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Categories: Optometrists, Eyewear & Opticians, Ophthalmologists [Edit]
Neighborhood: Pacific HeightsMon-Fri. 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
"I met with Dr. Wong to get special contact lenses to correct my vision after my eyes regressed after having Lasik surgery in 2004. He…" read more »
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I had my evaluation last week and have booked my appointment for early January!
I was nervous going in (will I be a candidate? will the tests hurt? will they live up to the hype?), and I was totally impressed with the friendliness and professionalism of the entire staff. From the moment I walked in until the moment I walked out I was treated like a VIP - and indeed, I imagine they treat all of their clients that way. Loved it! My nerves were calmed by the wonderful personalities of the staff and by the ton of information I was given. I was allowed to ask any questions I wanted, and I never felt rushed. The tests do not hurt at all. They don't even touch your eyes. You look into machines that take pictures of your eyes and that's it. Easy! After the tests, I was given results and, luckily, thankfully, I'm a candidate. :) We chose a date that worked for me, and I put down a deposit (no they were not pushy or "sales-y" at all). I came away very excited about the experience, and I can't wait for January!
I'll update this post after the procedure...until then, Happy Holidays!
Dr. Faktorovich and her staff are world class through and through.
I called in for a consultation and wasn't sure if I would be a good candidate. My first appointment was about 90 minutes and they did a very thorough walkthrough of my eye. I was calmed about all of my fears and felt that the office treated me professionally. I learned a lot about my eyes and they were quick to answer all of my questions.
On the day of the appointment, I was whisked quickly into the operating room. Dr. Faktorovich was very calming and her staff kept me comfortable during the 45 minute procedure. It's been over a month and I have 20/20 vision. I was really blind before but now I can see clearly now.
PVI is definitely on the higher end of LASIK procedures but because my vision was so bad, I didn't want to take any chances. PVI does the most cutting edge surgery and Dr. Faktorovich is at the forefront of it all. It's worth paying extra knowing that you can trust your vision with her.
Now I am a supergirl! I am a wonderwoman!
LASIK is truly a phenomenal procedure and the doctors at PVI are wonderful, comforting, completely on top of everything eye-related. The procedure for me was painless and fast. I am now blessed with 20/20 vision for the first time since I was 8 years old. Other than some mild dryness for the first month, I had great comfort and vision since my procedure. Loving it!
I chose PVI based on great Yelp reviews and I am ecstatic about how it all turned for me and the kind of outstanding professionalism these doctors have shown every step of the way. Because my cornea was thin, I couldn't have LASIK. I had to have a procedure called PRK. This was determined after Dr. Faktorovich did extensive testing on my eyes. I had to be out of contact lenses and come back several times to get re-tested. There were at least four different machines that Dr. Faktorovich used to map my eyes. Every time, she went over everything with me and patiently answered all my questions.
I felt prepared because everyone on staff spent time with me, explaining everything to me. There were a few surprises, though. Although I was told what to expect the first weekend, it was intense and I had to lay low and take Vicodin. I could actually see the computer and did some work, so it was OK. The vision improved for about two weeks. Now I am soon to have a year anniversary and my vision is fantastic! I see better than I ever did in contacts.
I appreciated how Dr. Faktorovich and everyone at PVI took care of me. They were always available, even on weekends. My calls were returned right away. I lost my Vicodin prescription and the doctor called it into the pharmacy right away. I had to drop in a few times just to make sure things were going ok during the first few weeks and I was always seen. The service I received here was truly incredible. With my VSP discount, a $300 card, and everything that's included in the procedure here, the cost was comparable to other less impressive places in the Bay Area. It is totally worth it and then some. PVI is absolutely the way to go for laser.
A lot of great things have been said about PVI, and all of them are true; I shopped around a lot but nobody comes close to PVI in terms of professionalism, perfectionism and dedication to the patients. Both Dr. Faktorovich and Dr. Lee are the best in the business and everything was perfect, from initial consulation, to re-checks, to pre-op, to the procedure itself to the post-ops. The expectations were set exactly how it panned out; Dr. Lee is amazing in his ability to describe exactly how everything is going to go and he's always right. That creates a level of reassurance that is unparalleled and honestly I have never encountered before in any doctor. Dr. Faktorovich is the ultimate perfectionist, and she, along with all her staff, is super-super-nice and reassuring.
The price is on the high end of the spectrum, but it's insanely good value and you get what you pay for. Which is not much, considering that you can use FSA to shave off quite a bit (especially if you, as most San Franciscans, pay an outrageous amount of tax).
If you're on the fence: PVI got me 20/15 vision -- best vision I've ever had in my entire life, and better than most humans -- with little to no discomfort and a super-fast recovery (I was back to work and seeing perfectly without glasses by the next day). It's really the best money you'll ever spend in your life, believe me. The technology and people that PVI has is at a point that there's simply no reason NOT to do it.
Going back to cost: I have a bunch of $300 discount cards I'll be happy to give away. If you're serious about getting LASIK just PM me and I'll send one out to you.
There are really no excuses to NOT do it. So, what are you waiting for?
I recently had a consultation here. WOW! All the accolades are well-deserved. My eyes got tested with at least four different machines, including the one that tests the strength of my cornea. I also had a CT scan of my cornea done! These are top level pros and they do a thorough job.
I first met with patient coordinator and she explained everything to me in detail. The eye engineer did the tests on the machines and he was also very thorough in his explanation as well. He also showed me the lasers they use for the procedure - three or four different kinds. I was told that the rooms are kept cool to maintain the lasers in good function.
I then met with Dr. Faktorovich. She went over the results and explained the procedure to me. Good to see someone who really enjoys what she is doing. It was something great to see in a doctor, especially the one who is going to be treating you. Everyone was really great and friendly and I felt they were genuinely interested in how well I will do.
