Animal Eye Care - Deborah S Friedman

These guys are the best. They are very thorough in their exams and knowledgeable about their specialty. They were super gentle with my dog and they have a great set up out side while checking in and out.

I left a message about a month ago to schedule a follow up appointment. Got NO call back. Very frustrating. My opinion of the specialist she saw still stands, she's amazing but the front office needs some work.

These doctors are experts and really know what they're doing! I've had experiences with them twice, about 15 years apart, and they always nip it right in the bud the first time. Thank you so much

We've had 2 experiences with this place and both have been good and were able to resolve an eye injury without surgery. The staff is friendly and seemed very knowledgeable.

Well, my vet made a referral to take my dog there. I called and was told it would be a month until my dog will be seen. Then I was told I need to pay $330.00 in advance for the appointment. You gotta be kidding me? What is wrong with this picture? Why would I give you this much money before an appointment? Maybe a reasonable $50 deposit to keep an appointment. but $330.00? Craziness! Response: There is no confusion at all here! There's no way I'm paying you $330 before I see a doctor. I'll pay $50 but no more than that. It's crazy to ask people for so much money up front.

Not a sound way to run a business at all! I hope people start refusing to prepay and use someone else. The only reason you are not getting my business is because you are charging $330 prior to an appointment. There are plenty of other choices in the Bay Area and I will make sure to go to them and not to you! This is not a misunderstanding at all! You have lost a potential client and I sure hope others read this and follow suit!

The goal of Animal Eye Care is crystal clear: to make as much money as possible. Animal welfare comes second, and customer service limps in at a distinct third. I came to this conclusion after a visit with long conversations with the vet, vet tech, many receptionists and, finally, the manager. * Did I pay the $330 to make and hold an appointment? Yes.

I love my cat and want her to get the help she needs. But follow ups, I was told during my appointment, are $200. Oh, and medication is not included, which wouldn't be such an issue if the price for an appointment wasn't so high. During the visit I was sent a text that reads like a hostage note, along the lines of, "Pay us $187 NOW for medication before we give you your cat back." * When I protested to the vet tech, she attacked me on a personal level.

She really laid into me, including calling me out on the disability I've had since birth. * What did I walk away with? An envelope, about 12 pieces of paper, no medication or help for my kitty, and a bad taste in my mouth. All that for the low, low cost of $330. I am certain the owners of this business have a GREAT house. In other words, these people are pirates. Avoid them at all costs.

The entire team from the Dr. Chen to the front desk was absolutely great & respectful! I highly recommend this professional establishment 100%, No words can describe how grateful I am for my 9ER the French bulldog to have her vision back! God Bless

I will forever be grateful to this place for giving my dog his full eyesight and alleviating his discomfort. I adopted a cocker spaniel and from the get-go, I knew that there was something wrong with his eyes. Some days, his "good" eye was swollen shut and the other eye was teary and very red. Many vet visits later, I decided to bring my Frankie here. Immediately, Dr. Davis diagnosed the problem (something about a genetic 4 eyelid issue where eye lashes were pocking the inside of his eyelid which caused an ulcer) and if left untreated, he could go blind. I didn't hesitate to get him the required surgical procedure. Yes, it was pricey but. so what. The before and after pictures mean everything. We love our Frankie!

Great service and reasonable prices. They clearly and thoroughly explained our dogs issues and did their very best to accommodate us quickly. Excellent covid safety process! My only complaint would be that they do not allow online pharmacies for filling prescriptions. *EDIT* - Animal Eye Care has contacted me to let me know that they do fill prescriptions though online pharmacies and that it was a miscommunication that has been corrected. I'm very happy to hear that and also pleased how quickly and professionally they replied to my review. I would highly recommend their services.

Here is the good and the bad about Animal Eye Care. I recently had my dog treated for an eye ulcer and the treatment seems to have worked as he is back to his normal routine. This happened during the pandemic lock down so unfortunately most of my communication was remote. The doctor did an outstanding job of explaining her diagnosis, treatment options and details, and was patient to answer all questions I had.

The assistant, who was the only person I actually interacted with in person, was kind and compassionate. That's the good. Unfortunately they are the only eye specialists in the area and take great advantage of their ability to monopolize their pricing. To say they are gauging is an understatement. Adding to this abuse is their lack of compassion for the owner.

From the onset, their approach is at arms length, making you feel untrusted to ensure they get their money before you get any information. Their "flat fee" approach is a way of justifying their lack of pricing transparency. With no line-item invoice their pricing abuse is kept hidden. There is so much to read and sign before anyone even speaks with you that it makes you feel like a criminal. It's no wonder so many animals lie in wait in kennels.

