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Laser Eye Center of Silicon Valley
Rating Details »
Categories: Optometrists, Medical Centers, Ophthalmologists [Edit]
606 Saratoga AveSte 10
San Jose, CA 95129
(408) 984-1010
- Hours:
Mon-Sat. 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- By Appointment Only:
- Yes
16 reviews for Laser Eye Center of Silicon Valley
I opted for Dr. Bindi and he was great. I just had my laser eye surgery done over a month ago and the recovery is pretty much 100%. I initially saw Dr. Kawesch but found out later that the finances were cheaper if you opted for Dr. Bindi since he didn't advertise.
I had my surgery scheduled a few days before a road trip down to San Diego and had some concerns about getting it done right before. Dr. Bindi made it a point to get a hold of me at various hours to discuss the various questions I had about the procedure before going through with it. I considered a couple of other places but most comfortable going with it Laser Eye Center.
The day of the surgery was smooth. One of the assistants Cindy really made me feel at ease before she numbed my eyes while cracking jokes about what constitutes as cooking. The entire process of it took only a few minutes and after going home and falling asleep for a few hours, I woke up with just about perfect vision (albeit a bit foggy). The next morning going in for my follow up I could see perfect with no issues! This is one of the best things I have ever done and would recommend Dr. Bindi for anyone considering laser eye surgery. At the minimum, you should at least stop by for a free consultation and then make your decision from there.
Please see my review of Dr. Craig Bindi. I had WaveFront LASIK performed and am thrilled with the outcome. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I had PRK in April 08 and was several months late for a check up with Dr Bindi. I went this February and my visual acuity is 20/20 in both eyes. They're actually closer to 20/15 but let's not brag here. The money spent is still the best investment so far! Sure my eyes feel grainy sometimes so Dr Bindi recommended using eye drops more frequently. I was using them once or twice a day and I'd recommend the thicker drops like Systane. My eyes are sensitive to bright light but that's expected.
It'll be 2 yrs before I need to come back although I wouldn't mind it if I need to come back sooner since Dr B is a great guy!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/15/2008
I was referred to Dr. Kawesch by 2 of my relatives who praised his work as they still see perfectly.… Read more »
I will start by saying that this is the best thing I've EVER spent my money on. Better than any vacation, better than any restaurant experience, better than anything. And I would do it again in a heartbeat.
I had my custom wavefront surgery in April 2005. My cousin had her surgery done 4 months before me so she did all the research for the both of us. It's been a while but I remember my experience to be very pleasant the whole process through.
It's funny to read all the reviews because it's true that Dr Kawesch isn't the most friendly or welcoming doctor. I almost wish that I had given Dr Bindi a chance but I think at that time I was just most concerned about correcting my vision and having "the best" (most experienced) doctor do it.
Two weeks before the procedure you are supposed to stop wearing your contacts so I remember feeling weird in my glasses but it made everything so much more real. Come surgery day I was so excited and understandably nervous. I remember the nurse looking at my chart, reading my prescription and saying, "Wow, you must be really excited for this surgery. Your eyes are bad!" They gave me a valium and started numbing my eyes, drop after drop after drop. Finally I get called in and they begin.
You can't see crap so they are guiding you to wherever you need to be. They prop your eye open with this instrument that looks like a big eyelash curler, tell you to keep your focus on the red light and do their thing. Just when you think you've had enough, the girl on the computer is counting down the seconds and you're done. They they repeat on the other eye.
I remember leaving the office wanting so bad to open my eyes but I followed instructions, kept them closed and slept for the next few hours. Just about dinnertime I got up and my cousin put the first set of drops in. I thought it would sting but it wasn't so bad. I found myself looking at the TV and getting excited because it was clear... hazy but clear enough. Yay, it worked!
The next day I got up and was able to see for the first time in I don't know how many years without glasses or contacts. Aaaahhhh! I was able to drive myself to the post op appointment and it was just amazing to be able to see clearly.