My lasik is scheduled for beginning of next year. Will update the review then.
After researching lasik for many years, I've decided to take the plunge last month. My eye doctor recommended Dr. Faktorovich. She did his eyes a few years back with good result. She also did lasik on his partner.
So, there were 3 reasons why I chose Dr. F and PVI - recommendation from my doctor, her credentials, and that a lot of things were included in the procedure cost. My VSP discount and the $300 card, made the fee $6,000. It included all the care, drops, and any possible laser I may need in the future. They have a lifetime laser vision enhancement policy. I also liked the fact that if I travel, I can be seen anywhere and that was included as well.
After a 4-hour nap, I woke up with amazing vision. I could actually see the dust on my TV across the room. I went out for dinner and was able to see everything.
After a month I am so used to my new eyes that I have to remind myself about this incredible thing I've done for myself.
I also can't stop recommending PVI and Dr. Faktorovich to everyone I meet. They made it all so easy for me. They are definitely #1!
Everyone I know who had LASIK, had gone to PVI. So, I was one of many. And like everyone I know, I too, have come out seeing great! I've never seen or heard them advertise or do anything cheesy that I've seen other place do.
The doctors are top-notch professionals and have great bedside manner, the staff is extremely nice and doesn't make you wait. They even have a full-time laser engineer to test and run all the lasers and testing equipment. He talked to me during my consultation since I had a lot of questions about technology. This is the place to go to for eyes.
If you have any questions, go and get tested, and talk to them. They also don't just do LASIK, but some other interesting procedures as well. So, if you are not a candidate for LASIK there may be something else they can do. I had my LASIK in January and I am seeing great.
Dr. F did my lasik 2 years ago. She and her practice are great.
I ride a motorcycle and play a lot of sports. It used to be a real pain with glasses and contacts. For the past 2 years I've been a very happy camper.
The surgery itself is not a big deal. It was all over before I had a chance to get nervous. When you come in they give you something to help you relax and it worked great. There was minor pressure on my eyes for about a minute. Then I remember being led 20 feet into another room where you get to see a laser light show.
Do any of you remember the laser shows at the planetarium, with Pink Floyd playing in the background, and half the audience stoned? This experience reminded me of that. I was relaxed from the Valium, and I was checking out the laser show. The only thing missing was the Pink Floyd... :)
This has been the best $6k I've ever spent, in my life.
I had it done this morning: I was told to allot 3 to 3.5 hours for the procedure but I was in at 8:40 AM and out by 9:40. I didn't have to wait between the two sub-procedures and even though I'm Asian and have smaller eyes, the wire suction rings did not hurt at all. There was some discomfort, much more in my left eye than my right, during this part, but it was totally bearable.
The only thing that docks them a star is the patient "consultant" who was bullying and scared the shit out of me by insisting that I pay the entire thing up front (when she realized I had the cash) at my first consultation. I was only calmed by my awesome optometrist of many years who referred me here.
The whole process was clean, professional, and caring otherwise.
I was under the impression that I wouldn't be able to see really well until a week or so out, but here I am less than 12 hours after the procedure and I can read email, see pretty much as well as I saw with my contact lenses, and it's only getting crisper.
I can't believe it!
This is so magical, there is no pain (I know this varies per person), not even really discomfort...
It's only day 1 so we'll see how I progress. But I'm very, very happy. It feels surreal.
----update almost a year later:
Dry eye has been a diminishing nuisance but otherwise everything is great. Night vision is especially awesome. It's the best gift I've ever given myself.
Just updating my review.
It's been a few months since I had the procedure... and it's been wonderful. My eye sight is perfect. And most of all I don't need to stress about taking out my lenses on trips or while sleeping. The hassle-free-ness is worth it.
And I have the $300 coupon if anyone wants one.
I can't recommend Dr. Faktorovich & the staff of PVI enough.
I had my procedure done last wednesday.…
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The first time I went to Dr. Faktorovich, she noticed that I had some blepharitis (sp?) on my lids and gave me medication for it which helped with the problem. She answered my e-mails and phone calls I made to her. When it came time for my preoperative exam, the staff was very attentive and very thorough in doing many tests. I felt nothing was left to chance. Everyone was very patient with me when I had to cancel my operation a couple of times. I did have half-legitimate reasons, but mostly I was just scared...
My measurements were about -9.50 in right eye and -8.50 left eye. I also had astigmatism. The operation itself was quick and painless except for some pressure during the first part. I was able to see well the next day when I drove in for my appointment. I did see minor halo effect for the first week while everything was healing, which then disappeared. I have no blurriness or any other problem. I don't need glasses for distance or reading and I can even see some things better than before the surgery.
Just renewed my driver's license and for the first time in my life I don't have any corrective lenses restriction. I started wearing glasses when I was two and a half years old, so literally for the first time in my life I can see. For me it has been a miracle.
I can see clearly now that my glasses are gone! Yippie yay!!
I hated the way I looked with glasses and felt like I was hiding behind them. I know there all these eye glass shops around the city, but I never felt that glasses were a part of who I am - I just refused to accept it. I also didn't like the way they slid down my nose when I worked out. And I absolutely detested wearing contact lenses. They were like two razor blades under my lids and my eyes always looked red and tired. But, I was scared to have surgery. It was only after several of my friends had LASIK done with Dr. Faktorovich, that I took the plunge. I also looked over a lot of websites, blogs, etc etc etc. I was pretty sure that PVI was the best. The only people who gave PVI so so reviews were the rejects. Well HELLO, be happy they did not mess up your eyes!
There was also the question of whether it was worthwhile for me financially. I figured out that with what I spend on glasses, contacts, solutions, etc, LASIK would pay for itself in five years. I had VSP AND I also did it in January - with my flex savings, I saved an additional $1,500.
