi in Rockridge. I've
gone to them for about 15 years. I sent my father there after
he struggled with vision problems that couldn't be corrected by
two other doctors and now he's been going to them for about 5
years with no complaints.
20/20 with my contacts
I highly recommend Harold Woodring on Solano (1600 block). Very
thorough and knowledgeable. Spotted a potential problem I had
(accurate diagnosis confirmed afer referral to specialist) that
prior opthlalmologists had missed. Takes VSP if you have that
insurance. 526-3937.
I know you were dissatisfied with your optometrist, but if you're
willing to give optometry one more try, go to the UC Berkeley
Optometry Center. They are thorough to a fault. Every exam seems
to uncover some obscure (but fortunately not detrimental)
condition. I am always examined initially by a student, but then
the instructor (who is a bona fide optometrist) rechecks everything.
http://www.caleyecare.org (510) 642-2020
David
Not sure if this will work for you, but there is an opthalmology clinic at the
School of Optometry on the UC campus (check out http://
www.CalEyecare.org/). Several years back, I had a relatively rare eye
problem -- entirely missed by my opthalmologist, I might add -- and the
folks at the Optometry School caught it when I went in to get a new pair
of glasses. They sent me right over to the opthalmology clinic, where it
was swiftly and effectively treated. I even got free treatment for agreeing
to allow the students to look at my eyes, so they could learn about this
particular problem.
I find that the School of Optometry provides really excellent care --
mostly because so many people are looking so carefully at your eyes for
so long
Karen
Dec 2004
I am looking for an Opthamologist in the Lafayette/Walnut
Creek/San Ramon area. Any suggestions?
Susan
you didn't say whether or not you have a specific eye
condition, but for general ophthalmology, i'd recommend maria
fang, MD, at pacific eye care in walnut creek.
suzie
October 2003
Looking for a good pediatric opthamologist for our 8 year old
daughter. Her school recommends an eye exam based on a suspected
astigmatism and less than 20/20 eyesight in both eyes. Thanks
for any advice!
Leslie
UC Berkeley's Optometry school/clinic has great pediatric opthalmologists--
they have opthalmologists AND optometrists at the school, so your child can
see both if necessary. Your child will see a doctor, not a student, so she will be
in good hands. They did a great job with my toddler (!), and see a lot of
other kids. They also take insurance--I was even able to take my daughter
there when we had Medi-Cal.
One tiny caveat: I didn't know that on the first visit, they would want to dilate
my daughter's pupils. We declined to do this, because the drops can sting, and
I didn't want her first visit to be a negative experience. Just check whether they
will need to do that so you can prepare your daughter for it. Otherwise, all was
fine, and she even got a toy at the end.
Elizabeth
For pediatric opthamologist, I (like many others on this list)
highly, highly recommend Susan Day (415) 202-1500. She's in San
Francisco, but it's worth the drive. She's exceptionally
skilled at dealing with young children. She managed a full
examine, including drops, when my daughter was barely a year
old. My daughter never shed a tear or protested a bit. Dr. Day
seemed very current on the literature and apparently is highly
regarded by other physicians.
Anon
I would recommend Dr. Lesli Handmacher. She's in Walnut
Square. At my recent checkup, She gave me pamphlets for
eye exams for school age and preschoolers, emphasizing
that I should bring my boys in, so I know she sees kids.
She's so nice and personable, and so is her staff. Her office
is in Walnut Square, and they take the VSP plan
Mollie
My daughter sees Dr. Otis Paul twice a year and he is
fantastic. Great doctor and great with kids. He has an office
in Walnut Creek and one at or near Children's Hospital in
Oakland.
Alison
Don't have an ophthalmologist to recommend, but your school
and/or pediatrician may be unnecessarily recommending you see an
ophthalmologist. It can be economical to do so if your health
plan covers it and you don't have separate vision insurance, but
if you have the option of seeing an optometrist, I would
recommend Dr. Woodring on Solano Avenue. Relaxed practice,
friendly people, great service.
Norm
September 2003
We are looking for a really good eye doctor/ophthalmologist who
will give regular eye exams/check-ups but who is also
knowledgeable about eye problems that might develop in someone
who has high blood sugar/prediabetes. We would prefer someone in
the Albany/El Cerrito area to cut down on travel time, but would
be interested in other recommendations as well. We would also
like to find an individual or practice where appointments don't
involve hour-long waits, which has been a problem in the past.