Anyway, the recovery time wasn't as bad as I thought. Most important is to keep putting the drops in for as long as they tell you to and to keep the lubricating drops on hand because you will need them for the dryness. For me, there was no pain and that's probably why I'd do it again.
One month after the surgery my vision was 20/15 and a month and half after I went on a cruise to the Caribbean and I was able to swim in the ocean!
If you're contemplating LASIK, do it. Even if you don't choose to go with Dr Kawesch, choose whatever doctor you feel most comfortable with and DO IT. It's seriously the best thing I've ever done.
I had Lasik done for both eyes back in 2004 by Dr. Kawesh. The initial check up was very thorough, as was the consultation with the options presented. Because I was right at the border of requiring reading glasses for close-up vision, I chose to have my eyes corrected for monovision, with one eye corrected for distance, the other for close up. I was hesisitant at first, but the brain is able to process information from both eyes, resulting in clear vision.
I've been pretty happy with the surgery, with no side effects noted. It's been a nice lifestyle change, being able to do more active sports without worrying about my contacts drying up, or securing my glasses and making sure they don't steam up. Also nice not needing to pack up my contact lens solution and case everytime I travel.
Laser Eye Center has a pretty good track record, state of the art up equipment, and a good, professional staff to operate them.
I did a lot of research before deciding on who to perform my wavefront lasik. Aside from researching online, my first face-to-face visit was with the Laser Eye Center of Silicon Valley. The visit was ok. I first decided on going ahead with them, but I canceled my surgery appointment after finding out out they do not use the best laser available in the market today. And when I questioned what kind of laser they use, the lady I spoke with got very defensive. She snarled at me saying "are you researching this?" I told her, "Yes, absolutely". And when I called back to cancel my surgery appointment, i got another lady who was also very rude, and she barked at me saying "ok , but next time if you schedule another appointment and cancel, we're gonna have to charge you!". I told her, "don't worry, i wont be calling back."
I also don't like the fact that the front desk was ran by a bunch of ..what seems to be a bunch of kids who don't understand professionalism and customer service. If you go there for an appointment and see for yourself, you will agree with me. I encourage their management to visit other lasik offices to see how the front desk should be run. I recommend Dr. ScottHyver's office in Santa Clara where the front desk attendant was very very very professional.
They also told me that I was not qualified for lasik and that I had to get PRK, which has a much longer recovery period. I think what they meant is their laser was not capable of correcting high prescription clients (my vision was -6.5 and -5.5 with astigmatism). I got wavefront lasik last Aug 2007 with another place. And I can tell you that I have never seen colors this vivid before, my depth perception has improved--I'm no longer afraid to drive at night, and I now see better than 20/20.
(I encourage you to get consultations with at least a couple of different lasik centers before deciding on which one to go with for your surgery. I'm glad I did.)
I chose Dr. Craig Bindi for my PRK surgery after a few reviews from women I met on The Knot. Although I didn't know these women well, they couldn't say enough good things about Dr. Bindi and I figured that the free consultation was worth it.
This was the best choice I could have made for my eyes. As a glasses/contacts wearer since the 3rd grade, I figured I was destined to wear them forever. The staff at this office are professional, knowledgeable, and friendly. They treated me as a guest every time I came for a pre- or post-surgery visit.
On the day of the surgery, I was nervous, but Dr. Bindi did a fantastic job of calming my fears and letting me know that the surgery was going well. Yes, it's difficult to have laser surgery done while awake, and many people talk about their discomfort with it. Dr. Bindi did everything he possibly could to make it easier for me, and I appreciated that.
The bottom line: go for a consultation if you're curious. You have nothing to lose and this office is THE BEST place to go.
The staff is very friendly and helpful. I have been there several times for the initial surgery, enhancements, post operation checkups, and routine checkups. My experience there has overall been a good one and I recommend it to anyone who wants to get laser eye surgery.
