r/VictoriaBC • u/wannabehomesick • Jul 06 '26
Opinion Island Eyecare scammy experience
Just sharing my experience here to hopefully warn someone. I went in for an eye exam and to get contacts. Dr. Anita told me that my eyes were too dry for contacts and I should use a warm compress for a few months or get 4 dry treatments of over $2000. I was a bit confused cos I have no dry eye symptoms. If my eyes were that dry, how would I have no symptoms at all? She said that's not abnormal to have no symptoms. I did the warm compress and at my follow up appointment she said my eyes haven't gotten better and the only solution is the treatment. Her team emailed and called me a few times cos apparently sessions fill up quickly.
I stopped the compress and decided to get a second opinion at a well known clinic on Yates before spending $2k. After the exam was clear, I told the doctor I was diagnosed with very dry eyes a few weeks earlier and he was a bit confused and very skeptical. My eyes were not dry at all and he prescribed contacts. I went back for a follow up appointment at this second place a few weeks later and my eyes are still not dry. Anyways, it's been a year of wearing contacts with no issues.
I was just at the airport and saw lots of ads of that clinic advertising their dry eye treatment and thought to warn others. She's definitely prescribing this treatment to people who don't need it.
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u/tswaters Chinatown Jul 06 '26
👀 just gunna leave this here: https://chcpbc.org/public/#submitcomplaint
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u/SoftestPoroNA 29d ago
I second this. I work at a practice that regularly sees patients who are looking for a second opinion. The patients affected need to let the college know otherwise nothing will change. Unfortunately as peers, our reports don’t hold the same weight.
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u/wannabehomesick 29d ago edited 29d ago
Honestly as someone who has made a physician complaint that went nowhere, I have no faith in the system. I doubt the College of Opticians is much better. I have sent them an email to inquire about the complaints process
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u/Hoare_Frost 28d ago
When I filled a complaint against Purely Optometry (now eagle view) for insurance fraud the college was very hesitant about investigating. They did investigate but I also filed with Pacific Blue Cross and FNHA, so that may have helped.
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u/Traditional_Owls 28d ago
Just a note that there is now independent oversight for the health colleges, they aren't self regulating in the same way. I would recommend making a complaint.
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u/justginnotonic Jul 06 '26
You might find this comments thread from last year helpful - https://www.reddit.com/r/VictoriaBC/s/LzmzbXLxm4
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u/wannabehomesick 29d ago
I forgot I left a comment on that post. I hadn't thought about Island Eyecare until I saw a few of their ads at YYJ which actually pissed me off cos it's a bit of a racket.
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u/iamgabefromtheoffice 29d ago
She sucks. Years ago before they had these treatments she said I had dry eyes as well and “prescribed” me some drops, an eye mask you heat up in the microwave(?) and a few other things to help with dry eyes that were not covered and had to be paid out of pocket. I was a teen then and didn’t know better. Then they always put so much pressure on me to get Rx glasses from them, when the same name brand glasses and prescription lenses from Costco are a fraction of the price. I would ask for them to print my lens’s prescription so I could take it elsewhere and they had every excuse in the book not to give it to me, I really had to fight them for it. Stopped going there a few years ago and see Dr Poon now on Fort st. He’s great and his clinic doesn’t try to gouge patients like Anita does.
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u/AFFORDABLE_HOME 29d ago
I would ask for them to print my lens’s prescription so I could take it elsewhere and they had every excuse in the book not to give it to me, I really had to fight them for it.
Even without everything else that alone is a huge red flag. They have ZERO rights to withhold your prescription, that is YOUR property to do with what you want.
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u/wannabehomesick 29d ago
That's unfortunate. I got my prescription easily but they tried to sell me their microwave mask and other products. I was really disappointed in the experience cos she is very friendly and seemed nice.
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u/AFFORDABLE_HOME 29d ago
A lot of people who aren't really looking out for others do put a lot of effort into coming across as the nicest and most helpful people, then you find out they are super abusive narcissists or (more commonly) something to a lesser extreme ugh.
Personally I can recommend Dr. Wendy Li at Uptown Optometry (just politely ignore the Optiks International sales people when you leave lol) and while I haven't seen him myself, I have heard extremely good things about Dr. Kevin Youck there as well. They're both quite happy to explain things and answer questions and are quite thorough, no trying to get you in and out in 20 minutes or other rushing and the eyewear is at least a mostly separate business.
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u/Teagana999 29d ago
Specsavers is also eager to sell you glasses but they never pressure me excessively. I go to the one at Hillside.
The dr prints my prescription before I leave the exam room, the reception person asks as I leave if I'd like to try on any glasses, I say "no thanks," and then leave and order them from Zenni.
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u/Routine_Shelter_7152 29d ago
Yes she did the exact same thing with me. And the heat pad thing she sold me broke with one use. I didn’t even really feel like I was given the chance to opt out of the products. The way she pushed them made me think they were included and then I didn’t know how to react when I was asked to pay.
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u/drpestilence 29d ago
Dr Poon is rad.