My vision is absolutely fabulous and I loved my experience at Pacific Vision Institute. These guys and girls deserve every word of praise and every accolade. The level of care I received here was simply extraordinary. My every whim was catered to and I felt completely taken care of by this group of exceptional professionals. Their attention to detail is just obvious and it translates into what great medical care should be like. I highly recommend Dr. Faktorovich and the doctors at Pacific Vision Institute to anyone thinking
about eye surgery.
You do the research and then you have to trust the team. And what a great team this is - the best! I have a new idol in Dr. Faktorovich! The entire experience was exceptional - from the first phone inquiry through the post op follow ups. PVI made an otherwise anxiety-filled experience very pleasant. I am extremely thorough in my research, and could not have picked a better team. Top professionals, great human beings, outstanding results. My boyfriend is next...
After being the biggest chicken for the past 5 years I had finally built up the courage to have lasik. Thanks to all you Yelpers for the exceptionally descriptive reviews and information about Dr. Faktorovich. I wholeheartedly agree with all the positive comments that I have read prior to having my lasik done. I've been contacts and glasses free for a couple of months now. It was so worth it.
I had vsp insurance through my work. That knocked the cost down for me to $6300. I would have paid more had I known ahead of time how good the result would be.
I'm very active and participate in a lot of sports. Not having the stupid contacts in my eyes made my life a lot easier. Running, biking, swimming had become a lot more enjoyable than it used to be. 5 stars, Highly recommended.
I can't stop screaming praises about my recent LASIK procedure and it's making my four-eyed friends jealous.
Like many of you, I've done exhaustive research on LASIK doctors on google, yelp, blogs and forums. All signs pointed to Dr. Faktorovich at PVI, plus she's close by. With the VSP discount and the $300 referral coupon...it's still not cheap getting your eyes done here. With the premium price does come premium service and treatment. I know friends who were satisfied with their results at other doctors and paid half the price of what I forked out at PVI. But I figure I don't want to be skimping out on my eyes. Everyone only gets one pair; no returns, no refunds, no exchanges. I only want the best and I NEED to know that I'm in good hands. And I felt that I was...with Dr. Faktorovich, Dr. Lee and everyone at the clinic.
Everyone is very patient and very kind and they know exactly what they're doing. I love how they can get you in and out of the clinic by their estimated time. There's no sitting around and waiting much at all, unlike other medical offices I've been to. It's actually hard to imagine how they can manage time so well even with all the questions and concerns I had.
My LASIK experience was fine. People ask if it hurts, but the answer is no, it doesn't. Just awkward. Slightly uncomfortable. Remember, you need a person after your LASIK (as your chaperone, harhar) to help get you home. They'll even call your LASIK chaperone 30 minutes before to let them know you're almost done and ready to be picked up in your silly eye shields.
Sleep, fast forward, sleep.
Then the next morning comes, BAAMM!
Crystal clear vision! A-MA-ZING! Life, Now in HD!!!
i love my new eyes! Thanks, Dr. Faktorovich!
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One small thing that almost deterred me from coming here was how pushy the Patient Coordinator became when I said I wanted some time to think about getting LASIK. She asked me why I'd bother coming if I wasn't even serious about getting LASIK, like I'm wasting their time or something. She heavily insisted on me leaving a $900 refundable deposit. I got a bit hesitant and I will quote her response, "if you can't do $900, how much can you put down?" This was all during my initial "complimentary" consultation.
These people are totally money-motivated.
Think about it...the reason why people give them such great reviews on yelp is because they get financially rewarded if they can offload their coupon on others. Why do you think so many people are willing to go out of their way to fedex their $300 coupon to complete strangers?
Also, why do you think they only screen for highly qualified candidates? Because they want to lessen the possibility of complications and hence bad customer reviews.
I have no doubt they do a fine job, but my conversations with the sales staff were the kind of hard sell you get from a cheap rug salesman. After I raised my concern over their high price (probably the highest in the city), the salesperson said: "well, if money is the most important thing to you"
...as if money wasn't important to them. please.
Keratoconus? KERATOCONUS?!?! My eyeballs are too pointy?!? Like the wolf from the Droopy cartoons when he sees a hot female wolf, except mine are like that all the time and lack the appropriate sound effects? That can actually happen to people?! What the hell!? Add that on to the 20/200 near-sightedness that was the reason I came here to begin with, the astigmatism, the color-blindness, the overactive tear glands, the weird soreness I've been getting in my right eye whenever it tries to focus, and the inevitable cataract surgery I'll be getting when I'm sixty, I don't see why I shouldn't just gouge my eyes out with clothespins. At least that way I can get a handicapped placard for my car.
I'm sure I would have enjoyed the experience had my eyes not been so deformed that if try to give seven grand to someone to point a red light at them, I get turned down. But on the bright side, they had free coffee in the waiting room.
My eye doctor of many years recommended Dr. Faktorovich for LASIK. My prescription was pretty high and I have been wearing gas perm lenses since I was in middle school. I was in glassed before then - since I was 6 years old. My vision in gas perms was very good, and although I didn't want to wear contacts any more, I didn't want to take any chances either and wanted to make sure that my vision stays very good after surgery - but without contacts. Thanks to Dr. Faktorovich, I can now see perfectly. I am now going into my third month after LASIK and my vision has been excellent - as good, if not better, than in my contacts. Before LASIK, I was told that there is a possibility of needing a touch up laser because of my high prescription. Now the doctors are telling me that I am healing so well that I probably won't need it. However, if I do need it, I will not need to pay anything for it. This is part of their life time laser enhancement policy. I love my vision! I couldn't be happier with how great I am doing and with my choice of the surgeon.
