Reviews of Focus Eye Centre (Ophthalmologist)

Robyn Rose

I received my treatment about 3 years ago and so far i am still having a hard time seeing at night because of all the halos. Im hoping that overtime my eyes just learn to adapt in the dark, but either way ill learn to manage. I never want to go back to wearing glasses ever again. Focus eye has always given me top notch care and whenever i have a problem they are there to help. Don't cheap out on your eyes! they deserve the best care that they get.

Sophie Bijjani

Good service and my operation went well. On the other hand, I think you can get the same results in other places for cheaper. Make sure you read their "lifetime commitment" before you get the operation done, if you decide to go with them. You have to pay for parking unless you park in the street nearby and walk 5 minutes. (But hey, you get free coffee...and they are punctual!)

Laura French

Expensive, but worth the money. The office is impeccably clean and the service was thorough. I never felt at all rushed to make the decision. The nurses involved in the procedure were also excellent about talking me through each step. It's been over 6 months since my surgery and I am very happy I did it.

Dieter Kujawski

Trusting Focus Eye was the biggest mistake I have ever made in my 60 years. My vision is far worse now than before surgery. I am I pilot that can no longer fly, they risk my vision in my opinion for the profits they made.

Sarah Graveline

I could not have asked for a better experience at Focus Eye Center on Carling. My consultation was on a Monday and they booked my procedure in on the Thursday of that same week. The staff work so great together and are very organized. Everything just seems to flow perfectly. The day of my procedure I was quite nervous. I have had surgery on my eyes before and even hated going to my optometrist for eye exams. I will admit I did not like the procedure but I did not feel any pain. It was just uncomfortable knowing what was going on. It was quite neat to notice my vision changing during the procedure. After the procedure I did have discomfort but it only last a few hours. The next morning I was able to see everything! The first week I experienced dryness but it got better as the days went by. I still experience glowing around lights at night but the doctor reassured me that it is the last thing to come back to normal and can take up to 6 weeks! I highly recommend Focus Eye Center. Yes, it is pricy but worth every penny!!

Anathèle Zamor

I very much enjoyed my experience at Focus Eye, and recommend it very much. They have a choice of safe and evidence-based eye surgeries to fit varying needs, including the latest advancements such as Monovision and Intralase SBK. They only select the best in surgical techniques, and the service is impeccable at all stages (pre, during and post surgery). It was definitely worthwhile for me to get this surgery done, having my vision back and not needing to rely on glasses gives me the freedom to wear sunglasses without constraints, play sports safely, travel easier, and small things like seeing the clock at night or in the morning on my bedside table, and looking my best without glasses really count! Better quality of life is what you get by getting laser eye surgery.

Patrick Yelle

I had an excellent experience at Focus Eye Centre. The whole process went very smoothly, from the initial consultation all the way to the surgery and the post-op visits. The staff is friendly and extremely professional. All my appointments were on time and I never had to wait at all. Free parking during weekends.

David K.

Apparently Focus Eye Centre running low on eye drops. Dr. Nguyen gave me a look when I asked for an extra eye drop bottle for my office. People, improve your customer service please. The most annoying part was that after my patient wait for more than 1 hour, our appointment went so well and at the end I felt so disappointed in her as a health care professional and in the services of the Focus Eye centre. I felt like she paid $5000 for my surgery. After I left, I found out she is an optometrist of my husband and my brother and I was going to join for my yearly follow ups as well. Now she lost one client plus potentially will lose two more. And for the price of the surgery, the drops should be displayed for taking as many as needed by the clients!!!

Alex Den

By far the best and only place I would go back to or recommend! Beyond helpful and friendly staff. Always have answers for any and all questions. Started seeing 20/20 after just 16 hours post surgery. Very professional staff and skilled doctors and nurses during procedure.

Sherry Moreau

I am so impressed with this location! I had my procedure done 2 weeks ago and all of the staff is absolutely amazing. They truly care about their clients and provide outstanding service. Very happy with my new eyes!