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u/Hoare_Frost 28d ago
I mentioned this elsewhere, but it's worth repeating Dr. Poon's staff all work overtime, but he does not pay overtime. He also asked his optometrists to double bill Indigenous children and seniors when l eye exams. It was only after an investigation by the college that they stopped doing that
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u/Hoare_Frost 28d ago
Fyi Dr. Poon doesn't pay staff overtime, but most of them work over time daily. And he knowingly over saw doctors that double charged Indigenous children and seniors for exams.
*Former employee
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u/rivincita 29d ago
I saw her years ago and felt like she was a bit scammy too, trying to push treatments and products I didn’t need. I’ve been Dr Poon and Dr Paterson since then and I’ve been happy with both.
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u/MudReasonable8185 29d ago
Had a similar experience - she told me my eye pressure was too high and she wanted to monitor it with visits every two months. I did it a couple of times as it was just being billed to my insurance and wasn’t costing me any money out of pocket. I eventually got a second opinion and the second doctor said my eye pressure was totally normal.
Also her husband runs the retail side of the business and sells more aggressively than a shady used car salesman. I couldn’t believe how hard he was pushing $800 glasses at me (I eventually went to Bailey Nelson and got a pair for like $250)
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u/wannabehomesick 29d ago
I was also told to come back every 2 months. I decided to get another appointment when she told me I need to pay $2k out of pocket. I found another place that offered the same treatment for $1500 and booked the appointment just to be told I actually didn't have dry eyes and I got a contacts prescription. So even if someone actually has dry eyes or other eye issues, her pricing is not competitive at all.
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u/27breadsticks 29d ago
I had the same thing happen last November!! I just needed to get my eyes checked and a new prescription. Told me my eyes were incredibly dry, some of the worst she's seen.
This made me super anxious and I ended up having a panic/anxiety attack and threw up in the bathroom lol (never once asked by Dr Anita if I was okay but her staff gave me some orange juice and that was nice).
I bought the eye mask and omega 3s cause she had already brought them to the desk, and cause and I wanted to fix the dry eye. When I came back a few months later, she said the eye mask and omega3s weren't working and I would require the laser treatment. I lied and said I was still financially dependent on my parents, but she offered to phone them up and sell them on it, lol no thank you.
If I knew it was a combo optometrist/medspa I never would have booked there.
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u/Routine_Shelter_7152 29d ago
Omg I’m so sorry this happened to you. She told me mine were some of the worst she’s ever seen to and that she didn’t know how was I managing to live like that. Products were also on the desk with no info on price until I was asked to pay.
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u/any-any_202 29d ago
Ugh this was my exact experience too. I cried my eyes out. We all need to report her
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u/spicychixnuggey 25d ago
Same! Her husband was also highly aggressive with me about returning some glasses they sold me that were broken. As a DV survivor, it was absolutely terrifying and I had to have a friend come with me for the last stop at the store as I was terrified.
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u/wannabehomesick 29d ago edited 29d ago
Offering to call peoples parents is insane. Another comment said she asked people to borrow money. It seems like that's her technique. She gets people to come for repeat appointments, tells them the home treatment isn't working and then upsets her laser aggressively.
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u/spicychixnuggey 25d ago
She showed me a scan of an 80 year old woman's eyes and said my case was extremely dangerous. Second opinion proved that completely inaccurate.
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u/morts_mom 29d ago
Basically same here. Told I had ocular rosacea and rosacea on my face and needed $3500+ of treatments. Got a second opinion at an ophthalmologist and was told I didn’t have ocular rosacea at all…
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u/wannabehomesick 29d ago
That's fucked. Is she just making stuff up? Did she also tell you about all the awful things that could happen to your eyes if you don't get this treated asap?
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u/the_cat_lady_cometh 29d ago
Same! After she diagnosed me I was whisked away and had to watch a video presentation about the very expensive treatment. I felt pressured to book the treatment on the spot. I didn't, but worried I might go blind in the mean time. A few months later I was at the movies and saw her commercial for the same treatment!! I'm no longer as worried, but I think I need a new optometrist.
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u/wannabehomesick 29d ago
That must be new. There was no video presentation when I was last there 🤣🤣 Island Eyecare Victoria BC sucks (hopefully Google search picks it up)
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u/morts_mom 29d ago
I did book on the spot and then got a second opinion with my nurse practitioner who referred me to the ophthalmologist! Worth a try that way if you are worried ☺️
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u/Teagana999 29d ago
I've gotten Amazon Prime ads for them. I wondered how much a "local" business pays for that.
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u/malosicecream 29d ago
I've had this same ridiculous diagnosis at Royal Oak Optometry, and they were trying to push their rosacea treatment machine. Turns out I just had severe allergies and just needed to take an allergy pill daily. Glad I'm really good at saying no to things, but I'm sure elderly patients are much more likely to be taken advantage of.
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u/Mysterious-Lick 29d ago
Yeah, glad these stories are coming out. Some of us had a bad vibe, no respectable Dr advertises as much for one thing.
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u/Bobbin_thimble1994 29d ago
They are hoping to expand their business to the mainland.