It's been about three weeks since my LASIK procedure and I couldn't have asked for better results. I've been wearing glasses since the 2nd grade and let me say that it's been great being able to see clearly after almost 20 years of wearing corrective lenses. Two weeks after my procedure, I completed a 4 day Inca trail hike to Machu Picchu sans glasses, so the procedure was very much worth it ($6000 after my vision discount and a referral coupon). I have no complaints about my eyes so far: a little dryness that is abated by using eye drops about two/three times a day and slight halos around lights at night.
The consultation was very straightforward. You meet with the patient coordinator where you are free to ask all of your questions. Your eyes are then tested by the technician and Dr. Faktorovich comes in to tell you whether you are a good candidate. If all green lights are go, you schedule an appointment and develop a payment plan. I had a preop appt with Dr Lee a few days before my procedure that lasted about an hour. All in all, the PVI staff made me feel very prepared and gave me a good basis of what to expect. The day of, you are told to wear comfy, warm clothes and are given some Ativan/Valium to calm you down. To explain the procedure itself, the first part is when suction is placed on your eye and the flap is created. There was weird pressure at this point, but no pain. This section took a few minutes per eye. You then are led outside of the operating suite to wait for about 15 minutes while the "bubbles" created by the machine subside. The next part is where you are told to look at the green light while the laser correction is done. Dr. Faktorovich is there to coach you through each step on the way. Afterwards, she examines your eyes and you are told to go home and keep them closed for around 4 hours. You are also given instructions on how to use an "eye drop cocktail" in the week following the procedure. The next day, I was back to work, staring at my lovely computer screens without any problems! That night and the first few days afterwards, I would say my vision was similar to looking through slightly dirty, somewhat dry, contact lenses. This clears up a little each day until after about a week, you forget you ever wore glasses or contact lenses :)
A list of things I now notice I can do: 1) see the alarm clock when I wake up, 2) actually see labels on the shampoo bottles while I'm taking a shower, 3) wear sunglasses, 4) not have to worry rain drops/fog on my glasses, 5) thank PVI and Dr. Faktorovich for giving the vision I had always hoped for!
PS: I have some $300 coupons (expiry 12/31) available for those who might be interested. These might be perfect for those people who want to do a consult in late 2009 and schedule appts in early 2010 to take advantage of their flexible spending accounts. Feel free to PM me if interested.
Went here yesterday for a consult. This place is comfortable, clean and very mellow. So while I was there, a channel 7 camera crew came in to do a story about the advanced lens procedures they do. Then, Grant from MythBusters was getting a lasik enhancement and the actor Max Segar was there for a check up. Surprisingly, for all the action, I got personal attention from the staff and Dr. Faktorovich.
I'm very comfortable with the price tag because their team, technology and results are superb! It's less if you have a vision plan, closer to 6k. They showed me the third-party data on their results, no other place offered me that. I also loved that Dr.F contributes so much to the research and advancement of the procedures. Other doctors don't even have a list of publications, it's like they got the MD and just set up shop.
I will tell you this, if you schedule a consult, they assume you are very serious about moving forward, they assume you know about the Institute and Dr.F's standing in the field, they assume if you're a good candidate you're going to be stoked that Dr.F is doing your procedure and provide full payment or at least a deposit on the spot. This is NOT the place to go if you're just window shopping, or looking for a "deal." This is a professional operation and they really want patients that value what they provide. It's your eyes -- don't cheap out!
This place is on a higher level and I wish more people knew it was right here in SF!
Here's the quick summary, as I am a person who will use 50 words when 5 will do:
1) If you're going to get eye surgery, this is the place to go. They're serious eye people and will bend over backwards to do everything right for you.
2) I wish I would have remembered to fill the vicodin prescription the day before.
3) That funny smell is the laser machinery doing its thing. Its not your eyes.
4) There's still some recovery time, make sure you have the fridge stocked with snacks and food for the days right afterwards.
Okay, now here's the longer version:
A bit more than a year ago I decided that it was time to investigate getting rid of the glasses that I've been wearing since 4th grade, when I couldn't sit any closer to the blackboard than the first row -- and the teacher noticed that I kept leaning over the desk just to get a little bit closer.
Since then my vision had deteriorated to the point where I could focus to about 6 inches in front of my face. I'd tried contact lenses and they were great for a while, until my eyes decided that having something in them all day long was far too irritating.
So, I naturally started my search on Yelp - and my Yelp friends. The lovely (and glasses-less) Stephanie I had sung the praises of Dr. F, so I had to check them out.
By the way, you should have a good optometrist on your side during this process -- mine is Dr Hum at City Focus. More about her later.
The initial visit at PVI wasn't very surprising - a few quick tests and they decided I was a candidate. Then a few more tests with the fancy fancy machines (seriously, a CAT scanner for the eye?! very cool) a pile of drops and a bottle of vitamins and I'm out the door.
Fast forward a bit, and i've managed to poke myself in the eye with one of the eye droppers. (as homer says: doh!) I actually managed to scratch my cornea, which apparently is a bad thing to do. On the plus side, it revealed that my cornea was weaker than 'normal,' and that PRK was a better procedure for me than LASIK.
Dr. Hum sat me down and explained that PRK is an earlier form of laser correction of vision. The upside is that it can be performed on people for whom LASIK isn't right. The downside is that it takes much longer to heal, hurts more, and you have to go back for more visits with the doctor.
Now I don't mind visiting PVI, they're fun people to chat with and they have snacks for the patients out - but I sure could have done without the "longer to heal" part.
With those thoughts in mind, I decided to go for it. But there was another unexpected eyeball related discovery to come. I was in the chair at PVI with the foropter in front of my face, and Dr. Lee was having trouble dialing it in.
The foropter is the largely over-sized set of glasses with all the dials and knobs, and when they're refracting your eyes the doctor will say "this one (click) or that one (click)" over and over again.
