The LASIK Vision Institute

So I just got my lasik surgery done last week.
Bad things first. I realized halfway through that I should have scheduled my appointment before 2pm because I waited 5 hours. I didn’t walk out until 7:03pm, which honestly is way too long. I understand waiting a couple hours, and the pamphlet even said be prepared for 3 hours. So I had my friend come at 5pm and I even arrived a little before 2pm which was my scheduled appointment, but I had her leave because I didn’t know when I would finish. It would be a better place if they had given me a reasonable length of time to expect and/​or finished me after 3 hours instead of blowing way past that time.
Pros: cheap (I used a groupon but even without it, it’s much cheaper than doing the other places I looked at). The people were very nice to me and they were friendly without being super pushy.
The punctal plugs cost $ 200 and I was okay paying that because I got such a great deal on the surgery itself. Dr. Joseph explained everything to me as he was doing the surgery, which was a terrifying surgery, but at least I trusted his expertise and he explained it to me as it was happening. There wasn’t much in the way of «here’s what we’re going to do» for me to read about, but I didn’t get a breakdown of any Lasik place I went to anyway. They use the «normal» excimer laser (sorry I forgot the name of the laser) but it’s the same one that Dr. Tylock in Irving uses, so I felt good about the laser, felt good about Dr. Joseph, and concluded that I’m getting a steal when it comes to laser surgery. Yeah it’s weird using a groupon for a surgery but I had a good experience.
Dr. Joseph does the wiping away 3 hairs-​length of your cornea (which is where much of the healing process is required) whereas there is technology that doesn’t require the wiping away and allows the laser to be less intrusive (Dr. Tylock) but it’s more expensive so you get what you pay for.
I’m not blind, thank God, I have ²⁰⁄₂₀ vision, and I was happy in general with the service. I would give a ⁵⁄₅ if I had been seen in 3 hours, not 5. They have movies playing the entire time so your loved ones can wait without being bored out of their mind. They give you sunglasses and a mask to wear at night for 2 weeks so you don’t accidentally scratch your eyes while you’re asleep and it’s actually fairly comfortable. I notice it, but it doesn’t ruin my sleep habits.
Overall, pretty pleased.

I used a groupon for this place. Yes sounds sketchy when you use a groupon for surgeries. I purchased the $ 1400 for both eyes and used a groupon coupon code to get another $ 50 off. $ 1350 for Lasik is a FREAKIN STEAL! I feel dirty like I stole something. Be prepared to wait. Like I am talking hours. Every visit. Its understandable because of the traffic they get with the groupons. Just go in with the mentality that you will be waiting a lot and you will love the results and value. The procedure is painless and actual surgery takes about 8 minutes. The surgeon is very knowledgeable. My vision was –6.5 before going in and know I can see ²⁰⁄₂₀. I can see clearly now! (Plays music)

I just got my Lasik surgery this past Friday. The star rating is all accredited to the customer service rep, Adrian. He actually is from the El Paso office and they flew him in to help the short-​handed office the past two weeks. He’ll he assisting next week as well! During my first visit, he answered all my questions and encouraged me to get the Groupon deal since it was the most savings option. He was understanding and empathetic to my skepticism and concerns. He made me more confident in the surgery with his sharp, knowledgeable responses to my questions and it was great being able to joke around with him.
He gave me my prescription for the eyes drops needed for surgery and his El Paso office phone number in case I had any issues or questions. I wanted the cheaper alternative for Vigomox and the pharmacy needed the office to call in that script. I called Adrian since he was most knowledgeable about my case (he even remembered me without any prompt other than my name, Tiya– like Tia) and then shortly after they called saying it was complete.
He was there for the actual procedure as well. He checked on me while in line waiting for surgery and after when I had to continue closing my eyes. He had to catch his flight back and wanted to make sure everything went well. Such great service!
The lack of the 5^th star is due to the facility itself. As other reviews mentioned, waiting for the surgery was a legitimate assembly line. My apt was at 230 and I went in before the lady behind me (who went in for an enhancement from initial surgery in Feb) whose was at 130. The wait was a lot longer than expected making apts and all, so us patients were talking to this lady for expectations and follow up procedures. They provide follow up instructions on the eyedrops only. After my procedure, we had to see the OD twice in an hour and not until I mentioned closing my eyes all evening and coming for the next day follow up apt (per lady in line after me) did they bring it up. I understand it was already 6 PM on a friday but I think that’s good information to know.
The two week follow up apts are not available on Saturdays when the initial consultation was so that also puts a strain on my work schedule when I thought everything could be done on Saturday; surgeries are only done on Fridays but as the procedure itself, it’s understandable.
Referrals only work in the referees favor, not referred, so there was really no additional incentive for my best friend to get it as she’s been looking into this also.
Overall, Adrian made the experience and I bought the lifetime warranty so I’ll be back!