This is my second review. My dog Abby is a patient of Dr. Davis. Animal eye care is amazing! Abby had another corneal ulcer two week ago. I called and there were no appointments but Dr. Davis called me back and was able to see us that same day. I was suppose to leave on a trip and she reassured me the ulcer should heal fine. We had our recheck and everything looked great. The staff and Dr. Davis are so great with her and always so professional. I would highly recommend them!

When my dog got a cataract in her right eye she became almost completely blind as she already had an old cataract in the left eye. I called a few places and decided to got w AEC. Dr Chen was great, professional, answered all my questions and was able to let me know what to expect. With COVID visits are a bit weird but staff was great and quick. Right after the surgery my baby was able to see right away. We tried to be diligent with her eye drop regimen and she did great. No hiccups or any issues. She is now happy as a lamb running around again.

I was referred here by my primary veterinarian for a cyst my dog had on his eye lid. My vet was unsure if it could be removed successfully without leaving him unable to fully close his eye. We would bring him in every few weeks to have the fluid drained but wanted a long term solution if possible. We made an appointment at Animal Eye Care and made the drive to Lafayette from Brentwood to see Dr. Wiggins.

They did a full eye exam on him and gave us two options. Bottom line. Dr. Wiggins was successful in removing the cyst and my dog can close his eye just fine. No sign that the cyst plans to return and we are very happy with the expertise and gentle care that Dr. Wiggins brought to my 14 yr old Westie's unusual condition. Thank you Dr. Wiggins and staff.

We were referred to Animal Eye Care by the veterinarian who has cared for our elderly dog since he was a little puppy. His vision had deteriorated and he had blood vessels visible in the center of the cornea of one eye. It took a few days to get a non emergency appointment, and it was necessary to prepay to have them hold the time for us. And it was not inexpensive.

On the day of our appointment, we met the staff. Everyone, from the people who greeted us at the front desk, to the veterinary technicians, and the veterinary ophthalmologist were great. Their obvious love for animals made our dog and me feel welcome and in safe hands. The veterinary ophthalmologist who saw us, Dr. Hamilton, was excellent, providing extensive information about our old dog's eye problems, causes, treatment, and expected outcomes. Specialist veterinary care is definitely pricey, but if your animal friend has eye troubles, Animal Eye Care is a great resource. Highly recommended.

I can't say enough good things about Dr. Wiggins and his amazing staff. Everyone from front desk to after care are very attentive. Dr. Wiggins is very friendly, thorough and happy to talk through anything. My 13 year old cockapoo had an eyelid mass that was irritating his eye so we had to have it removed. I was concerned about general anesthesia given his age but that was not necessary since this procedure can be done through less invasive sedation.

He did really well during the procedure. I even got a call extra early to come get him. He had an upset stomach reaction to one of his meds. Even though it was the day after Thanksgiving Dr. Hamilton via emergency line was able to confirm I could stop the medication. He's had his two week follow-up with Dr. Wiggins and his eye has healed really well. I'm very happy we took care of my doggie's eye issue and came to Animal Eye Care!

Side note: I had gone to another ophthalmologist in the area and was not as pleased with the attention and proposed treatment care plan. Hence the second opinion with AEC and so glad I went with my gut. Yes, they are a little more expensive for the initial exam but it's worth the piece of mind and outstanding care.

Great Veterinarian saw our dog. She was terminal, the doctor had compassion and our dog had a final few weeks of peace and love before she passed. Our other dog has an implant eye after surgery for glaucoma, doing great after 6 years! He doesn't even notice that he only has one good eye! They are the best!

Dr. Wiggins has taken care of both our dog's eyes for quite some time. We initially met him when our pug had an emergency visit at Davis. Although we could not save his eye I think Dr. Wiggins did the best he could and I definitely recommend him. Our other pug has a small growth on his eyelid and needed to be seen today. Traffic was bad and I called an explained that I would be up to 15 minutes late.

The assistant wanted me to reschedule, but I was insistent and so she reluctantly told me to come in and see if they will see my dog. Considering the fact our dogs have both been patients for so many years and we have spent a ton of money there, I did not think it was too much to ask for an exception to their "late" rule, and be allowed to see the vet.

After all I've spent quite a lot of time waiting to be seen on prior appointments. When I arrived she seemed a little put out, but to Dr. Wiggin's credit he did agree to see my dog and I am grateful to him for that. I know they have rules but sometimes allowances should be made for extenuating circumstances. The other issue I have is I do think their procedures and office visits are overpriced.

He did check his eyes and was thorough but no treatment was needed. However I think charging $200.00 just to examine a dog's eyes in a15 minute appointment is a bit excessive. That is why I am only giving them 4 stars. I will continue to bring my dogs there because I think Dr. Wiggins provides excellent 5 star care, and that is what matters most. Fortunately we have pet insurance, but despite that I do not think a veterinary practice (albeit a specialty practice) should not charge unreasonably high prices for some of their basic services like simple eye check exams without procedures or medications.