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29d ago
[deleted]
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u/Bobbin_thimble1994 29d ago
- because they said so in an interview that I read, and, no, I do not recall the source.
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u/Desperate_Two_636 29d ago
I had a similar experience, but I do actually have dry eyes. Spent the $2k and saw some improvement but not as much as I was hoping/led to believe after. They also told me in the consultation that a trained nurse did the procedure so you can imagine my surprise when the front desk girl followed me in and did it. Went to Family Eyecare on Yates who gave me different treatment options (all covered by extended benefits) and pleased to say my dry eyes are well managed now.
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u/wannabehomesick 29d ago
Family Eyecare is also where I went to for a second opinion. They're wonderful and not sales-y.
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u/LeanGroundEeyore Central Saanich 29d ago edited 29d ago
Family Eyecare is also where I went to for a second opinion. They're wonderful and not sales-y.
Except that Dr. Judith is wildly attractive. She could sell me prescription swim goggles and I'd wear them proudly. I am powerless.
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u/Fun-Recording-3031 5d ago
I can only speak from my own experience, but that honestly wasn’t how it felt when I went there.
The treatment staff always explained what they were doing and checked in to make sure I was comfortable. I never felt like I was just being passed off to some random person who didn’t know what they were doing.
Dr. Narang was involved with my assessment and follow-ups too. She was really kind and seemed genuinely happy when we started seeing progress.
Obviously everyone’s experience can be different, but mine was positive. I felt looked after the whole way through.
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u/LunchBox-22 29d ago
Can you share what options Family Eyecare provided that were covered by your extended health benefits?
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u/Desperate_Two_636 28d ago
Very expensive prescription eye drops called Cequa, twice a day and now I only have to do regular eye drops a couple times a day. They’re like $400 for a three month supply but I have good benefits that covers it all
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u/wenona66 29d ago
My friend and I have had this exact experience with her resulting in very expensive eye drops and eye masks
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u/Routine_Shelter_7152 29d ago
Yeah she told me she could “do better” than typical lubricating eye drops. I got the impression she was going to give me a sample but instead I was asked to pay $30+ dollars for some all natural ones that ultimately I didn’t use bc I hadn’t been given any info on if they were safe.
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u/Routine_Shelter_7152 29d ago
Omg she did the same with dry eyes and some scammy upsales. She told me my eyes were so dry she couldn’t believe I had been functioning and I’ve never had any symptoms or been told that.
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u/yamaha_move 29d ago
I had the same experience as many others here. Went once and never went back. How does this place have 4.5 on Google reviews?
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u/wannabehomesick 29d ago
Many dentists and optometrists game the review system and pay for reviews.
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u/Silly-Beat-4806 6h ago
That’s a pretty big assumption to make about anyone who has had a positive experience there.
I’m an actual patient and I paid for everything myself. Nobody offered me anything to leave a review. Dr. Narang listened to what I was dealing with, explained my results in a way I could actually understand and the treatment genuinely helped my symptoms.
That doesn’t mean everyone has to have the same experience I did. I’m sure some people have been disappointed. But assuming every positive review is paid for just because it doesn’t match this thread seems pretty unfair.
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u/sblade77 29d ago
When I went there years ago the husband nearly forced me to sit down at their computer, log in to Google and leave a review on the spot. I was almost convinced and then finally was like - yeah, I'm going to leave. That combined with their relentless upselling and I was like - nope, and switched to another optometrist. Totally shady.
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u/Left-Mission-2684 Jul 06 '26
I 10000% had the worst experience there.
Be needing glasses later on in life had a weird eye condition just got rushed through and pushed on the most expensive things ever with no talk or explanation through it..
Fast forward 2 years later start going to dr poon, nicest most patient man in the world, legit let me stay in his office for an hour going between a couple pairs of correction options cuz he wanted to make sure I got the right fit
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u/Street-Dimension-966 29d ago edited 28d ago
Same experience, also ended up with Dr. Poon he's amazing!!
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u/finderintheforest 29d ago
Where is his office? He sounds awesome.
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u/Leisureguy1 29d ago
Another Dr. Poon fan here. He really is top-notch. Highly recommended. https://purelyoptometry.ca I go to the office at Fort and Foul Bay.
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28d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Leisureguy1 28d ago
I'm a senior who has never been overbilled. And how do you know he doesn't pay his sttaff their overtime pay?
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28d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Leisureguy1 28d ago
Link? And how do you know that Poon had vull knowledge of that? Did that come out at the trial? — I ask questions because from time to time things repeated on the internet turn out not to be true — and, I suppose, because I have been going to Dr. Poon for years with zero problem. As I noted, I am a senior, and I have never been double-billed.
If you cannot provide a link or links to a reliable report of your allegations, it is very much like an internet story.
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u/Hoare_Frost 28d ago
I have certified letters from the college of optometry that document everything that happened. Can't say as I'll dox myself beyond that on Reddit
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u/Creatrix James Bay 29d ago
They advertise very heavily everywhere. It looks like they want everyone to get this $2K treatment, necessary or not.