The main doctor there is Gary Kawesh, but his understudy Dr. Craig Bindi does a great job as well. After doing some research, I have concluded you can have the same quality work done as Dr. Kawesh for approximately 20% less if you go with Dr. Bindi.
Important Tip: After surgery you will be required to have two prescription eye drops (different depending on type of surgery). They may or may not provide these to you, so consult the office and find out so you can buy them ahead of time if needed.
Also buy a large pack of "preservative free" (* important!) lubricating eye drops. They are individual vials of eye drops that you use for one day and throw away (CHEAPEST AT TARGET, trust me). Buy in quantity of 48 or more. Keeping your eyes lubricated is VERY important to healthy eye recovery since your eyes will not be able to create tears efficiently during the recovery period.
Good luck!
This was one of the scariest procedures to get done...but by far the one of the best things that has happend to me. To be able to wake up and be able to see clearly is by far one of the best feelings.
I had Dr. Bindi did the surgery, since I could not afford Dr. Kawesch. He is one of his associate Doctors. The procedure was quick, the place is nice, the staff is friendly and helpful. I had the procedure done in 2003 and have been doing great. Last year I had a check up and my optometrist at Kaiser said that Dr Bindi did a great job and that you could barely tell that surgery was performed. I have better than 20/20 vision....however that varies with each person.
The price is comparable to other Doctors and when looking them up in the State of California Medical Board Dr. Bindi was clean!
For a long time I was not considered a candidate for Lasik due to a condition called nystagmus. However, Laser Eye Center invested (early) in some great lasers that track the movement of the eye. I visited Dr. Bindi and he was confident I was a candidate!
I had the surgery 3 years ago and have never been happier. Dr. Bindi was fantastic - very through in explaining the procedure and personable. During the surgery he talked me through each step and kept talking to me during the procedure.
I highly recommend Dr. Bindi!
I just went in for my checkup today, and.......20/15 vision. Thats better than 20/20. Yeah, pretty f-ing cool. Dr. Kawesch did my PRK procedure back in June and I couldn't be happier with my results. He's the best in the bay area. And thats who I wanted working on my eyes, the BEST! I will recommend the Laser Eye Center of Silicon Valley to anyone who will listen. I love, love, love not having to deal with contacts and glasses anymore!!! Why didn't I do this years ago????
Had a good experience with monovision. Dr. Kawesch is rock-solid. I recommend going here, and don't skimp on cost (they are your eyes).
Here are some helpful things that you might not be told by anyone:
1. Don't expect to have child-like vision overnight, especially with monovision. It will take time to adjust, you may need to go back and have an eye redone for optimal vision. This all happened to me. But I can say I'm definitely glad I did it, and after much consideration, monovision was the right thing to do.
2. Use systane wetting drops, not refreshe. Refreshe has too much salt and causes dryness and burning around the edges of the eyelids when you use them a lot.
3. If you color your hair during the time that your eyes are healing, make a shield over your eyes using plastic wrap and clear mailing tape (tape it right to your face & forehead). You look stupid but it keeps fumes and chemicals out of your eyes.
4. Use a folded wash cloth over your closed eyes fpr an extra barrier when you shampoo & rinse. Of course don't apply pressure your eyes.
5. Don't freak out and don't talk during the surgical procedure, even if your vision goes dark for a while. It's normal, keep trying to stare straight ahead like dracula. The more still you are the better your surgery will turn out.
I had Dr. Bindi as my lasik surgeon. He was very friendly and professional. The consultation went well, but felt slightly rushed, as there were many others who had their consultations too. However, I am very happy with the results, and now see 20/20. I will suggest to take a lot of rest after surgery, and go to bed early each night to give your eyes a rest. I had halos and starbursts when I look at street lights at night for 4 months. After around 6 months, everything settled down, and I have very little side effects from the surgery. I will say my vision is near 98% perfect, 2% for slight dry eyes (I had that when I wore contacts too) and sometimes, my vision is a little blurry b/c of lack of rest. Overall, I am very pleased with the surgery. I am grateful for my vision, and not to have any lingering side effects. I will recommend Dr. Bindi and lasik for those who qualify as a patient.