I think at a certain point they realized that something was up with how my eyes focus. So they popped in some drops to paralyze the muscles that focus. All of a sudden, they can dial them in. Turns out I have eye muscles like Ahnold, which have been over compensating for what has probably been a too-strong glasses prescription.
With that cleared up Dr. F was ready to declare that my eyeballs were good to go.
The day of the procedure was pretty easy -- lots and lots (and lots) of different drops in the eyes to get ready, and then at most 5 minutes per eye. The hardest part is to remember to keep your eye fixed on the little light in the laser device. In PRK they pop a "bandage" contact lens over the eye to protect it overnight. You go home, lie on the couch and pretty much do nothing the rest of the day.
The first night was pretty rough. As I mentioned waaay up at the top, I didn't fill the Vicodin prescription before hand -- and the afternoon after the procedure my eyes felt okay. But when I tried to go to sleep and close my eyes - that's when things got a bit ouchy. I'd close my eyes, they would start to hurt - get up - take off the plastic eye covers that are the human equivalent of those white paper cones that dogs get to wear - put in more eye drops. By the time the sun came up, not much sleep had actually occurred.
At my "next morning" visit to PVI, the advice was: "go get the vicodin."
My brother picked me up, filled the vicodin prescription and I spent the next 24 hours asleep on his sofa, only waking up to add more pain killers.
Everything went fine from that point. PRK does have a much longer healing time than LASIK, and I was starting to get a bit frustrated -- it felt like my eyes were taking *forever* to come back into focus.
At 3 weeks, Dr. Lee told me that my eyes were on the right healing profile and I was doing fine.
It did eventually end up taking a while for my eyes to come back into what I consider full focus - probably about 6 months. But they're great now, and it was worth it.
Two Words: Go Here
Details:
I won't cover the operation, I'd be one of many but I'll discuss what's on the line with your decision, the selection process, opportunity cost and enjoyment formula.
The Skinny:
After convincing the check-in staff you do have visible means of support (job, visa, trust fund or 2 working kidneys) you get green lighted into an evaluation.
The Test:
Machines looking at your eyes every way possible. Topo mapping, 360 camera angles, etc. All with goal of finding every flaw possible. Relax, its just in your eyes (they won't bring up your tardiness, inability to color match your clothing or that you voted for Bush). Dr F. will stop in and review your data in detail. Other than picking which kidney to donate, this is the only stress of the entire procedure. If you pass, Congrats... you essentially have a near 100% chance of popping off your BattleStar Galactica eyeshields 4 hours post-op and seeing 20/20 or better.
If you don't pass, all hope is not lost-- other shops will take you, you could still get to 20/20, but at Pacific Vision you are now deemed a deviation, an outlier and a risk they won't take on the chance you skew their success metrics. Your money and kidneys are not good here.
The Results:
I went from 20/unfortunate to 20/Hubble. Hubble? Yes, after surgery NASA called and they are sending me up with a laptop and iphone to sit in the telescope and call and write what I see. My vision is that good. If Dr. F had a shot at LASIK on the Hubble, she prolly could have fixed that mistake too.
The Choice:
If you are a candidate you need to make a decision on what an almost guaranteed 20/20 is worth. I'm out $6k, which is 4 days in Bora Bora with the wife.
The Formula:
Cost of surgery / live expectancy in days x your current prescription. In my case: $6000 / 3.9 (365x40) = about $.11 cents a day, money well spent.
I went there for the preliminary exam. I had already been to another place, Dr. Goodman. Dr. Goodman had recommended PRK since my cornea was too thin for Lasik. Pacific Vision has some prettty amazing machine that creates a topology of your entire cornea vs. just measuring the thickness at one spot. Dr. Lee reviewed this and said that while the center of my eye had enough thickness for PRK below this it was too thin and the structure of the cornea was likely to not hold up. Total $ paid to Pacific Vision $0 for some priceless information. This tight screening is probably why their stats are the best. Many kudos to them for their integrity.
Originally was at SF Eye Institute, and they referred me here to get more advanced testing.
First, while this doesn't factor into my rating, I will say that the layout/setup of the place is incredible/immaculate/amazing. Love the free coffee/snacks, and everything looks beautiful and is so clean.
Had tests done w/ a specialist and then went over them with Dr. Scott Lee. Despite the ridiculously complex nature of the corneal topography that I had, Dr. Lee was very good at simplifying them for me and explaining to me exactly what I had (keratoconus), as well as making sure that I understood the extent of it, and cautioned me against reading too much about it on the internet.
I'm lucky that my company covers all medical expenses so it's not an issue, but I'm guessing that you'll pay a lot for what you get here.
I've been crying the last three days. They're tears of JOY - literally - not due to overwatery eyes or discomfort or regret. I may be a baby, but there are tears forming as I'm staring, clearly, without contacts or my -7/-6.5 prescription glasses.
Let's give you some history. I come from a family of four-eyes. We ALL wear glasses and have varying degrees of horrible prescriptions. I was the 4-year old in the really not cute late-70s plastic glasses, I was the one who accidentally popped out about 12 hard-lenses when my mom finally trusted me with contacts in the 7th grade. I've never taken a shower and been able to read the shampoo label, I've never read an alarm clock after just waking up and I sure never thought I'd be able to do either. I've always said the one thing I'd change about myself is my eyesight.
Well, three days ago, the good people at PVI made that change for me. And today, I'm seeing better NOW, than I ever did with my contacts or glasses. Did I mention it's been three days?
So my eye doctor, who I love (Dr. Torres at Eye Carrumba, check him out!) had his eyes done by Dr. Faktorovich and recommended her to me. She don't advertise, Dr. Favtorovich has written books about the procedure and she's considered a leader in the field. The wonderful Dr. Lee (he and I share a mutual love of the Sharks) is so knowledgeable, trusting and patiently answered my 3,225 questions.