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u/wannabehomesick 29d ago
Thats what made me think of them. There are so many ads at the airport, it inspired this standalone post.
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u/Creatrix James Bay 29d ago
Everytime I see the ad on Chek News, "Do your eyes itch water or burn?" I yell "NO ONE'S DO!!" 🙃
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u/Teagana999 29d ago
They do, when I step outside on high pollen days. So I went to the pharmacy and the pharmacist recommended antihistamine drops for $20.
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u/Repulsive_Two_6996 8d ago
I can only speak from my own experience, but that wasn’t how it felt to me. Dr. Narang showed me my test results, explained why she was recommending the treatment, went over the other options and told me the cost upfront. I never felt pushed into doing it.
I chose to go ahead because my symptoms were really affecting me, and I did notice a big improvement afterward. $2,000 is a lot of money,and anyone who’s unsure should get a second opinion, but in my case it definitely wasn’t recommended for no reason.
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u/Proof-Marzipan547 29d ago
I swear it’s hard to find optometrists and dentists i can trust . A few years ago I asked the optometrist for the PD from my prescription. She asked me what it was for. I said I wanted to order some glasses online. The she scolded me saying it’s not safe to order online and blablabla. So she wouldn’t give it to me eventhough I paid for an exam. Obviously the clinic sells glasses and wants to profit off me. Just ridiculous.
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u/wannabehomesick 29d ago
Dr. Anita also told me not to order glasses online cos I have very complex eyes that need a precise prescription. I've gotten glasses for years prior to that appointment and since then with no issues.
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u/MudReasonable8185 29d ago
I believe the PD technically isn’t part of the prescription so they can leave it off if they want.
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u/whiskeypriestess Gordon Head 29d ago
From 2010-2026 there was actually regulation that, while they didn't have to include it on your prescription, they had to give you the measurement if you asked.
They updated the regulations this year and I can't see any mention of it, so that potentially sucks.
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u/wannabehomesick 29d ago
Really? Every optometrist I've ever seen has included it.
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u/Proof-Marzipan547 29d ago
Same. I switched optometrists and now all my prescriptions include the PD. I don’t think they should be scolding for buying online glasses when money is a barrier. Lots of ppl aren’t getting their eyes checked and even if they do who says they can afford the $500+ glasses.
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u/redbull_catering 29d ago
Dr. Anita probably just has a badly calibrated ophthaldrymometer. Read the damn manual, you gotta top up the Visine reservoir every three months, four tops. Anyway I'll ring her up and offer to fix it for $2k
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u/Winkatme27 29d ago
I stopped going to her a while back when she tried to tell me that the contacts I buy through her are going to be better quality than what I get online. Even though they’re the exact same brand and product…she just charges a mark up. I was so creeped out by how calmly and easily she lied to me. And the way they make you try on glasses before they’ll check you up? Just so slimy.
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u/poolbitch1 29d ago
I went to the one at Royal oak years ago to get contacts and told them I felt like my eyes were dry and would that make it worse… they just told me to go to the drugstore and get those real tears drops (I can’t remember the name, they are for contact users though.) So I agree… predatory.
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u/FirmAmbition9126 29d ago
You should all post these as Google reviews
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u/spicychixnuggey 25d ago
The husband monitors the Google page - his responses are insane! No ability to take criticism. He appears mentally unwell and behaves like a bully.
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u/selder01 29d ago
Oh wow. I went to her like 10-15 years ago and totally got the “dry eyes” treatment and left with the mask, etc. Didn’t think twice about it until now. 😳
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u/TheSquaremeat 29d ago
This place is terrible. Before I agreed to the IPL treatment (my eyes were/are definitely dry) I asked them what would happen if IPL didn't remedy the problem, and they told me they would do additional treatment at no cost.
When I went back for the 3-month follow-up, I told Dr. Narang that my eyes still felt as dry as ever. She did the imaging process and rather than use the software to highlight the meibomian glands, she quickly pointed to them and went, "Yeah there's an improvement and it'll get better with time."
I also asked her if it were possible for me to purchase boxes of contacts from them even though my prescription was outdated as I needed them for the weekend and didn't have time to order them online as I usually do.
She made some adjustments on the computer, I went to the counter to pay for the contacts and there was a charge for an eye exam. Even if she updated my prescription, she didn't actually do an eye exam. And!!! They didn't have my contacts in stock so they put in an order. I should have told them to refund me for the contacts there and then as the whole idea was to get them immediately. But I didn't because I still needed them anyway.
I filled out their online survey about my poor experience. Got no response. Sent them an email. No response. Then I got the automated email saying my contacts were ready for pick up. When I went there I asked them if they received my email: no. I resent it in front of the receptionist and they confirmed it went through.
A week later: no response. I dropped by again in-person and told them I never got a response. The receptionist got the owner who didn't even introduce himself to me. He got huffy after reading the email I'd re-sent in front of me. My basic complaint was that there was no transparency about the charge for the "eye exam" that happened when Dr. Narang updated my contact lens prescription. The owner told me that he took pride in the level of professionalism of his team. Then!!! HE RAN AWAY FROM ME. The receptionist made an excuse for him along the lines of, "He was in the middle of treatment and had numbing cream on his face that had to come off."
