Mann Eye Institute

4.7

11671 reviews

10392

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L P. Via Yelp - North Austin Location

8 years ago

After almost 30 years of wearing contacts, I finally decided to have LASIK. That was more than two years ago. I made a point to wait this long to write this review in order to see my final outcome, and be as fair and objective as possible in reviewing this business. Plus it would have been nearly impossible to write it during the first year post surgery while I was struggling to just keep up with my job and my life around all the many eye appointments and treatments trying to fix my post-LASIK eyes. People ask about my LASIK experience all the time and here's what I tell them: -Don't take the decision lightly because it's not all ease and freedom and crystal-clear views like the ads. -Please, I beg you, do actual research before you have LASIK surgery - whether you have it here or anywhere else. -Do you like to gamble? What are you willing to risk? Yes, the odds are well in your favor, with supposedly 90% or more people satisfied with LASIK. But if I had fully understood what was on the line with this gamble, I would never have done it. -This was one of the worst decisions I have ever made. Ever. Even though Mann Eye deemed me an "ideal candidate" I ended up being the 5/8/10% (statistics vary depending on the source) who had a bad outcome: unexplained complications, edema, severe post-surgical pain, distorted vision for months, had to temporarily wear glasses again, now suffering chronic nerve pain and dry eye. THIS COULD BE YOU TOO. Let me stress that even in retrospect, nobody can find any reason for my problems or any reason I shouldn't have done the surgery. Don't let being an "ideal candidate" fool you into thinking nothing can go wrong. -This procedure is sold to people as an easy fix, like a haircut or botox, but unlike hair that grows back and botox that wears off, when people CUT ON YOUR EYES (yes, the new technology is bladeless and better, but the laser is cutting you) there's no going back. But this is a review for Mann Eye, not LASIK in general, so let's get back to that. Here are the key points: 1. Mann Eye Center is a cattle drive and a sales machine. This is their business. Before you sign up for LASIK do your research and get smart about how the industry operates. I don't mean for this to sound snarky and I'm not saying they aren't qualified surgeons. These are just the blunt facts. They're doing their job, selling an elective procedure, so the business side is more akin to a cosmetic surgery center than other medical specialists. Also, this surgery center sees a HUGE # of patients, their scheduling is a mess, wait times are long, the technicians are rushed and lack people skills and compassion (don't tell me for the 100th time how great it is that I don't need contacts when I am sitting in front of you with tears, pain and suffering). They also make a lot of mistakes; more than once, technicians and front desk staff have given me medical advice they should not be giving, and because that seemed weird I always ask them to check w/the doc. Multiple times they have advised me in exact opposition of what the surgeon or corneal specialist said. All this is surely a result of the high volume of clients cycling through their system. 2. They did not prepare me whatsoever for the possibility of a bad outcome or what life is like for the small % who suffer after this. Nobody even mentioned basics like you might not be able to drive or work for a few days/weeks or may need extra childcare. Living with chronic eye pain is impossible to explain. It is excruciating, debilitating, disruptive. It affects everything in your life. The pain endured after this surgery was worse than any I've experienced (compared with 3 other kinds of surgery, childbirth twice, broken bones). I could barely drive for a month, could not watch TV or movies for about 3 months b/c they were so distorted, had poor vision for 7 months, now have chronic dry eye and nerve pain. 3. On the positive side, Mann Eye Center followed through with providing long-term treatment and did try to resolve my problems. Some of the docs were quick and impersonal, while others were more compassionate and caring (and believe me I've given them plenty of chances to show it - the # of post-surgery visits I had probably exceeded a dozen and I've seen 6 different docs there). For the first year, they never charged beyond the surgery fee to try to address the problems, though given the expense of the surgery and the negative results, that seems expected. Ultimately time helped more than any of their interventions, but it's evident some of the pain and discomfort is permanent. After 2+ years of healing and opinions from 4 other specialists not associated with Mann Eye, I've exhausted every kind of treatment. After 7 months of hell my sight sharpened, but 20/15 vision is no consolation for 24/7 discomfort and pain, and I still have halos, starbursts, floaters and many blurry days. I wish I could undo it all and have my contacts back.