I want to send them flowers, I want to give them all hugs, I would have paid double. Yes, the surgery is WEIRD. They're operating on your eyes! Don't be scared. Do your research, concentrate on your deep breathing and trust in these really great doctors. It's the best thing I've ever done (and now I'm crying again...).
I had my LASIK done here about six months ago. My vision is great! I was about -5 in both eyes with some astigmatism. When I woke up the morning after the surgery I thought I forgot to take out my contacts, except it was better than with the contacts. I think I have bionic eyes now. I can see right through my boyfriend... :)
Pacific Vision and Dr. Faktorovich, you guys are fabulous!
It's very easy to see why PVI is number 1!
I was impressed from the very beginning. Everyone was friendly, from the lady who I made my appointment with, to reception and all the doctors I met with. The office has nice little touches to make patients feel comfortable (ok so I'm easily impressed by goodies) and it was very welcoming. Leah talked with me for a good while and answered all my questions. We discussed price and while it was more expensive than another place I went to, you can't put a price on your sight! She was patient and engaging. Jean led me through my tests and explained everything to me as he was conducting them. Dr. Faktorovich was SUPER nice and even gave me a hug to congratulate me on being a candidate for Lasik. Dr. Lee conducted more tests and was very pleasant and thorough. I was provided with plenty of vitamins and RefreshPlus drops to prep my eyes before the surgery.
On my surgery day, I was taken in quickly to the IntraLasik. This was the most uncomfortable part of the whole procedure (but the whole thing was TOTALLY bearable) so while it was doing its thing, Dr. Faktorovich reassured me the entire time and calmed me down. Before I knew it, I was done and on my way to better than 20/20 vision! They gave me everything I needed in a little bag. I slept for 4 hours and I was AMAZED with how well I could see. Before I was at -5.75 and now I can see better than 20/20! I am so glad I chose PVI- I am 100% satisfied with the results and the treatment I got. Everyone was FANTASTIC, FABULOUS & WONDERFUL!!! I highly recommend PVI!
p.s. I have $300 coupons for anyone who is interested!
*Update*
It took a couple of months for me to fully heal from the surgery, but my vision is now better than 20/20 and I am totally 150% happy with the results and the procedure. I ams till amazed at what my eyes can see these days!
*orogonal posting below*
Hip, hip hirray for Pacific Vision Instutute!
A few weeks ago I decided I had had it with contacts and glasses, and did some Internet research on LASIK centers in San Francisco. Pacific Vision Institute constantly came up as number one. After attending a free consultation, I decided to go for it.
I had a variation on LASIK which actually corrects the cornea. This procedure is less invasive and simpler than LASIK, however has a longer recovery time. Dr. Faktororvich, Dr. Lee and Dawn were all consumate professionals, very understanding, and explained everything in great detail to me. I knew what to expect, and was treated very well.
It has been a week since my procedure and my vision is already 100% better than prior. Though it may take 1-2 months for my vision to reach 20/20, I am already very pleased and definetely recommend Pacific Vision Institute to anyone thinking of LASIK.
Just came back from taking my friend in for a lasik consultation to Pacific Vision Institute. I had my lasik there about 5 years ago. I remember they just started doing intralasik procedures then. It's what they also call "all laser" lasik. I read up on it at the time, and it was definitely the way to go.
I had a whopper of a prescription. For those in the know, it was -9 and -10 in my contacts. Couldn't see anything more than an inch from my face. And I was wearing gas perm contact lenses. So, I went for it. Ever since, my vision has been great! I remember in the beginning thinking that it feels like I got the best Christmas present ever. Then I got used to it and how great I saw everything.
I took my friend in because she said she wanted to get it done, but was too chicken. So, I took her in. Turns out she wasn't a candidate. So, now she is bummed because she can't have it done. Go figure.
In any case, for those thinking about it, this is a great place. If you qualify, you won't regret it.
UPDATE 5/26/08: My friend decided to get the new lens implant procedure. She was nervous about it, but then talked to patients who had it done and she is going in for her exam.
Results are awesome - 20/15 vision.
I was worried it would be an invasive surgery as I couldn't even do contact lenses...
It was the most simple thing I've ever done. In at 8:15am and left at 9am.
If there was a choice for 4.5 stars it would have been my choice. Below is my detailed experience, read at your leisure.
To start, never ever get your procedure at the end of Jan. I realized during the day of my operation that end of Jan. is when everyone in the world who has a FSA gets their surgery. When I asked, I was told that PVI can crank out over 100 patients a day during a busy day!
Lets start at the beginning shall we:
1) I only went to see the possibility of getting LASIK since I was super paranoid and did not want to commit. But Leah was super nice and after talking to her I was ready to sign up. If you don't have VSP, get it. For about 200 bucks out of pocket for VSP, the VSP discount is around 1500 dollars! PVI also offers 12 month interest free option from Capital One. Interest free! Where do I sign the dotted line...
2)For my pre-op, there was some mis communication where someone told me that I should have the pre-op two days before the surgery, but then I was told that it is ok to schedule it a week ahead, which was rather confusing.
When I got to pre-op appointment is when I realized that they will actually dilate your eyes, it would have been nice to have been preped for that in the initial set of papers I received. The original papers only listed dates but no warning on the dilation.
I received more paper work at the pre-op apt where the lady kept on telling me (2x) that someone will go through the paper work about what you should do before, during and after the procedure. I waited and went through the entire apt with no one going through the details. Sure I read it myself, but it would have been nice to have the right expectations.
3) Day of the surgery
Note again, never go at the end of January, there were at least 6 people waiting outside when i got there. Everyone is super nice and all, but since it was so crowded inside my husband couldn't come to the back to comfort me. Took the Vicadin like everyone else, but I agree with Erin that there was definite pain.