I brought a kitten in who is in a rescue group to be seen for congenital eye issues. The doctor and staff were very warm, courteous and professional. They were great at accessing the situation without spending money on lots of extra tests. She helped us decide what the best course of action would be for this little kitten. A few days later I had another eye situation come up that I was completely lost with how to deal with, our regular vet did not have the expertise.

I called this office, talked to a doctor, who really spent time listening and helped me know what my next step needed to be. On both these occasions I was impressed with the office staff and even more so with the doctors. A great resource to have here!

We have had 2 dogs now that have been seen by Dr Debra Friedman. She is wonderful. Takes great care of our dogs eye problems without surgery or outrageous costs. Still, not cheap, but what specialist is? Our regular vet is wonderful but when it comes to eye problems you really need an opthomoligist.

We took our 10 year old German Shepherd here when we suddenly went blind. Dr. Hamilton and her assistants were very thorough, took a great deal of time with us and explained everything both verbally and in writing. Our dog ended up being too ill to save. I felt the doctor did everything she could to save our beloved dog, but in the end the dog could not be saved.

She also worked so cooperatively with the vet Dr Calhoun from Harpers Promise, which I appreciated. I valued that she was honest in breaking the news to us that it would not be the wrong choice to let him go. After, she called and left a very compassionate message for us which meant a lot to us. Prepare for this to be expensive, but if your pet can be saved, the expertise and professionalism at Animal Eye Care is justifiable.

It is heartbreaking to have to put a price on your best friends life. My only suggestion for improvement would be for dr. and techs to better educate those who have to give medicine with some tricks and techniques to make this easier. We could not open our dogs mouth to give him pills and he would not eat so was impossible. Another vet gave us tips to succeed. All in all the experience was positive despite the outcome.

Great specialist care. They see exotic animals which is a relief as it's hard to find care for exotics. You have to plan a bit in advance as they can get booked up fast and if your pet has immediate eye issues, see your primary vet for medicine to hold you over and then book a spot with this place for follow up treatment.

Excellent care, the technician was efficient and caring; the doctor was thorough and explained what our options were for treatment. Contrary to what some reviewers have stated; they were fine with providing prescriptions to be filled elsewhere if desired. I found the pricing to be fair as well. After all this is a specialty clinic so you are paying for expertise you can't get at your local veterinarian's office.

They refused to respond to me, so filed complaint with Better Business Bureau, who they responded to. I got $47 for the unnecessary medicine. They never shared the response they got from the lab (supposedly) explaining why the collection date was incorrect on my cat's lab test, so I believe the first excuse I heard from them is the truth, it was an input error.

Instead of attaching the document from lab to the BBB with their response, they rewrote it in quotes.supposedly. They tried to make me look like an unreasonable idiot, claiming that I complained the medicine was too oily. I just let them know: they put scotch tape around the syringe to mark the dose, the oil deteriorates the glue on the tape, so you have glue in your medicine and tape sliding off the syringe, and it happens quickly. (Another syringe given for oral medicine was the thin one, so it takes longer to get all the medicine in the mouth, and they even told me it looks like more because of the thin syringe.

Why on earth would you do that? Take as long as possible to squirt medicine in a cat's mouth.) The business seems geared towards dogs, and I was told by them they don't see many cats, so I'd find a place that specializes in cats if I had to do it again.

Well I couldn't have had a more drastically different experience with this clinic, specifically Dr. Wiggins than the most recent negative review. Today the clinic went out of their way to help me get in because my pugs eye ulcer did not seem to be improving. I found Dr. Wiggins very thorough, and made sure I didn't have any unanswered questions before I left.

He was very gentle with my boy and made an effort to engage with him (even though he was being ignored because there were treats on the counter). Yes, they are more expensive than your regular vet. That's because they are specialists, they go to school much longer than general practice veterinarians and really know their stuff. If you have pet insurance it's very likely the whole visit is covered minus your deductible. I would go to Dr. Wiggins again in a heartbeat and love the founder of the clinic Dr. Friedman.

On October 22, 2015, Dr Wiggans worked Boo in and stayed late to do his surgery. Boo had been to three doctors who could not find what was wrong. Turned out, a curled eyelash was scratching his eye with every blink. Dr Wiggans found the problem in minutes, treated Boo that day. It is November 22 and Boo's eye looks like there was never a problem.

Thank you Dr Wiggans and to his wonderful, professional staff for helping my little man through a very painful time. Would I recommend? YES Would I take my pet there again: Heck Yes Was it budget work. NO, but how much did I pay to see 3 other Vets and get nowhere? If your pet has an eye issue, get an appointment NOW. Namaste