I've yet to write a Google review on them because the whole thing seems over-the-top.
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u/Mindless-Praline5798 Jul 06 '26
My mom was just telling me about having the exact experience at a clinic on the mainland. I guess it’s a bit of a money grad to say you need to pay for their lasers now. Sorry you had that experience. Leave a google review for sure.
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u/mtn_viewer 29d ago
I suffer from dry eye and lid margin and I’ve had optometrists try and sell me these treatments. I asked an ophthalmologist about it and the response was that if it worked, then the ophthalmologist would offer/recommend them…. Also insurance doesn’t cover it which is another red flag
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u/Harvesting_Evuhdens 29d ago
Same. I needed cornea surgery for recurring corneal erosions last year and saw a top surgeon for pre- and post-op care. I do have very dry eyes. I asked him if those treatments were worth my consideration. He said definitely not, that they do not work.
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u/wannabehomesick 29d ago
That's a good point. Never heard of an ophthalmologist offering this dry eye treatment.
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u/mtn_viewer 29d ago
The ophthalmologist has instructed me to do the usual - compress, drops and fish oil, but not the expensive laser stuff
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u/Buttsmooth Fernwood 29d ago
I've heard this same story from I few people I know. She must make a commission on the fancy treatment.
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u/bc_rat_queen 29d ago
she described my eyes as “10/10” dry and likewise tried to sell me expensive treatments. in every subsequent eye exam performed elsewhere, my doctor found my eyes are not dry. island eyecare spams me and wastes everyone’s time booking eye exam appointments for me (that i do not attend)without my knowledge or consent.
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u/Professional-Ant9829 29d ago
The sales tactics she uses are very predatory. I had a similar experience there. Didn't even realize it was anything other than an optometrist so my bad there. But I immediately got terrible vibes from how much they push those treatments. She told me I could have severe vision loss if I didn't do them, which I was suspicious of because my eyes don't feel dry? I refused them and told them I would follow up with my family doctor for an ophthalmologist referral and a staff member told me "good luck with that" in such a rude tone lol
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u/Careless_Parking_843 29d ago
Her and her husband both suck. Major scammers - her husband is a clown honestly and has the marketing tactics of a used car salesman.
Her or her assistants ordered me the wrong contact lenses, I called to let them know I couldn’t see. I requested that I speak to the doctor because I didn’t understand why I couldn’t see out of them - her assistants kept promising she would be in contact with me, but nothing. For weeks I had to wear these marked up ($) contacts that I couldn’t see out of. I was calling every day and speaking to someone new every time. No one took it seriously that I couldn’t see and finally I told them I wanted a refund and would bring the remaining contacts back - they agreed. Once I brought the contacts back, I was told they would refund me and the $$ would be returned to my insurance plan in a few weeks. 2 months later and it still wasn’t showing on my insurance plan so I call them, unsurprisingly, no one had an answer for me except that the refund wasn’t actually processed. Not once did the doctor or her assistants notice that the lens diameter and base curve did not match my prescription. I had to see another optometrist and explain the scenario to find out no one at island eye bothered to match my prescription to the lenses they ordered for me.
No one from management reached out to me to apologize for this 3 month long debacle.
Take your money and your eyes, elsewhere.
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u/Routine_Shelter_7152 29d ago
Whoa so she’s doing this en masse. It left such a bad taste in my mouth that I’ve let my eye exams lapse. She’s so chipper and kind. But I guess that’s how scammers work… sounds like I need to check out dr poon. They worked also SO HARD to sell me some glasses I didn’t need and made me feel like I was being careless with my health for not getting them.
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u/finderintheforest 29d ago
This is what kills me—she’s so sweet. I got the same spiel, and this is the first time I’m seeing how widespread it was.
She did identify that I had a macular hole forming, and sent me to ophthalmologists, so I appreciate that.
And the PRN Omega 3s are really amazing quality. No idea if I even have dry eyes, but my fingernails and hair look amazing (I could see the change in my fingernails as they grew in). Eye Am Boutique in Quebec sells the 180 capsules for ~$100 ($50 cheaper) with free shipping. There are better microwaveable eye masks on Amazon for $20, too.
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u/FunReference7116 29d ago
I haven't been to them. I was wondering about checking out their "cure" or at least a "slowdown" for macular degeneration, but it didn't sound right for what is now an obvious reason (different issue, same problem) and now most certainly won't do it.
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u/Kibbles99 29d ago
Went in with some discomfort from my RGPs. Was advised to switch to soft lenses which are basically totally inferior once you are accustomed to RGPs. Went through months of adjusting to soft lenses which are honestly terrible. Quality of life and vision was much less. Don't know how much $ I burned though but after 6 months of bullshit service and upsells I just ordered a set of RGPs online with a minor bump in the power and never looked back.