Don’t come here if you actually want a medical consult. This was the worse waste of my time ever. I went to meet with the doctors and see if the facility itself was up to par since I heard reviews about it being dirty and UN sterile at other lasik vision institutes. So I scheduled the consult and went today. There was a person in scrubs that took me back for the refraction and then took me in an office, she started throwing numbers at me like a cars salesperson. I was like I’m not even sure I want to do it here yet it’s a lot of money !!! She was like before we can continue i need you to decide? Ugh no I need to meet the person that’s going to take a blade to my eyeball before I want to give you 1500 down lol! I’m really concerned about doing lasik I’m not sure about the risks or how it’s going to help me and this“consult «didn’t educate me at all. I have a consult scheduled at another place next week but after this I’m just over the thought of lasik. It’s a major decision and it’s not fair of anyone to rush me when I’m deciding about my freaking health and my irreplaceable eyeballs! Grr

My experience at the Lasik Vision Institute of Texas in Dallas was unsatisfactory. They have a HUGE lack of communication to the customers. Their lack of an assigned desk staff member causes customers to have to awkwardly wait at the desk when they come in. Once a staff member does come to the desk they are often not very helpful. After waiting an hour after my appointment time, I went up to the desk to ask if I could get an update on when my appointment would start. I was told «You do know you’ll be here for 3 – 5 hours, right!?» in a very condescending tone. I did know that. I read it on my paper work from the Lasik Institute but was not expecting it to take 3 – 5 hours just because they have you sitting in the waiting room for 3 of those 3 – 5 hours. I expected the 3 – 5 hours to be a worse case scenario since everyone else I know that has had the procedure at other providers were in and out in 30 min to an hour. Once I finally got out on the front waiting room, I was asked to wait another hour in the back waiting room. Then I was taken back to the surgery waiting area, given drops and told to keep my eyes closed. I then sat there with my eyes closed for another hour. My mother and I were told that once I went back to the surgery waiting area it would only be about 30 min. After an hour and half passed my mom started to get concerned. She asked a staff member for an update and again was told «You’ll be here for 3 – 5 hours.» As a mother this of course infuriated her. She demanded for them to go check on me. Needless to say the excess wait time and frustration over the lack of customer service from the staff left me extremely nervous for my surgery. Overall, this provider is a cattle call. I will advise anyone else interested to make sure that their provider has a doctor on staff all the time. I believe at this location the doctor only comes in on surgery days. They pack the schedule and make you wait while they line people up and do eye surgery on them. This was not the specialized or comfortable experience I was expecting and will not suggest this location to anyone else.