Thanks.
Elaine
We have seen two doctors (one retired) at Albany/Berkeley
Optometry (next to Toy-Go-Round) and been very happy with both.
Currently we see Dr. Verdon and have never had to wait more than
a few minutes for an appointment.
Valerie
He's not in Alb/ElC but I love my Ophthalmologist in Oaklnad by
Summit Hospital. I first went to Doc Hilton, but when I needed
my re-check a year later he had sold the practice to Dr. Eugene
Lit. I was wary of seeing the new doc as I'd really been
comfortable with Doc Hilton but Doc Hilton did a great job on
choosing a successor. Doc Lit has a great ''bedside manner,''
explains things clearly, asks good questions, listens to mine.
My two appts at that office were both on-time and the first appt
was a last minute going-on-travel appointent. (510) 444-1600
cynthia
I've been happy with Dr. Mia Miller in El Cerrito Plaza. 526-
2242
Jennifer N.
September 2003
[See Advice about Lazy Eye for the original
question and other recommendations.]
This may not be helpful since it's not exactly what you're
asking since Optometrists and Ophthalmologist deal with 'lazy
eyes' differently and he isn't in Oakland/Berkeley. But we LOVE
Dr. William Good of Walnut Creek. He is a pediatric
opthalmologist. My daughter has been under treatment for
accomodative esotropia (similar to but not excactly lazy eye)
for the last 3 years and we have run the gamut of docters around
the Bay Area and have found Dr. Good to be the best in many ways.
BergaHoo
For your son's ''lazy eye,'' you should consider an
ophthalmologist - not an optometrist - who is experienced in
treating amblyopia. This is an opportunity to save your child's
sight. The pediatric ophthalmology staff at UCSF is at the
forefront of research and care in amblyopia. Try Drs. Doug
Fredrick or Dr. Jonathan Horton (415) 353-2289.
Merry
As someone who comes from a long line of ''amblyopics'' and I would urge you to seek a
consultation with William Goode, M.D. (925-277-1135, San Ramon and a host of other local
locales), someone I (and a lot of my ophthalmologist colleagues) consider to be the finest
pediatric ophthalmologist in No. California. Lazy eye (Amblyopia) is really considered the
purview of an ophthalmologist (M.D.) not an optometrist (O.D.)
Most importantly, the earlier lazy eye is addressed, before 5
years of age, the greater the chance of reclaimed vision. After
age 5, the eye, essentially, goes to ''sleep'' because the brain
will not recognize visual input. As well, because there are
different types of amblyopia, there are different protocols for
dealing with the problem--patching as well as other things.
Good luck
Patched successfully at a wee age
Dear Leah.
The best, and I mean it pediatric opthamologist is Dr. Creig
Hoyt at UCSF. I am a 34 year old and started seeing him when I
was 10 for alternating strabismus and wandering eye. He did
surgery on me when I was 16 for the wandering eye. I started
having some problems at 22 and see him every 6 months. He will
be retiring shortly so get in to see him now to assure
continuity with his replacement. UCSF is a great pediatric eye
department. I do not have a lot of faith in optometrists, other
than for prescribing glasses and contacts. Your son has a muscle
problem and should see an opthamologist. If you have any
questions, please give me a call.
Best of luck,
Andy
We tried patching when she was six and
despite patching reliably there was no change after six months.
We were then referred to Susan Day for surgery, who is the person
you really want to talk to, I have found.
She is having my daughter wear glasses with -125 and a slight
prism for six months to see if it will work, and if it doesn't
she will schedule surgery.
2001
I have a 4 1/2 year old daughter who has "amblyopia" and has been wearing
glasses for a year. I am not too pleased with her opthamologist and am
looking for recommendations for someone who is informative, has good rapport
with children (duh) and open to alternatives for vision improvement (i.e.
eye exercises). Does anyone know of anyone in the east bay?
I've put so many responses about this on the system, I feel like a broken record
but . . . people need to know.