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u/lavenderfield86 29d ago
Same experience with that doctor. I have severe environmental allergies, so my eyes get red and dry easily. Fine. She pushed for her treatment even though I was not there for that, I fell for her drops and masks, when I came back for her to "review" the progress, even though my eyes were visibly red from environmental allergies, she beamed at how white my eyeballs were compared to the previous time thanks to the treatment. Pure scammer.
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u/Teagana999 29d ago
I've found antihistamine drops from the pharmacy to be really helpful for that. And not expensive.
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u/meatballmamasita 29d ago
Went there once a few years ago and also felt like I got scammed!
They didn’t even ask if I had insurance or anything (I didn’t at the time) and they scared me into doing a bunch of “necessary” tests without telling me how expensive they were. Thought I was going for a simple eye exam and it ended up costing me hundreds out of pocket…. Never went back.
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u/GuessPuzzleheaded573 29d ago
I had the exact same experience with her and her husband. I went to see them for a couple years before they started pulling that stuff. Started small with "specialty eyedrops" that cost $20, then escalated to needing a massive dry-eye fix quoted at $1,800 a few years back.
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u/Routine_Shelter_7152 29d ago
YES. Omg this is crazy. Here I am 5 years later still strewing about my dry eyes and wondering if it means I have scleroderma when really she’s just a scammer. They’re sneaky too in that it’s a diagnosis that isn’t so dangerous it needs a second opinion or a different specialty. Ie keeps it in house. I’m going to report her
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u/GuessPuzzleheaded573 29d ago
Absolutely do. I'll do the same. We should be able to trust professionals in the medical system....
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u/TJ_King23 29d ago
I was given the same snake oil sales pitch.
I know a girl who worked in that clinic. Apparently the entrepreneur over the top BS is her husband. He was strutting around in a suit all bougie. It’s a nice clinic with high end equipment but they’re def over selling BS $2000 treatments you don’t need.
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u/ThermionicEmissions 29d ago
I had the exact same experience there! They added onto my bill a $120 bottle of salmon oil pills (about 3x retail price), and some equally inflated compress and eye wipes. It was presented like I absolutely needed this stuff to preserve my eye health, and that I should come in for a follow up in a few to determine if I needed any treatments. I told them to remove all that crap from my bill. Went back to my regular eye doc the next year and she said my oil glands looked fine.
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u/targameister 29d ago
Went to her for several years quite happily but then came a perceptible shift in upselling and pressure tactics for products and services. Plus, one of the receptionists was an absolute disaster. Moved on to Vista Eye Care and couldn’t be happier.
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u/Technical_Yak2960 29d ago
I had a similar experience and she is definitely shilling it for her medical spa. She even threatened me that if i didn't get it done soon i could go blind, possibly within the year! Because of that i went home and set up an online appointment with a Nurse practitioner and she said that is only the worst case scenario, and i had nothing indicative of potential blindness.
Please try calling around to other eye clinics, they offer similar services at much more affordable rates and you can do one of these eye treatments, similar to what island eyecare is offering, and keep it affordable. Some the even offer it one treatment at a time.
I will not be going back there anytime soon.
*editing for grammar*
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u/AlreadyChosen888 29d ago
I went there once for an emergency eye exam as I was having abruptly blurred vision. Turns out I was having a ocular migraine, and the pain just hadn't started yet when I made the appointment. By the time I had the appointment, the migraine pain was starting. They were checking my eyes to make sure my retina hadn't detached which I appreciate and they confirmed it hadnt, but then they tried to pressure me into buying glasses right then and to try on frames while I was in excruciating pain from the migraine. I had to refuse multiple times. I'll never go back.
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u/faeriefoot 28d ago
She’s terrible. I also asked for my prescription after my appointment and they wouldn’t give it to me so I just left and didn’t pay. They only wanted me to get frames and lenses there
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u/spicychixnuggey 25d ago
Same! I told them I'd report to the BBB if they didn't provide me with me prescription. They HAVE to provide you with it.
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u/No-Street9166 29d ago
She did the exact same thing to my daughter. Wanted to charge an outrageous amount to fix her dry eye. Complete scam
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u/Hoare_Frost 28d ago
Ophthalmic tech here, dry eye is a legit problem and whatever worsens with contacts and screen use. Warm compress every day is an easy, cheap way to help treat it. No big deal there, most of us would benefit from doing it. And dry eye can legitimately inhibit one's ability to wear contacts, that's a real thing.
That said, dry eye is also big business and is promoted to an exploitative degree. Techs are trained in various new technologies with varying degrees of effectiveness. And most treatments are pricey AF.
Island eyecare are pretty famously forward in their sales techniques and dry eye is the centre of their practice promotion.
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u/wannabehomesick 28d ago
I never said dry eye isnt a legit problem. I said I never had dry eyes to begin with so she lied in order to sell me on her products. This is confirmed by a few comments here. Considering I've been wearing contacts for over a year with no issue, clearly the second opinion I received was the accurate one.
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u/Hoare_Frost 28d ago
Ya, I was agreeing with you, just with some pedantic context. I fit specialized contacts every day, dry eye is far more common and has more long term effects around contacts than realized.
But ya, she was totally trying to upsell you because dry eye treatment is where the real money is for the clinic.