Update: It's been over two years, and my eyes are still great! I have a 7 month old now, and I guess if I had to do it now, I would opt against it b/c of the cost. So I am happy I did this prior to having my baby. Therefore, for all of you out there thinking about this, get it done before kids, or else, you won't want to spend the $$$$.
I have not yet had the procedure done, but I did get an exam (free and VERY comprehensive including corneal topo mapping) and was impressed by Dr K's qualifications: Yale undergrad, UCLA MD,and highly experienced. The place is a trip, like a sports and rock museum. You'll see signed jerseys from mega athletes, guitars from Carlos Santana and also one from the Doors guitarist, Robbie Krieger. With all that flash and bling I expected a high pressure sell, but it never happened, which impressed me greatly. Even his closer, Julie, just gave a straightforward presentation of costs and options with zero pressure. I liked that a lot. Dr. K has testimonials hung all over the place from pilots, sports stars, actors, rock stars etc etc. That stuff does not impress me but the basics do: a really smart guy (they don't let dummies into his school (Yale), well... on second thought maybe one who is currently in the White House) and getting into UCLA medical school, which is hella competitive, is a big deal, so you know he has the brains. With all the hype and marketing I kind of expected a less qualified doctor, but that was not the case at all. He even has a pending US patent for an improved surgical method for corneal inlays: http://www.google.com/...
I may decide against LASIK, but I still recommend Dr. K. if you are considering it. He will help you fully consider all the benefits as well as the disadvantages and allow you to make an informed decision.
I choose Dr. Craig Bindi for my lasik procedure because he had previously operated on my friend. He did such a wonderful job, she recommended me to get lasik also, since I had not been able to see anything without my glasses and my eyesight was not doing too well even with glasses. I set up a consultation and operation appointment on the same day and I will never forget how understanding and kind the whole staff at the Laser Eye Center was at each stage of the consultation and even after the operation. It seemed like just yesterday, but it was actually just a couple of days shy of a year that I had my lasik done. Both of my eyes are 20/15 and it has been a life changing experience for me! Every time I go in to the office and check on my eyes, Dr. Bindi is always smiling and caring, he makes sure my experience is nothing less than stellar. He is the best! I definitely recommend this place for anyone who is thinking or considering lasik eye surgery, can't go wrong with their knowledgeable and helpful staff, plus patients get 1 year free service whenever you need to see the doctor or their optometrists. Good Luck and wherever you end up choosing to get your lasik done, make sure to do a thorough background check on the doctor and company because you only have one pair of eyes.
I just had LASIK done by Dr Bindi. I read the reviews on Yelp and that's how I picked him to work on my eyes. I am so glad I did because now I have 20/20...no more glasses or contacts. I have a follow up next month and I hope it'll be 20/15 by then. I was so nervous just before the surgery but I was given a valium and anesthetic eye drops and did not feel any pain whatsoever, not even after the surgery which only took 10 minutes tops. I walked out of the surgery room and could already read the signs posted around the hallway/doors. The next day I drove myself for a followup and was told I have 20/20 and that it will get better as days progress. I completely trust Dr Bindi. I can tell that he is there to change people's lives for the better. The cost was better than I had expected and with flexible spending plan I save even more money altogether. It's only been a few days since surgery and I am soooo glad and excited that I did this. I wish I had done this years ago to save myself the headache of wearing glasses and contacts. Even if you're not sure you want LASIK, go in for a free thorough exam to see if you are a candidate. I am planning a trip to Hawaii and will be able to swim with the dolphins and snorkel with the fishes and actually see. This surgery is soooo worth it.