The UC Eye Center has an Infant-Toddler Clinic that treats children with all sorts
of eye problems. We have the world's experts here. We also have a Binocular
Vision Clinic that deals with vision training and perceptual skills problems. We
have ophthalmologists too, if medical care is required. There is free parking.
Check us out at www.Caleyecare.org or call 642-2020. Barbara
I know you said East Bay, but we did the tour of the east bay eye Dr.s and
were not impressed, so we tried Susan Day at CPMC in San Francisco and she
is so fabulous, it's worth the trip. My daughter was 4 when she got her
glasses for accomodative esotropia (she's now 6) and we've been nothing but
happy w/ Dr. Day. She is excellent with children, even doing a quick "exam"
of little sister when she gets jealous, and she's also good at explaining
things to grown ups. She's not defensive when asked about other options,
just explains the options and why she's made this choice for this child.
She is the tops in her field and many children's doctors I know rave about
her. Her phone # is (415) 202-1500. We have Health Net/Alta Bates but I
think she takes a variety of insurance. Good luck.
Anne-Marie
I know you would prefer to be in the east bay, but pediatric ophthalmology
is such a subspecialty that you really should think about the trade-offs in
getting not-great care that is convenient to your house vs. getting the best
care for your child, even if it means having to cross the bridge a few
times.
Full disclosure: I work for California Pacific Medical Center. However,
you'll notice that I rarely recommend physicians or medical centers, even
though I know lots that meet the criteria people often ask about on this
list. I don't want to look like I'm pushing my medical center
unscrupulously. This posting is based on my experience as a mom of a
patient, and from watching this physician on a daily basis as a "neighbor"
to her office.
Dr. Susan Day fixed my daughter's eye problem (different from yours) in one
visit. My office was just down the hall from hers, so I have also been in
contact with her daily for months, and she is one of those amazing people
you can't help but admire. She is not pretentious at all, and she is
fabulous with both kids and adults (she sees a very limited number of
adults, too). On Halloween she dressed up in costume and was 'in character'
all day. Just cracks up the kids and their parents, putting everyone at
ease. She is quick with the kids, even babies, and explains things very
clearly to the parents. She really does take her time. Dr. Day also believes
in educating other physicians, and often has them tag along on appointments
- with your permission of course. (She could make a lot more money by
cranking patients through, not bothering to spend time with new docs.) She
should be profiled in one of those specials about amazing doctors who really
make a difference for people.
(I have no idea about her thoughts on eye exercises - you would have to ask
her.)
BTW, my pediatrician is in the east bay, and recommended Dr. Day as "the
Best pedi ophthalmologist in the Bay Area", and the doc who worked on her
own daughter's eyes. My pediatrician is NOT affiliated with California
Pacific in any way.
Good luck to you!
Ann
You will probably get lots of recommendations for Susan Day (415.202-1500),
even though she's in San Francisco. Let me add mine to the chorus. My 12-year
old was born with congenital cataracts, had two eye surgeries in her first six months,
has worn a contact lens since 3 wks. of age, and now wears glasses as well. We used
a different opthalmologist for the surgery but switched to Day when our daughter was
around 4, at our pediatrician's suggestion. I find that as children grow older and have
more of their own relationship with the opthalmologist, it's even more important that
the doctor you choose be able to relate well to kids (and teens, whose concerns are
very different). Day is wonderful and very highly respected within the medical community
(is on the teaching staff at Pacific Medical Center and was head of the opthalmology
teaching program, may still be). She also works with an optometrist in Oakland who
sees mostly kids. His name is Tim Sanders (444-0603) and he's in an opthalmology
practice that you could consider if you're absolutely dead-set on east bay.
Nina
If you have a serious pediatric eye problem, I'd strongly recommend Dr.
Creig Hoyt at UCSF. He's an extrordinary diagnostician and clinician, and a
genuinely nice human being. It's worth the trip to SF.
