Winter Park Vision Specialists

"By far the best service I've ever had at an eye clinic. The most thorough exams, ended up seeing both Dr.s, because I wasn't sure about my first pair of Bifocals. They were accommodating, and gracious with their time. The front desk people are pleasant, and competent... also, I didn't have time to shop for glasses, and they didn't pressure me to, just suggested an appt that I declined. I bought my glasses somewhere else, and they needed adjustment, but Winter Park Vision specialists checked them out at no charge, and made sure I was getting a proper fitting"

"I write this review to attest to the predatory and aggressive sales tactics of Winter Park Vision Specialist. In my opinion they prey on vulnerable clientele, mostly senior citizens and those who are disabled, like myself. It seems that the goal for this business is to prescribe new glasses to each and every patient at the time of the eye exam, regardless of any necessity or change in eyesight. This goal is evidently pursued to extent of destroying a patient’s property to ensure that new glasses will be purchased. Often, despite a generous allowance from what is covered by insurance, the glasses will cost more than what is covered so an “out of pocket” payment is often required. I find the tactics of Winter Park Vision Specialists to be deplorable. Although, I had naively perceived the optometrist to be ethical and professional, I now realize that they are just part of a money making machine. Knowing now what I did not realize at the time, I have to wonder if my new prescription is accurate or not. I would recommend choosing another provider for exams and glasses. On June the 3rd 2024, I visited Winter Park Vision Specialists for an annual eye exam as I have done for the past several years. I had eye surgery some 25 years ago and try to ensure that my eyes are healthy and that my prescription glasses are accurately adjusted if needed. During my visit and prior to meeting with the doctor, I was asked to surrender my eye glasses to an office assistant to “check the prescription.” While waiting on the doctor a member of the “sales” staff brought them back to me and stated that I had a deep scratch in my left lens. Indeed, when I looked at the lens, it had a very deep scratch right in the middle of the lens. Prior to my appointment, I had cleaned my glasses in the parking lot and there were no scratches on them at all. I confronted the sales woman and she began a series of denials and then said snidely that “it would just be her word against mine.” When I conveyed this event to the doctor she did not care. Patients like myself who have certain Medicare Advantage plans are given a generous annual benefit amount for new glasses if their prescription changes. The people at Winter Park Vision Specialists know this. They count on the opportunity to immediately sell new glasses after one has had an exam regardless of whether their vision has changed. This borders on insurance fraud in my opinion. Before I ever met with the doctor I was asked if I was interested in looking at frames. I told the “tech” that I would not be shopping for glasses that day because my pupils would be dilated. I believe that this is why the sales staff damaged my lenses. The damaged lenses were still less than a year old so they were under warranty. I was permitted to have them repaired so long as I paid a $25 co-payment. If I had allowed the sales staff to further manipulate me, I am sure that my new glasses would have also had a co-payment above and beyond the insurance allowance. I decided to take my business elsewhere."

"I’ve been a patient here for years simply because the exceptional care provided! Dr Podschun and his entire staff, (shout out to Christine) are always cheerful and helpful making sure I have the best eye care and latest products for my chronic dry eyes. I have recommended family, friends and encourage you to make an appointment for your eye exam today! Thank you for all the phenomenal experiences year after year!"

"We recently had out annual eye exam, 2 adults and 2 kids. Staff was friendly and patiently worked to accomodate to all of our needs. Dr Margarette was sweet and rigurous to assess us. Totally recommend this place if you have little ones."

"At first I thought Dr. Marguerite Ball-Thomas was very thorough. But, after leaving a very detailed message for someone to call me back, to schedule the cateract surgery that she said I need, no one returned my call for a week. I give up! The appointment with her took 3 hours of mostly waiting. She prescribed the same thing for me as for my husband and I am starting to feel and believe that she just upsells everyone. Neither my husband nor I feel or think we have dry eyes, which is what the items she prescribed is for and apparently her office is the only place to get the Omega-3 and eye drop for moisture. For me I also have eye lids scrubs she prescribed, which feel as bad as they sound. She never explained to me that I should use these, it was added on to my bill at check-out. I gave these items the week, to see if they make any difference. I now have blurry vision that I didn't have before, and swollen and very sore eye lids. The most insane of all this is that they never gave me the eye glass prescriotion that I went there for in the first place!"