Boston Eye Group

Well. This is my second time here and the wait got progressively worse. Last time I waited for 30 mins to be seen. Fine… Maybe it’s a ridiculously busy morning. Today… I have been sitting here for an HOUR and still waiting. The doctor I saw last time is really friendly though so I don’t know who is at fault with this ridiculous wait time and it’s not like the parking is free. And I bet I’ll be seen for less than 5 mins. Then I asked nicely how much longer I’ll have to wait and instead of a friendly, apology or some kinder reply, the male receptionist gives me attitude about them informing patients to set aside 1 ½ hours for tests… Are my eyes being dilated? No. Am I going through any exam? No. So this wait is unecessary and that attitude is uncalled for. Again. The doctor is nice and professional. Can’t say much about this receptionist. I don’t owe you anything so I hope you get off your high horse and speak to people kindly and get rid of your condescending and rude attitude. It won’t kill you to be apologetic or sympathetic when a patient/​customer asks you how much longer the wait is!

I got LASEK here in January 2016. I knew from my research and from my consultation at Boston Eye Group that LASEK had longer recovery times, more discomfort, etc., so I was prepared for everything that came. While it obviously wasn’t fun, it really wasn’t so bad. My only teeny-​tiny gripe would be that the dose of valium they gave me prior to the surgery to calm me did absolutely nothing. I guess some people need a higher dose to get the effect. Luckily the surgery is quick, so I only had to live in terror for a few short moments :)
At one point I goofed and rubbed the contact out of my eye and lost it (after LASEK you get a clear contact that works like a band-​aid). That hurt like hell, but I called up right when they opened and they saw me immediately. Really great follow up care. Great care during all of my follow up appointments.
All around a solid experience. Wasn’t fun in the beginning, but now I have ²⁰⁄₂₀ vision with no real side effects to report. The closest thing was that I had dry eyes for a little while – totally normal.
I would absolutely recommend them to others (and have).

This is for the Medford location. Parking is awful, Street parking max of 2 hours. I came in for a LASIK consult which took forever, had to cut it short since my parking time was up. Will likely not come here for surgery due to parking issues and complete lack of urgency with the staff.

My initial review was more than a little hasty. I feel that the folks at Boston Laser are professional, very competent, and do their best to make sure patients are informed. The problem for me was that I am apparently not a typical patient. Also, I assumed that I would be typical – I did not prepare for what I was actually going to go through. I will try to relate my personal experience, briefly, because it would have been helpful to me.
My first review review was quite negative because I did not realize how completely incapacitated I would be. Not just, or even mainly, about work, but I couldn’t read anything, and reading is how I relax. Had I been more prepared, I would have had books on tape. I could not text, because I couldn’t see my phone; the only way I could message over FB was to copy what I had received then paste it into a word doc and change the font size to 28 or bigger. I had a lot of difficulty even dialing a number on my phone. I couldn’t see the television, though listening to TV or radio was really all I could do, for about 3 ½ weeks. Right around 3 ½ weeks after surgery, I could read with reading glasses, although not easily because it was double; that was not a big problem with words, but a big problem with numbers, like trying to fill out and add bank deposit forms. I could, though, drive at around 2 weeks after surgery.
Currently, and I think it’s been something like 2 months or so since the surgery, my distance vision is great during the day, less great at night. Reading is still a problem, with or without reading glasses. But I can do it, it just gives me a headache.
In terms of recovery, the second week was by far the worst. The pain was much, much worse week 2, and my vision changed from being able to see a little to pretty much not being able to see at all. I am relating this not to criticize Boston Laser, because I do not think they did anything wrong or amiss – I think they’re professional, but to advise prospective patients to be prepared just in case they end up, like I did, experiencing something less than typical.

Boston Laser is a great practice and exceeded my expectations in many ways. I’ve heard nothing but positive things from family and friends who have also gone there for Lasik. Dr. Melki is very courteous and approachable, and his expertise is well known and highly published– so you know you are in good hands.
I also met with Dr. Lee for a consultation on a skin/​cosmetic issue, and he was fantastic as well. He spent a good amount of time with me during my appointment and answered all of my questions/​concerns.
The staff themselves are professional and do their utmost to make you feel welcome and attended. The girls at the front desk were friendly and conversational with me while I waited to be called in, which always makes me feel more comfortable at medical appointments. Appointments themselves were convenient, and the office itself seemed very clean and presentable– and bonus– they have a little coffee station in the waiting room. I would definitely recommend Boston Laser to anyone I knew looking for Lasik or general eye care.

I recently visited their office for an eye exam. I have been there once before but the office looks even better after their renovations. I found the staff to be very friendly and knowledgeable and Dr. Melki was great! He is friendly, direct and to the point, which I like. I can tell he is very confident in the information he is giving me. I have had some friends who have gone here and have had great results with LASIK and Cataracts. I would highly recommend Boston Laser/​Boston Eye Group for any of your vision needs. Also, Harry helped me get me a cool pair of sunglasses. It’s like one stop shopping for your eyes. You need to check them out if there is a need.

They are never on time for an appointment! I’ve always had to wait more than 20 mins, with the meter parking this can be a hassle. They also don’t tell you if they are going to dialate which, again proves to be a problem if you are driving.
Its nice that they send Rx’s via email but otherwise, I don’t think its worth it for the wait.