Merry
I am sure this is an area in which people have some strong opinions, so at the
risk of annoying someone, I'll add our experience to the growing list. One
of my twin daughters had a serious vision problem that was difficult to
detect. Our pediatrician referred us to Dr. Stephen Cohen in Alameda. We
have continued with Dr. Cohen who follows Gabrielle closely, seeing her every
six months. We also saw Dr. Gordon Smith who is the head of pediatric
opthamaology at Oakland's Children's Hospital, and he agreed with Dr. Cohen's
treatment plan. In my opinion, both of these physicians are excellent and I
feel fortunate that they can care for my daughter. Dr. Cohen has 4 young
children of his own and is great with kids. Sharon
Nov 2003
Re: Walnut Creek/Lamorinda optometrist
My optometrist, Dr. Mark Drucker (he's actually an
opthamologist) isn't in Lamorinda but he's close - he's in
Walnut Creek by the Broadway Shopping Center. He does have an
optometrist working for him who is also OK (but I like him
better). I've seen him for almost 20 years, since he first
started, and have been very satisfied.
Colleen
March 2002
About 7 years ago, I had a procedure done for ''dry eyes.''
The opthamologist placed silicone plugs in my exit tear
ducts, which helped my eyes retain more tears and stay
lubricated. According to my optomotrist, the plugs are
gone. The tear situation has gotten worse lately, and
I'd like to find an opthamologist to do the procedure
again. Unfortunately, I saw the doctor 7 years ago in
Cincinnati, and I don't even know his name to call and
get a referral. Has anyone ever had such a procedure
done here in the Bay Area?
Maria
ask your optometrist. he or she may be licensed to
insert the plugs. if not, come to optima in hayward.
we have several ophthalmologists and optometrists who
perform the procedure. (optimaeye.com) we also highly
recommend the addition of flaxseed oil to your diet to
help treat dry eyes.
an optometrist
August 2001
I am looking for a good Ophthalmologist - an MD, not an Optometrist in the
Berkeley/Oakland area for adults. I have looked at the past postings and
there are only two doctors recommended. Any help would be greatly
appreciated.
Patricia
Hi--I have a great recommendation for an
opthomalogist: Dr. Sorenson, at 3010 Colby St.,
Berkeley (behind Alta Bates). Phone # is 848.1413.
There are three Dr. Sorensons in this practice, father
and two sons, I think. I like going to Dr. Lionel
Sorenson (the father). He's very sweet, caring and
extremely knowledgeable
Christine
I go to a practice in Oakland that has great eye doctors. I can
recommend Scott Yokoi or Larry Sarver. 655 3797. The Sarvers (there
is a brother and a father) are connection with Cal and are well-respected
in the East Bay.
Frances
In July 2000 I developed a serious eye infection and was referred on
an emergency basis to David W. Vastine, M.D., 491 30th St., Oakland,
444-0603. I saw him about six times in two weeks and thought he was
great -- knew what he was doing, explained everything, etc. His staff
was also very helpful in sorting out the usual insurance/referral
tangles.
Jane
since you need to see an ophthalmologist instead of an
optometrist, you might have a serious eye condition.
depending on the actual problem, there are several MDs
for recommendation. for glaucoma, try Todd Severin on
solano in albany (he also sees patients at UCB); for a
retinal disease, try Scott Lee in oakland or Shirin
Barez (a woman!) at UCB; for LASIK, cataracts or
corneal disease, Mark Mandel in hayward. for
oculoplastics, Rona Silkiss (another woman!) in
oakland or Chris DeBacker in hayward. UC Berkeley
School of Optometry also has an ophthalmology clinic
and the students who work with them are very eager to
learn. good luck.
suzie
2000
ophthamologist: Lionel Sorenson, 3010 Colby, Berk (sorry, but it's close to
Oakland, right near Alta Bates); 848-1413. The office is a father/son team.
Linda
1999
I like Dr. Robert Sorenson in Berkeley. We all go to him yearly for eye exams
thru Vision Services Plan. None of us wear glasses, so I might not be the best
referral, but he was able to do an exam on a 3-year-old, which isn't easy! Also,
he discovered an eye condition in me that is pretty rare and luckily, not serious.
Nice "bedside" manner, too. Nancy
I have seen Dr. Robert Sorenson once for a standard eye exam (Dr. Lionel
is his father) and found him to be quite nice, friendly, and competent.
I will be seeing him again in a few weeks. As far as I remember, the staff
was also good. Lucy
Opthalmologist: I recommend Dr. Mark Mandel. He's in Hayward, but he's the best, and worth
the extra driving time. His office phone number is (510)886-3937.