Carlotta Riches

I just got my eye procedure done today. It went great! The employees here are professional, fun, happy, patient accommodating people. With a new world of protocols they need to follow, they are doing fantastic. I give them a lot of credit for learning as they go and doing everything to keep patients along with themselves safe. They are very friendly

E. Hansen

I had laser eye surger (Intralase SBK) done here a week ago. I had quite poor eyesight (about -6 for each eye) and am now at 20/20 in one eye, and almost there (20/25 and still healing) in the other. I can drive, read, play sports, etc... without glasses or contact lenses for the first time in almost 2 decades and it is amazing. Being able to see the clock from the bed is amazing. Being able to see the shampoo/conditioner bottles in the shower is amazing. I can also buy any sunglasses I like... amazing! Also, everyone suddenly has pores... amazing. The procedure was slightly uncomfortable but never painful -- they put in a lot of freezing drops. I think the worst part was knowing that a flap was being cut out of my eyes with a machine, even if I couldn't feel it being done -- it was just a frightening thought because, like most people, I only have 2 eyes and they are quite precious to me, even if they kind of sucked. (Note the use of the past tense, because they don't suck any more!) My surgeon, Dr Cheung, was extremely patient and calm, and had me in and out of the surgery room in less than 10 minutes. Recovery was as expected. A lot of sleeping for the first 24-48 hours and slightly itchy eyes... set alarms for your eyedrop regimen, follow it religiously, and do use the optional anesthetic drops! Don't try to be noble and wait out the itchiness, they give them to you for a reason. Also download or youtube audiobooks or you will die of boredom those first two days. By day 3 post-surgery, I was back on the computer, watching tv, etc. but your mileage may vary. All told, I would highly recommend this clinic and laser eye surgery in general. I'm extremely happy with my results.

BHK

I had PRK here in December of 2019. Before surgery I was around a -9.00 OU. From first consultation to surgery to aftercare, the service has been incredible. They were able to accommodate me in preferred date for surgery and since my OD was away, they saw me for initial follow-ups. They've continued to be generous with the drops I've needed and very accessible by phone for any questions I've had. My vision is now 20/20 for the first time in 28 years and I could not be happier!

Vincent Lavallée

Sadly, a very bad operation experience. Although, the staff was very friendly and professionnal, the doctor (insistent, impatient) and the operation experience were a complete disaster. Felt like a rushed "operation" that sent me home with a half started procedure that healed badly. Although I did receive a full refund, since they couldn't complete the operation, my eyes were badly hurt and I didn't get a follow-up from them (prescription before/after healing lost - a point, eyesight has never quite been the same). Also felt quite rushed into taking decisions about the operation. (experience from 1,5y ago) Dissapointed that I trusted them with such a sensitive operation, will not undergo any other surgery on my eyes anytime soon.

Stuart Dean

Very happy with the overall service. I'm a month post-op, and the results have been fantastic. Pre-op appointments were straight-forward, and they were attentive to my needs. The day of, there were a few small hiccups, but I blame that on the current COVID-19 pandemic, and they were extremely professional. I've also enjoyed the quality of service post-op. Obviously not as hand-holding, but still helpful. I also learned they will help in updating my driver's license to remove my eye glasses restriction - which is so helpful (seriously don't know why they don't promote that service)! I've seen a couple of the optometrists so far, and I have to say they are all truly fantastic. Definitely recommend.

Corey Toyota guy

Tried to make a phone call to get a simple question answered by an optometrist yet they said they would "Transfer me" and then hung-up. totally unprofessional business.

Joel Desaulniers

My experience at Focus Eye Centre was excellent. I went from wearing glasses to see at all distances, mainly due to medium/high astigmatism in both eyes, to seeing 20/20 in both eyes the very next morning after the Intralase SBK procedure. The procedure was very quick and painless, I had very very minor discomfort for 4 hours, and my vision started to increase thereafter. I'm happy with my choice.