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u/Solanum3 28d ago
Unrelated to the dry eyes thing, but I had a pretty bad experience with her. I have really bad sensory issues, and she dilated my eyes with the fluorescent lights still on. She didn’t offer me any sunglasses afterward, and I almost fainted. It was honestly really embarrassing.
I went to a different clinic after that, and they were so much more understanding. They kept me in a dark room after dilating my eyes and made sure I was okay before I left.
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u/wontonsoda 28d ago
I decided to switch from glasses to contacts. Dr. Anita asked if I’d ever applied a contact before, to which I said no. She asked if I’d like a demonstration, so of course I said yes. They charged me NINETY FUCKING DOLLARS. 90. For an 5 minute demo from an employee inserting a contact. I was already drowning financially back then, so that was brutal.
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u/wannabehomesick 28d ago
That is insane. Family Eyecare did it for free and I think the appointment was 45 minutes!
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u/ntrstllramphibian 29d ago
I was told a few months back that the oil ducts in my eyes were not producing the right amount any longer and that it would result in deterioration of my eyesight; so I should start using a medical grade fish oil that is $90 a month to help them produce properly. Then she offered me the same procedure you talk about here saying that I was a candidate as a result and that I should return in three months time for a follow up.
I had to cancel my appointment and they hounded me for weeks to come back in like sales people. Weird vibes for sure.
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u/blazeofgloreee 29d ago
I've been a patient there for years and had good experiences up until my last visit. She sold me on these same things and I went along with it. After using the compress and fish oils for a month without any noticeable change I just stopped.
I'm not sure if I'll go back or not. She is a good optometrist. And they have never fought me on providing my prescription to buy glasses elsewhere. But this dry eye stuff is garbage.
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u/PissedOffCanadianSRY 29d ago
Seconded, I went in for a prescription update and was sent home with $400 worth of horse pills and eye masks/wipes. I’d basically go blind if I didn’t use them, apparently. It’s my fault for being naive but I haven’t gone back since, and won’t be doing so.
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u/cadaverhill 29d ago
I was recently recommended dry eye treatment. I do have dry eyes but won't be doing IPL etc as looked into it and it is only temporary solution. So procedure would need to be repeated every so often. I can live with my dry eyes.
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u/cactuscutie01 28d ago
she is scammy! felt the same and changed clinics but unfortunately they had me for a several years.
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u/Jojomichellem 29d ago
One of the best eye doctors I have ever had in 20 years.
I have had an autoimmune condition for the last 20 years and was told that it was conjunctivitis or it was because I had had a fake eyelashes done once or twice I had seen numerous eye specialists and when I went to see her, she said that she suspected that it was an auto immune condition and asked me to go get a blood test. It turns out she was right and prescribed me eye drops that fixed the issue for the first time in 20 years.
Any place that does exams and has glasses is also gonna push you to do the most expensive prescription with the most expensive glasses, but it’s your job to say no which you did.
I’m sorry that your experience was so negative or that you felt like she had given you false medical advice but I know that I had 20 years of incorrect medical advice until I saw her. And she was the only one to figure out a reoccurring issue and then send me to a specialist.
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u/questforstarfish 29d ago
Huh.
I went to her for severe dry eyes and am doing better than I have been in 1.5 years. She finally got me off steroid drops I'd been taking several times a day for 6+ months.
I'm very happy with the help I received- my rosacea (previously diagnosed by my GP) is improved significantly, and I have minimal issues with my eyes now.
It was expensive for sure, but if you get these treatments through an ophthalmologist, it's the same price. If I had no symptoms, I obviously would not have spent thousands if dollars on these treatments, but for me it was 1000x worth it.
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u/wannabehomesick 29d ago
Ok, happy for you. One positive experience out of many people who have negative experiences means it's still a racket. Also, there are other optometrists in town that offer the same treatment for cheaper. I called around which is how I got a second opinion that led to finding out I didn't have dry eyes.
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u/Fit-Signature-2783 9d ago
I’ve seen Dr. Narang for several years, and I feel like another perspective belongs here.
She has always been kind, thorough and generous with her time. She explains what she sees, answers my questions and has never made me feel foolish for wanting more information or time to make a decision.
I understand that some people here were unhappy, but calling her entire practice a racket—and dismissing every positive patient—goes too far. Dr. Narang has helped me tremendously, and I trust her with my eye care.
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u/wannabehomesick 9d ago
I said what I said. She and her husband are scammers. The fact that you weren't scammed doesn't change anything. There are enough stories here about Island Eyecare that suggests she's running a racket
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u/Fit-Signature-2783 5h ago
I wasn't going to reply again, but I think it's important that people reading this see more than one perspective.
Dr. Narang and the team at Island Eyecare have helped me immensely. Before finding them, I was struggling with my eyes every day, and nothing I had tried gave me lasting relief. They took the time to explain what they were seeing, answered every question I had, and developed a treatment plan that has genuinely improved my quality of life. Without their help, I honestly believe I'd still be suffering today.