L P. Via Yelp - South Austin Location

8 years ago

After almost 30 years of wearing contacts, I finally decided to have LASIK. That was more than two years ago. I made a point to wait this long to write this review in order to see my final outcome, and be as fair and objective as possible in reviewing this business. Plus it would have been nearly impossible to write it during the first year post surgery while I was struggling to just keep up with my job and my life around all the many eye appointments and treatments trying to fix my post-LASIK eyes. People ask about my LASIK experience all the time and here's what I tell them: -Don't take the decision lightly because it's not all ease and freedom and crystal-clear views like the ads. -Please, I beg you, do actual research before you have LASIK surgery - whether you have it here or anywhere else. -Do you like to gamble? What are you willing to risk? Yes, the odds are well in your favor, with supposedly 90% or more people satisfied with LASIK. But if I had fully understood what was on the line with this gamble, I would never have done it. -This was one of the worst decisions I have ever made. Ever. Even though Mann Eye deemed me an "ideal candidate" I ended up being the 5/8/10% (statistics vary depending on the source) who had a bad outcome: unexplained complications, edema, severe post-surgical pain, distorted vision for months, had to temporarily wear glasses again, now suffering chronic nerve pain and dry eye. THIS COULD BE YOU TOO. Let me stress that even in retrospect, nobody can find any reason for my problems or any reason I shouldn't have done the surgery. Don't let being an "ideal candidate" fool you into thinking nothing can go wrong. -This procedure is sold to people as an easy fix, like a haircut or botox, but unlike hair that grows back and botox that wears off, when people CUT ON YOUR EYES (yes, the new technology is bladeless and better, but the laser is cutting you) there's no going back. But this is a review for Mann Eye, not LASIK in general, so let's get back to that. Here are the key points: 1. Mann Eye Center is a cattle drive and a sales machine. This is their business. Before you sign up for LASIK do your research and get smart about how the industry operates. I don't mean for this to sound snarky and I'm not saying they aren't qualified surgeons. These are just the blunt facts. They're doing their job, selling an elective procedure, so the business side is more akin to a cosmetic surgery center than other medical specialists. Also, this surgery center sees a HUGE # of patients, their scheduling is a mess, wait times are long, the technicians are rushed and lack people skills and compassion (don't tell me for the 100th time how great it is that I don't need contacts when I am sitting in front of you with tears, pain and suffering). They also make a lot of mistakes; more than once, technicians and front desk staff have given me medical advice they should not be giving, and because that seemed weird I always ask them to check w/the doc. Multiple times they have advised me in exact opposition of what the surgeon or corneal specialist said. All this is surely a result of the high volume of clients cycling through their system. 2. They did not prepare me whatsoever for the possibility of a bad outcome or what life is like for the small % who suffer after this. Nobody even mentioned basics like you might not be able to drive or work for a few days/weeks or may need extra childcare. Living with chronic eye pain is impossible to explain. It is excruciating, debilitating, disruptive. It affects everything in your life. The pain endured after this surgery was worse than any I've experienced (compared with 3 other kinds of surgery, childbirth twice, broken bones). I could barely drive for a month, could not watch TV or movies for about 3 months b/c they were so distorted, had poor vision for 7 months, now have chronic dry eye and nerve pain. 3. On the positive side, Mann Eye Center followed through with providing long-term treatment and did try to resolve my problems. Some of the docs were quick and impersonal, while others were more compassionate and caring (and believe me I've given them plenty of chances to show it - the # of post-surgery visits I had probably exceeded a dozen and I've seen 6 different docs there). For the first year, they never charged beyond the surgery fee to try to address the problems, though given the expense of the surgery and the negative results, that seems expected. Ultimately time helped more than any of their interventions, but it's evident some of the pain and discomfort is permanent. After 2+ years of healing and opinions from 4 other specialists not associated with Mann Eye, I've exhausted every kind of treatment. After 7 months of hell my sight sharpened, but 20/15 vision is no consolation for 24/7 discomfort and pain, and I still have halos, starbursts, floaters and many blurry days. I wish I could undo it all and have my contacts back.

Jessica Blalock Via Google My Business - Fannin Location

8 years ago

The number one place for a wonderfully personalized and welcoming experience. You are not just a number to Mann Eye; you are a person with a life and a story that the staff truly wants to know more about in order to better serve you!

Jay J. Via Yelp - Fannin Location

8 years ago

I wouldn't recommend Mann Eye. They performed my LASIK procedure. Everything was great leading up to the procedure. Everyone was very attentive and made me feel like a priority. It was great. However, after the procedure, which I paid in full that day, all that customer service was out the window. My call wasn't returned and when I went to the office to discuss my issue with my left eye, I was treated like a bother by both doctors.