I went here to have my eyes done.
The LASIK Vision Institute is a very high-​volume high-​sales-​pitch business. And while I had a relatively successful surgery here, I don’t know that I would recommend it. I’ll cover everything here. Feel free to reach out to me directly if you have questions.
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LOCATION: It’s easy to find, with GPS, but it’s also hard to get the right parking lot. I messed up and turned in too early and ended up in the Chase parking lot. No big deal, lesson learned. But for reference, you pass a gas station, then Chase bank, THEN you turn in to the office complex that has this place. It’s on the first floor, to your right as you approach the building.
PRICE: The price you will pay for your surgery is NEGOTIABLE. Please note this!!! This is a super-​high-​volume office; they already have the equipment. They have tons of other customers. It’s like buying a car here. My co-​worker had her surgery done here, and she paid around $ 1,500 for both eyes. Mine was about 3 GRAND for both eyes. My prescription was much higher than my co-​workers, but honestly — why would it make a difference? Maybe for insurance purposes? They originally wanted me in at $ 3,300 but I talked them down to $ 3,000. I feel I could have talked them down much more. If you choose to go here, haggle. Haggle on your first visit. You are a sale to them, not a patient, and you are treated as such. They also pressure you on their referral program; when you refer someone, you get $ 50, etc. I found all of this odd.
QUESTIONS: During my first visit, as well as my surgery and first follow-​up, they answer all your questions. Or, at least you think they do. They talk super-​fast, and it’s hard to remember it all. I asked them everything I could think of, and they prattle off the answers so fast, you know there is nothing they haven’t heard before. But they brush it all off. Ask about risks, or success rates, and you will not get a straight answer. Still, despite all this, I went through with it.
PROCESS: When you first arrive, you fill out the usual paperwork. One of the forms asked for my social security number. I didn’t fill it in. You should note this place will NOT contact your health insurance! They do not do ANY business with insurance. They are a cash-​based high-​sales high-​volume business. Also in the paperwork, is an application for credit! Weird!
Your first visit is a throurough exam, followed by the sales pitch. They tell you you get a discount, followed by another discount because so-​and-​so referred you. It all sounds wonderful, but again, who knows if my insurance doesn’t offer any assistance or a better deal? I didn’t care. I’ve been talking about this for so long, I bit the bullet and went through with it.
Your second visit is the surgery. It’s a lot of waiting. You barely see or talk to Dr. Joseph. Again, assembly-​line feel. I talked to him, asked him questions. He was on his game so I was OK to go through with it. The surgery itself is «painless» but it is SUPER CREEPY and UNCOMFORTABLE!!! I don’t know if I’d want to go through that again!
After resting for a bit after the surgery, they check you out and send you home. Follow up next day, A-​OK, come back in a week.
RESULTS: I am OK with my results. One eye is about perfect. It’s my dominant eye, thank god, so I’m really happy with it. The other is slightly blurry — but it’s my «bad» eye — the one with real bad astigmatism, so I’m not surprised. I’m told it will get better as I am still healing, but I don’t believe it. Why would one eye be perfect the day after surgery but not the other? It’s the same process. Same laser. Same deal. I feel the entire process is rushed. I think they should «measure twice, cut once» instead of rushing through the steps. I feel my prescription is off — BUT — it MAY get better with time. My co-​worker had the same problem and said she got better with time. If that happens, I’ll bump this up a star.
But, due to their high-​pressure-​sales-​focused mentality, combined with the high price and zero contact with health insurance agencies, 3 stars at best.

Sorry to read about the bad experience of Christina Z., but I felt I had to talk about my experience here, in order to be fair to this business.
I had LASIK done on both eyes back in Dec 2012, and have been so happy with the results! I have worn glasses since the 3^rd grade, and had complications with contact lenses starting 2011 – 2012. Since having my eyes done, I have been seeing basically ²⁰⁄₂₀ (there was a slight overcorrection in my left eye) and it has really changed my life. I know there are many, many others who had successful procedures at this location as well.
As Christina noted, you don’t really see the doctor until the actual procedure, which takes all of 15 minutes or so. I’m fine with that. He cut into my eye, and he did it without any pain or real discomfort, so I’ll take that any day over a doctor who will hold my hand the whole way.
The pre– and post-​op directions were very clear, and they took care to make sure I got the right eye drops and that I was using them.
The office is run pretty efficiently, and I only ever waited a long time for the actual procedure and right afterwards, which is unavoidable.
Tess was the person who has been working with me, and she really is a dear lady. She answered all of my questions courteously, and even helped me out with some tough circumstances. Thank you so much!