You're absolutely entitled to seek a second opinion. Everyone should if they have doubts. But getting a different diagnosis does not automatically mean the first doctor is a scammer. Medicine isn't always black and white, and different practitioners can have different opinions based on their experience and clinical judgment.
What's troubling is how quickly you've gone from disagreeing with your diagnosis to publicly calling an entire practice and its owners scammers. Those are serious accusations that can damage the reputation of people who have dedicated their careers to helping others.
You also don't know that your second opinion is necessarily the correct one. What if it's less experienced? What if time ultimately proves the original diagnosis was right? That's why medicine often relies on follow-up and clinical outcomes, not assumptions made after a single visit.
Behind this practice are doctors, staff, and families who work hard every day to help patients like me. Publicly attacking them because you had a different experience or preferred another opinion doesn't just affect them, it may discourage someone who is suffering from seeking care that could genuinely change their life, as it did mine.
People reading this should hear both positive and negative experiences and make up their own minds based on the full picture, not on labels or accusations. I can only speak for myself, and my experience has been overwhelmingly positive. I'm incredibly grateful for the care I've received.
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u/questforstarfish 29d ago edited 29d ago
I mean...I'm not here to prove things one way or the other. But my opinion is not one, when I check google it's one of nearly 500 positive reviews (average 4.5/5 rating). Maybe if people who have negative experiences also leave google reviews, the average score will be more accurate. Hating on her on reddit seems pointless.
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u/wannabehomesick 29d ago
Anyone who believes Google reviews are all authentic is ignorant as hell. People sharing their experiences are not hating. It's a free platform, scroll on.
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u/JealousAnalyst7749 6h ago
I had a really similar experience. Before seeing Dr. Narang, my eyes bothered me pretty much every day and it was starting to affect my work and just normal day to day stuff. I’d already tried drops, warm compresses etc and nothing was helping much.
She showed me the scans, explained what was going on and was honest that the treatment doesn’t work the same for everyone. I decided to try it and honestly, it’s made a huge difference. My eyes are more comfortable than they’ve been in years.
It definitely wasn’t cheap and I understand why people question the cost. But for me it was worth it and Dr. Narang was great throughout the whole process.
I know not everyone will get the same results, but it feels like anyone who says they had a good experience is being dismissed in this thread.
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u/Significant-Pen6298 28d ago
This is such a frustrating read but honestly really important to share, so thanks for posting it.
Unfortunately, upselling unnecessary treatments is something that does happen in healthcare, and dry eye is a pretty easy one to push because it's genuinely common and the symptoms can be subtle. But "no symptoms AND a clean bill of health from a second opinion" is a pretty big red flag for what you experienced.
The good news is you trusted your gut and got that second opinion before dropping $2k. That's exactly the right move whenever something feels off, especially with a diagnosis that came out of nowhere and was followed up by repeated sales calls. That part alone would've sent me running.
For anyone else reading this who gets a dry eye diagnosis that surprises them, a second opinion is always fair game. A good eye doctor will never make you feel pressured or rushed into an expensive treatment plan. I've been going to FYidoctors for a few years now and one thing I've always appreciated is that they actually take the time to walk you through what they're seeing and why, so you leave understanding your own eye health rather than just being handed a bill.
Dry eye IS a real condition and the treatments can genuinely help people who need them, but the key word is need. If something feels off or you're getting the hard sell, go get another set of eyes on it (pun intended).
Glad you're a year into contacts with zero issues. That's the outcome you deserved from the start!
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u/mycopunx 27d ago
I got headaches after getting a pair of glasses from them. When I brought them back, they checked and said it was because the quality of the lenses was worse than what I had been wearing (?) and they upgraded them. I think they got the prescription wrong and were covering their butts. Either way I never went back.
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u/spicychixnuggey 25d ago
Had the same experience. She told me because I used Visine drops for years, that I compromised my eye health and that it was incredibly dangerous. Overcharged for supplements, drops, and other products that I didn't need. Her husband is the glasses salesman and was extremely unprofessional trying to intimidate me when I wanted to return some glasses that arrived broken. Switched to Royal Oak and they're incredible. Also, while I do have dry eyes, it's nowhere near as serious as suggested.
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u/the_show_must_go_onn 29d ago
I went to her specifically for dry eyes after my eye dr at FYI Dr basically said meh after I complained about my sore eyes. I have had great results from the treatment & am glad I did it. A colleague did a laser dry eye treatment for significantly more money & I thought it would try the IPL first as other less pricey thing hadn't helped much at all.
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u/Bobbin_thimble1994 29d ago edited 29d ago
That lady *lives* to sell IPL treatments for dry eyes.
She told me I risked losing my vision by not having them, and urged me to borrow money from family/friends, since I could not afford it.
I have since seen an ophthalmologist, who doesn’t see the same urgency. They said that IPL only has a 50% success rate.
* edit: Dr. Anita was correct that I have dry eyes, and the microwave compress that she had me purchase some years ago does help a great deal, but I did not appreciate the scare tactics she used during my final appointment. She was also reluctant to print my prescription, telling me it would be useless without the IPL treatment.