Judy
Regarding the Optometry School's Clinic on campus:
An Optometrist works on vision problems and can refer medical problems
to an Ophthalmologist, who is an MD.
The clinic at Minor Hall is
mostly Optometrists and students training to be Optometrists. We do
have an Ophthalmology unit several days a week and we have two
excellent Optometry instructors who can solve 95% of the medical
problems before referring to our Ophthalmologists. Tang Center also
has Ophthalmologists on duty but they are not connected directly with
the Optometry School. Barbara
May 2003
did anybody had any sort of experience with dr. daniel brinton -
pediatric ophtomologist. he is supposed to be a retina
specialist, I am send to him for check up on my baby who had ROP
surgery.
thanks!
katja
I was referred to Dr. Brinton from my optometrist (who is
wonderful with kids and sees my son). She thinks Brinton's the
best retina guy around and always refers people to him. He was
thorough, responsive to discomfort, detail-oriented,
non-alarmist, low-key. He's in his mid-late forties and has a
mess of his own kids (5, maybe?). I was struck by his kindness
and patience toward a senior who was leaving the room I was
entering; she was a talkative person who was quite agitated about
something unrelated and he managed to conclude their visit in a
sympathetic, unhurried manner. The office staff was terrific,
squeezing me in fast because they felt urgency about the
condition I was referred for, even though I was prepared to let
it go for months. There was a relatively long office wait that
day, so bring toys.
goldmanl
My partner has been seeing Dr. Brinton for several years for
diabetic retinopathy. We both really like Brinton and his
office staff. Dr. Brinton is very thorough, pleasant and happy
to answer questions. The downside of him being willing to
take time with you is that you should expect to wait a least
an hour past your scheduled time (this seems to be the
standard for retinologists).
We are considering switching to Dr. Jumper's office,
because he seems more aggressive about treatment and
his office is involved in clinical trials of which we like to keep
apprised.
We are a bit torn, since we do like Dr. Brinton.
anonymous
I have no idea how Dr. Brinton is as a pediatric doctor, but I
was referred to him some years ago to check out a possible
retinal tear. It was not a comfortable process as he had to
manipulate my eyeball with a sort of small wooden spatula and
move it about to get the best view, but I thought he was as
gentle as he could be, given the task. The office staff was
very friendly and, although he wasn't on time, that was because
he is a major specialist and much in demand and had been called
out on an emergency. He found nothing that needed fixing but
advised me on the warning signs, gave me his card, and told to
call anytime, day or night, if I experienced any of the symptoms
he described. I think I'd have to call him a darned good
doctor. Good luck.
Anonymous
Dan Brinton is the only retinologist in the East Bay who does the
laser ''surgery'' for ROP. He is very good and very! courtly and
nice. He is also not, as was posted, a pediatric ophthalmolgist.
The only alternative for retinologists doing the laser component
of ROP would be a retina specialist over at UCSF. Either way,
Dr. Brinton is a good man and a very competent, concientious
doctor.
Jan 2003
I have looked at the recommendations for opthalmologists on the
web site, but I am looking for one who is open to, or even
better actually practices, 'alternative' approaches to vision
care. For instance, eye exercises, relating eye health to
overall health, proper use of the eyes, diet, herbs, etc.
Although my visual acuity is far from 'normal' I have functioned
quite well for many years without glasses except for driving.
Advancing age however has made me realize that consulting with a
professional would be a good idea. But I'm not interested in
someone who is going to say, ''Oh, you just need stronger
glasses''. I'm looking for a more holistic approach. East bay
would be preferable but I'd consider beyond.
anonymous
try dr. august reader in SF. he probably would not call himself
a holistic ophthalmologist, but he may be the closest thing. he
is extremely easy to talk to and he does recommend certain
dietary supplements for eye health. most of all, he is an
excellent and reputable doctor.
suzie
May 2000
We are trying to decide which opthalmologist to use for our son. We would
like to know if anyone can recommend either Dr. Susan Day in SF or Dr. Earl
Stern in Oakland. Thanks! Margaret
We have had a very positive experience so far with Dr. Susan Day in SF;
my four-year-old just got her first pair of glasses. My daughter's pediatrician
in Berkeley recommended Dr. Day and said she was well worth going into the city for.