Thank goodness there’s an optometry office in the Brookline area that actually seems to know how to operate a business. Unlike some other offices (cough*ArcadeOptical), Boston Eye Group was able to check what specifically my out-​of-​state insurance would cover before the appointment.
What’s more, BEG offers late hours on Mondays and Wednesdays, so I didn’t have to take off work hours for the appointment.
Overall, things went smoothly; the optometrist’s assistant wasn’t particularly friendly, but she was knowledgeable. Dr. Vilkomir was friendly, concise, and offered samples of multiple kinds of contacts without pressuring me to make any purchases.
Sounds like I went to a different place from the other reviewers. Maybe things are improving?

After 20 years of going to Boston Eye Group I’m saddened to say that I just can’t stand going there anymore. Boston Laser has expanded the location so much that it’s busting out of the building but still they attempt to handle the patient flow, which, they cannot. I wrote a longer review on their Facebook page and though Dr. Melki has attempted to explain the poor situation of my last appointment, it’s a deterioration that’s been going on for years. I didn’t just have a bad isolated experience! Apologies are not useful — there are other places to get retinal exams and Rx’s for eyeglasses — I’ll just have to try and find one, now. Too many apologetic phone calls and I’ve had to delete my FB post because apologies are just insincere. Backed up waiting rooms, rennovations to everything except the poor 19^th century elevator (you think just one doctor would work to upgrade that thing!), staff chatting in hallways who can’t be bothered helping the front desk because it’s beneath them, apparently, and the list keeps growing. They lost their dimly-​lit dilation waiting room, which I thought was the best thing! Ah, well… change is a part of life, right? (So is greed, and the loss of individualized care) I love «1101 Beacon Street» very much and will continue to see my other doctors there. But this place doesn’t belong, anymore. Laser needs its own «Melki Center» building and they know it. But instead they tried to create it within the confines of something that just ruined it for many. I just want my records to be transferred without the same level of administrative lack-​of-​quality-​and-​care (oddly, I don’t blame the receptionists, per se.) The whole office needs to try a TEAM EFFORT… when reception backs up — pitch in!, no matter if you’re wearing scrubs or what your gender is. Don’t just stand there watching «the girls at reception» like you can’t be bothered to help those in line. Add more computers and dig in, people!, or better yet, create the Melki Center and relieve Boston Eye Group — that place used to be the best!

I agree with the reviewer who said that this place has a car dealership feel. I worked with a Dr. who transferred into this group, and now I can never reach her by phone. In fact, I can’t reach anyone by phone — I’ve called three times and it goes into general mailbox. It’s run like a factory, and you are but a part in the assembly line.

Awful, awful place. From the patient-​farm atmosphere, to the non-​disclosure of full fees, to the horrendous quality of their administrative and billing department staff. It’s like the Wal-​Mart of eye doctors.
-=Back Story=-
One eye was pink for a little while, so I decided to call the Boston Eye Group to see if they have any available appointments in the coming days. They said they had one available that day, I was so relieved and went right there. The place was an absolute mad-​house, but nevertheless they took me in. I didn’t wait too long «about 20 minutes» and the doctor was very nice. It was a minor infection and she gave me some sample eye drops. Then she said she wanted to see me the following week to check on my eye.
I went the following week. I waited for about an hour to see the doctor. When I did see her she shined a light in my eye, said it looked good then I was on my way. Less than 5 minutes. The place was an absolute mad-​house; nothing but a patient-​farm looking to get people in-​and-​out. Their administrative staff was an absolute mess that day. And it was a Tuesday, no-​less.
I paid my co-​pay/​bill and the rest was submitted to insurance. I never received anything back from them, nor did I receive an EoB from insurance. Fast forward one year, I was charged $ 200 for the first 20 minute visit and $ 120 for the 5 minute follow up visit. I had a bill for $ 320 in collections. Come to find out, they charged me for an emergency visit — which it most definitely was not! And $ 120 for a 5 minute follow-​up? Please.
I called the billing department recently and wow were they not the rudest people ever! It looked as though they did not record my address correctly since they received return mail, nor did they have the common sense to call my phone number (s) on file to verify the correct one. (Or even use ‘teh Google’, but that’s asking a bit much, I know) I told them that this was ridiculous as i filled out my in-​patient form correctly and even handed the registrant my driver’s license and insurance cards. Still she said it was no fault of theirs it’s in collections. I asked her to send me the itemized bill. She said fine. But when I asked her to send my patient registration form, she said «she would if she could find it». When I continued to ask about the billing, she just kept saying it’s the doctor’s prerogative to charge what they want. But all I wanted them to do was justify the «emergency» charge. Still, they would not justify anything.
Now, I have paid the bill — and rightfully so since I owe it. But this place is a constant madhouse, filled with incompetent administrative staff, and the rudest billings department ever. Evar. They are a patient-​farm that charges a ludicrous amount of money, for sub-​standard care and attention.
I’ll be finding a local, small-​firm optometrist and telling everyone I know to stay a way.

Today was my third appointment there and I’m still not sure what to make of this place. The desk at the entrance in not where you check in of course, they direct you to another area where you have to sign in to wait to be checked in. After you are checked in you are directed to the waiting area by the front desk which is the checkout desk. (Are you with me so far) The optometrist Dr. Chang is first rate, explains everything and knows how to talk to people. Some of the other people there are nice also… but some of them give the place a auto dealership feel. They shuttle from one waiting area to the next… I think they have six all together… down long narrow hallways where employees stand talking to each other blocking the hall and not wanting to let you by (excuse me for interrupting your break). There are swarms of business managers walking around (the car dealership feel)…and they are always opening exam room doors interrupting exams looking for certain doctors. The technician? who gave me the basic exam today talked to me like a child (perhaps she usually deals with toddlers).overall the place has a very chaotic feel to it…
I think in the future I’ll head to a ophthalmologist (MD).in smaller setting… having to deal with seven people in the course of an eye exam is a bit much.