Sure I expected the eye lid thing that holds your eye open will hurt, but when the laser actually cut the cornea, it hurt me way more in my left eye than the right. I also didn't expect to all of a sudden not be able to see anything when they put the thing that holds the eye open for the laser cutting step.
NOTE: it is freezing in the operating rooms so be prepared. The nice enough girl lead me to the operating machine, but didn't give me the blanket so I was freezing for at least 5 mins.
Anyway, like everyone else, I had to wait in between and since there were so many people, there weren't any music/CD players offered etc. I also felt like I was playing musical chairs where I sat down where someone just left, and someone else sat down in the office I just sat in.
The second part of the surgery took me by surprise since the instructions they gave indicated that I would be looking at a red light, and also when I got my picture taken at the pre-op it was a red light. So you can imagine my surprise when it was a GREEN light. I had to seek Dr. Lee out and he mentioned something about Dr. F will use the laser that is right for you and will vary depending on patient.
It would have been nice to be notified prior to actually laying down on the table. I had practiced so hard to look for the large arrows pointing to a RED light. Made me wonder if I got jipped or something...
Anyway, I thought I was looking at the green light, but Dr. F kept on repeating "look at the light...", guess it must be harder than I thought.
I would recommend all my friends and family to get their operations done here as long as it is not during the busy months. Dr. F, Lee and staff are super nice and from what I have read is the best in SF.
SUMMARY: For the nice office, friendly staff, and superior operation PVI totally deserves 5 stars. But for the confusion and not so clear expectations, half a star is removed.
I researched doctors and Lasik procedures for a long time before I opted for surgery. I narrowed it down to Dr. Ella Faktorovich at Pacific Vision Institute and Dr. Daniel Goodman (he has his own office) as they seem to be reknown as the best in San Francisco. I chose to go with Dr. Faktorovich over Dr. Goodman because my optometrist told me that she has more of a bedside manner.
I am very happy with the results. It changed my life! I used to have really poor vision (-7.5) and now I see better than 20/20. It took a little time to retrain my eyes but I would never go back to the way it was before. No way Jose! There are so many benefits to Lasik over glasses and contacts.
One important thing, if you are considering Lasik, go to see if you qualify as a candidate before you put any money aside in a flex spending account. My coworker put aside thousands of dollars only to learn that she did not qualify at the end of the year.
I *really* want to get my eyes lasered. Fixed. I don't care what it takes, just do it. I've been thinking and researching and obsessing, and I finally just made an appointment.
PVI got me in for a consultation right away - yay! They get one star for that.The staff was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. I would entrust my eyes to these people, no problem. Two stars. The equipment they tested me on was clearly top notch. State-of-the-art and well-taken-care-of. Three stars.
But... You knew there was a but, didn't you? After such a warm welcome and a litany of tests for about an hour, Dr. Faktorovich finally came in. She greeted me by saying, "Sooo, a girl with a large correction, eh? Let's see." She proceeded to flip through my chart, and attempted a little bit of stilted small talk. So much for bedside manner.
After just a few minutes, she unceremoniously decided that I would not make a good candidate for laser surgery because my corneas are thin and irregular and thus might be prone to problems with the correction. No opportunity to ask any questions. Just rejected. She marked the form and started to walk me out.
As we walked, I explained my disappointment, and she countered that at least I would have good vision with glasses or contacts. I told her that I have *never* had good vision even with artificial correction, and she just apologized, pat me on the shoulder, and showed me the door.
I was crushed. So, back to the drawing board. I got a recommendation for another surgeon, and I'm going in for a second opinion. We shall see...
Update: Turner Eye Institute totally lasered me and I love the results (yes - I yelped about that, too.) FWIW, some people I know who tend to know things have ventured to guess that the reason PVI rejected my case was in order to keep their numbers up. You know, if my surgery doesn't turn out perfect because of thin corneas or whatever, then they don't have to take a hit in their statistics of wonderfully satisfied customers. Just a theory.
First of all, I have some $300 coupons, so if you would like one, just drop me a line with your email address and I'll be happy to pass the savings along.
I used my flex spending plan and had my eyes done at PVI 3 years ago, waking up the next morning with perfect vision. I was able to do away with my glasses and felt like a whole new person. And the best part of all, all those dirty old men with a fetish for girls with glasses (the dirty librarian, naughty school teacher fantasty, etc.) finally stopped hitting on me.
In the last year my eyes have changed (sometimes just a natural part of getting older) and after getting my eyes checked by my regular eye doctor, I went back to PVI to see if I would be eligible for a touch up. After several appointments to ensure my eyes were stable, they've scheduled me for a correction, which is covered in the original price I paid 3 years ago. If my eyes continue to change at all throughout the years, I still have this guarantee that PVI will take care of it at no extra charge to me.
I've been really happy with my results and even though the surgery itself sucks, it's been well worth it. Some quick words of wisdom: if you tend to get anxious, ask them for some sort of drug to help calm you. They didn't believe me at first when I emphasized how much I would need some chemical assistance. Be aggressive with them and demand something to make it more tolerable - it made all the difference in the world to help me relax. Also, I've been prone to dryness since the original surgery and keep eyedrops with me at all times.
I was tired of being dependent on glasses and contacts were a struggle when I wore them - so I had to do something.
There are plenty of Lasik centers in the Bay Area, but PVI is clearly one of the highest quality places available, if not THE best. There wasn't a "bargain" offer, just basic cost for the quality of services received. They were VERY helpful in getting my insurance coverage and getting me started with a HCRA. Even better, at the last minute my payment options fell through, and in 15 minutes I had another financing offer in front of me with one year without interest.