Elisa
I can highly recommend Dr. Susan Day who repaired my baby's Strabismus
problem when she was about a year old. She certainly did a fine job cosmetically,
however was unable to get the eye to work in tandem with the other eye. This
was not her fault, it is very difficult to train the eye to do this. I feel Dr. Day is
extremely knowledgeable, keeps up with current research, and she is easily able
to establish good relationships with children. Toby
Dr. Susan Day in SF - yes! She is terrific. We went only once and were
told there was no problem, so I cannot tell a long tale. But her manner
and way with kids is fabulous. I must say, she spoke almost exclusively to
my 6 year old, leaving me to listen and absorb the info, but it left my
daughter feeling very in-charge and special to have a grown-up defer to her
so much. And she remembered every word Dr. Day said to her. Peggy
We visited both Dr Stern and Dr Day when deciding on an eye dr for our
then 4 year old daughter. We chose Dr. Day (despite the drive to SF and
bad parking around the office) because she really took the time to
connect to our daughter and make her comfortable before even talking
about her eyes. Then she asked, "Do you know why you're here?" listened,
then and gave a very positive, but not Pollyanna description of why our
little one needed an eye doctor, and eventually why she needed glasses.
Dr. Day really enlisted our daughter's input and cooperation despite her
young age and I really appreciated that. That was almost two years ago
and my daughter continues to enjoy her visits to Dr. Day and I am very
happy with the treatment/progress. tampine
When one of my twin daughters was finishing 1st grade we thought she might
have a vision problem. She was a very early reader and had been using
drawing tools since 15 months and we had no reason to think she was
experiencing trouble seeing. When she repeatedly failed the simple eye exam,
we finally realized that she had been compensating by using her peripheral
vision!
We immediately took her to Dr. Stephen Cohen in Alameda, who is also a
pediatrician and practices pediatric opthomology. He examined Gabrielle and
said she had a couple of rather serious problems. In the course of our
conversation I happened to mention that Gordon Smith is "Uncle" to my three
children and a dear friend. Dr. Cohen sent us to Dr. Smith for a second
opinion. They both agreed on the same precise course of treatment for her
and she is progressing nicely.
Unknown to us, Gordon is a physician of the very highest caliber! We only
knew him to be a good and kind neighbor who, with his wife, had become good
friends. He is highly regarded in all pediatric communities. As one
pediatrician told me, "when there is a situation that seems nearly
impossible, we want Dr. Smith for the consult. He has helped restore vision
to so many children." If I told you about some of his many accomplishments
you quite likely would not believe me! He is very accessible and gentle with
children and parents alike.
Your child and her/his vision are in the very best hands possible! Good Luck.
Sharon
Gordon Smith has been our son's opthamologist since he (our son) had
cataract surgery 3 years ago. Our son was 2-1/2 at the time of the
surgery; Dr. Smith was/has been great; nice repoire with our boy; we were
prepared to go with a specialist in children's cataracts (Dr. Craig Boyd)
out of pocket but the specialist told us that Dr. Smith was good and to
stay with him. The only negative is that sometimes he's overbooked and you
can end up waiting for a LONG time in the waiting room...a minor thing
compared to the wonderful work he has done with our son. Feel free to
contact me directly if you have any more questions.
Carol
Oct 2004
I just took my 4 year old recently adopted daughter to a
wonderful pediatric ophthalmologist and wanted to pass along a
recommendation. Unfortunately my medical plan (United
Healthcare) only covers two pediatric eye specialists in the
entire bay area. Dr. Kim Cooper is located in Burlingame - a
bit of a drive from the East Bay - but she was so, so worth
it. She has an amazingly enthusiastic, high energy level which
translates wonderfully to younger children. Though her waiting
room was full, she made us feel comfortable and at ease and our
appointment was not rushed. She has an incredibly warm and
personal manner. Her office is well equipped with toys, etc.,
and her staff is incredibly gracious. I have seldom made
a ''Cold call'' to a Doctor that so impressed me. My daughter
was very apprehensive before the visit but had a wonderful time
playing ''Games'' that checked her vision. We were there for
over an hour and a half and my daughter remained playful and
happy the entire time. Dr. Cooper's office is located at 1720
El Camino Real, Suite 235, and her office no. is 650-259-0300.
Evelyn
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