Balian Eye Center

"I have been going to MEI for a year. I have had to go to the Rochester location as my local MEI has a new Doctor and does not take my insurance. Let me start by saying the Doctor I saw at the Rochester location was great. The staff however is horrendous. The staff person who saw me first and had to test my eyes ( I have severe nearsightedness and have vision impairment) she was singing loudly while putting drops in my eyes and she did not know the equipment. She was singing and dancing in the room I was in and I wanted to leave but i needed to see the Doctor. I was mortified. She was testing my eyes for dryness and could not figure out what to do. She was singing. I saw the Doctor finally and upon checking out the front line staff were loudly gossiping about their clients and talking so poorly about the patients and the Doctor’s. I just paid and will never go back. This place is a catastrophe."

"The doctors here are great! I've been seeing them for as long as I can remember. And it saddens me that I will now need to find a different eye doctor after all these years. For those of you that don't know, especially those of you that are currently patients that they didn't bother informing (like me), they were purchased or merged with the Michigan Eye Institute. This is when everything went downhill. They jacked their prices up SO much. If you are one of their current patients and haven't been seen since this acquisition, DO NOT expect your bill to be anywhere near what it ever was before. My bill was almost 140% MORE than it ever was in the past. And I have all my previous bills to compare it to. This is mostly attributed to the fact that they are billing for things now that they never did before. Nickle and diming at its best! Its sad that when businesses change hands that things go downhill like this. And it is especially sad for the doctors, who are great doctors. Because they are going to lose patients because of it. They are certainly losing me as a patient. And I know of others that used to see them as well that have decided to go elsewhere for this same exact reason. I also thinks it's important to note that I spoke with the corporate office's billing department which was of zero help. They directed me to the office phone number. At least they were kind. I spoke with the local office's billing person and all she could do is make excuses and did everything just short of calling me a liar. Little did she know, I had all my old bills in front of me. She was rude."

"My daughter has had a sore eye for the last few days and woke up today with a painful, puffy eye... I called and talked to a wonderful receptionist and then was transferred to book an appointment and the very rude person scheduling the appointment said she could see us in APRIL - it is SEPTEMBER... that is 8 months away! I told her she eye was swollen so we couldn't wait and she laughed.... really? You could be the best doctor but when you have a receptionist like that it really doesn't matter!"

"First impressions are a big deal in business. This place might have educated doctors, but lack in customer service and first impressions. I called to schedule an appointment back in February for May 3rd with Dr. Rapthis (today). Pretty booked up, must be a good place. I arrived at the front counter only for the lady to notify me Dr. Rapthis was not in the office today. He has been recommended by 3 people to me, so I specially asked for him. She tells me there is no note of this and tries to get me to see a different doctor, no. The lady then rescheduled my appointment and I find out they have the wrong phone number too. This place comes off as very chaotic and unorganized. I’m scratching my head debating if I should show up for my appointment or go somewhere else. First impressions are EVERYTHING!"

"I’ve been going here with my family since 2000 and have finally had enough. For years I have dealt with rude receptionists, over an hour of waiting each time and impossible to book appointments. The receptionists whether by call or in person always act as though you are bothering them, are not friendly and even more act like you are an idiot while they do not keep track of your information. I was asked consistently for my insurance card when I was 16, 17 still on my parents (who also went there) insurance, which had never changed and should have been kept on file. To get in for a general check up (which is the only way you can order more contacts, even if you don’t need a checkup) you must make an appointment months in advance, as I did last time and then the appointment was first moved because the same doctor would not be in, then cancelled altogether and I was again asked to reschedule. I have since gone somewhere else and am so glad I did! The doctors are fine at Balkan but certainly not worth all the hassle. Do not waste your time, literally. Go somewhere else."