I didn't worry for one moment that I wasn't in great hands. And when it comes to your eyes (and mine weren't that bad to begin with) you can't worry. Dr. F was very hands on, didn't make me feel rushed, and was very much involved on my surgery day. Other centers require cash for the consultation, PVI only required a reasonable deposit to hold an appointment. I've recommended Dr. F and her great staff to everyone I know that has even considered Lasik. There's something to be said about eye surgery that is truly ALL laser.
About recovery - 4 hours of good rest, manageable eye drop regimen that didn't hurt and I was back to ice skating the following day, doing spins and FINALLY not having to hold my glasses in my hand as I practiced. Best investment I've made.
It's been a year and I still have 20/15 vision. And if that changes in the coming years, "tune ups" are free. For the life of my beloved eyes. Dr. F's practice is the type that will be around to offer those tune ups IF they become necessary.
I had once tried to get Lasik, back in Michigan, and was deemed not a good candidate, due to dry eyes. So when I moved out here, I thought I would get a second opinion. Fellow Yelpers recommended Pacific Vision with such glowing accolades, that I went in for the consultation. Sometimes, you don't realize how professional, or how much of a better experience you have, until you have something to directly compare (restaurants are easy to compare, but professional services are a little harder). Jean, the gentleman that measured my eyes was great. We chatted a bit about their equipment, after he realized this was not my first time exploring Lasik. Granted I knew that Lansing Michigan was not a hub of medical innovation (but I had gone to a large firm in Michigan), but he said that one of the pieces of equipment that I described in Michigan, they had not used in several years.
From Jean's measurements, Dr. Faktorovich saw absolutely no reason I would not be able to get the procedure. So I booked it for the following week.
I went in 2 days before for some extra measurements with Dr. Lee. Dr. Lee was great too, he even knew the South Park episode I was referring to when I read the chart 'I am a little Pig E', so he gets a star for that!!! What was really neat is that he dilated my eyes and then retested them, and found that a good portion of my eye prescription was not from my eyes detiorating, but from straining the muscles that focus them. He was surprised when I told him that was the first anyone had told me that. That result, also led to him saying that in follow up appts (after the procedure) we would look at correcting the muscles and not just re-lasering the eyes, if they hadn't healed to perfection.
The procedure went as planned, and if you read the other reviews, they do a good job of telling you how it is, so I won't rehash it.
Pacific Vision is a model of professionalism and everyone involved works to a standard of perfection. This is an exemplary facility, and a medical experience unlikely to be surpassed. From the receptionist, to the doc herself, a great experience!
You will not be disappointed.
Also, in my follow up, my vision was better than 20/20.
9-27-07... follow up check ups reveal my actual eyes are perfect, but the muscles that focus are to tense. To solve this there is another doctor that comes in to 'retrain' your brain and eyes, to focus properly. Appartently this is a very expensive treatment, independent of the surgery, but PVI includes it in the price for those that need it. Word to the wise.... you can get your eyes zapped cheaper elsewhere... but PVI sells the whole service package, to ensure proper vision. Can't recommend highly enough.... wanna save some ducats.... I have a recliner, a laser pointer, and a set of Wusthoff knives.... go to a professional!!!
Everyone talks about how successful their LASIK turned out, but did you know that you get just about an unlimited supply of peanut M&Ms while you wait?
JONASAPPROVED!
My appointment was at 3:30PM and this is one appointment you don't want to be late bc I was and:
1) Dr. F told me in her sleepy eyed look that she gets really tired in the evening and prefers to do the procedures in the morning
2) They quickly whisked me into the examining room
3) The valium they gave me did not have a chance to take in effect before the most painful procedure in my life began...
...called IntraLASIK (removal of the superficial corneal layer). I'll be the first to be honest and say that this WILL HURT. Dr. F shoved a round centration mark made of wire onto my cornea as well as a plastic suction ring into my eye. I have small asian eyelids so they had to stretch my eyelids hard to get the devices into my eyes. Thank god it only took 30 sec/eye. No one told me that when the corneal is being lifted, your eyes will go into total and complete darkness (this would be how it feels to go blind...a bit scary).
After this, the calming staff took me into a room to listen to soothing MP3 music of waves crashing against the beach while my eyes were dripping perfusely with tears.
Last step...I was taken to another room, where my eye lashes where taped to my face and I was asked to constantly watch a green light. This is where the light show began. It was tough to focus on the light show as I watch Dr. F remove the corneal layer with a pair of tweezers and as she was constantly brushing my eye balls with a tiny paintbrush....2 min/eye. Then it was over.
1 day later - I pulled apart my crusty eyes and I could see! Although, there are big red blotches that should go away in a few months from having the devices shoved into my small eyes.
$5900 with VSP discount for both eyes (~$7K without)
I got my eyeballs "done" back in October of 2002.
They STILL work.
There was a 0.01% chance of not being able to stabilize my astigmatism and Dr. Faktorovich took on the challenge...
THANK GOD!!!
Just to let you know --- it took me 7 years to finally decide that it was "safe enough" for me to have someone mess with my eyeballs. Especially since I was passed what was "scientifically" considered BLIND. That said, my friend and her law enforcement hubby got theirs done the month before --- so I got a first hand glimpse at how their eyes were panning out.
We're reaching the 5 year mark --- and we've got NO PROBLEMS.
***update as of 08.12.2007***
After much heckling from m'Optometrist buddy in Maui --- I caved in and went to get my eyes checked out three days ago.
The optometrist could NOT STOP GUSHING about how amazing the incisions done for my Lasik were!!! He said he could barely detect the "scars" and was amazed at how well my eyes were doing! Especially with the prescription I had before...
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Optometrists
Daly City, CA
Category: Ophthalmologists
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Optometrists
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Category: Ophthalmologists
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Optometrists