Julie Zattolo

I had the SDK surgery done two weeks ago. The procedure itself was easier that I thought it would be and the Doctors and Nurses were great. I am still adjusting to the mono vision, but overall I am very happy with the results. While the medical staff were knowledgeable and instilled confidence, the only person at the front with a smile on their face who was helpful was Robin - Kudos to him! Perhaps he can train the rest of the front staff. Robin also went over my post-op care before the surgery and was wonderful. The rest of the front staff needs some work. Appointment times were incorrect, they saw patients sanitizing their own chairs in the waiting room while they just stood there. I recommend some additional customer service training so that the entire operation provides the same level of care as the medical team.

Natalie Spratt

I started wearing glasses at 12 years old and couldn’t wait to wear contact lenses because I played sports and hated the feeling of my glasses sliding down my nose when I would sweat, or fog up from coming inside from a cold day. Contacts were my go to, and overtime they too became an inconvenience, drying out my eyes, the inconvenience of remembering to take them out and that awful feeling when one might just pop out! I always wanted laser eye surgery and this year I took the leap. With the help from the amazing staff at Focus they answered many of my questions, kindly and carefully. I had my consultation and met with various employees who eased any worry I had about the procedure. Leaving there I felt confident that this would be life changing. Most people get nervous for surgeries, I was excited. I couldn’t wait to literally see the results! The procedure was short, painless ,and the staff made the entire experience a positive one! The thorough care I received from start to finish was amazing. I woke up being able to see my alarm clock right away, and not needing to put glasses on to see my kids faces! This was life changing and I thank focus for helping me!

Freeman Lan

I chose this place with a premium price because I thought they would be more careful and take better careful of me. I wish they were more specific about the eye drop instructions. I ended up with slightly farsighted vision. I dunno if it could have been prevented with more care but sure would have been happier if I felt like I was given more careful instructions.

Camille Martel

Got SBK surgery there in August. Everything went well and my vision is perfect. I decided to chose Focus Eye after having a consultation with both Herzig and Lasik. The optometrist at Focus was very thorough at the pre-op evaluation and I also felt like he was very honest when answering my questions. However, I must say that not all of their staff is like that. I've met with others that didn't seem very professional and/or made me feel like they were really in a rush although they kept asking me if I had questions. I'm glad I did the surgery but I really do wish laser eye surgery felt a bit less like you're just a number... although from what I've been told, it's pretty much like that wherever you choose to go.

Justin Richard

Absolutely 100% satisfied with my procedure. I had the mono vision done. The staff and Doctor completely professional at their job. Thank you Focus Eye Center. I can see perfectly no more glasses!!!!

karen chadwick

I had an excellent experience at Focus Eye Centre for a RLE (refractive lens exchange). It is a cataract type surgery and the procedure itself went smoothly and the outcome has been incredible. I was a -9 for distance and used to need reading glasses. Now my vision has been corrected for reading, mid and distance. I went for a premium lens technology called panoptic. The staff are very experienced and caring. I highly recommend!

Adam Gaudreau

Honestly, it was a good experience and the procedure went well considering the correction needed (-9). But come on, you should not be making people wait for 50 minutes one follow up and 40 minutes the next for a DARN APPOINT OF 15 MINUTES. That is unacceptable no matter who you ask and no matter the circumstance. If you expect to be that delayed, you reschedule with the patient.

Andrew Baker

Amazing experience with Focus Eye Centre. White glove treatment from start to finish. Totally had me relaxed and comfortable with the procedure. Results were better than expected. Such a big difference in vision. Thank you!

charles daly

I highly recommend choosing Focus Eye. If you value people and relationships this should be your go to place. Couple that with state of the art expertise, knowledge and equipment. A winning combination! Choosing Focus Eye was my best decision in 2020 and so far in 2021. I encourage you to do the same if you need help with your vision. It is a safe bet that you will be very pleased with your choice!

Greg Roscoe

Had long contemplated getting my eyes fixed, but never followed through. COVID hit and masks and foggy glasses were the straw that broke the camels back. Now I wish I had of done it years ago. My eyes were unique, so I required different procedures per eye. I wasn't sure how that would end up working - put trust in the system - but here I am and things are crystal clear at a distance (even at night), and yet I can still confidently read up close. Amazing results. I was more than impressed with the service both pre and post operation. Continuous in-person follow-up helped track the progress. On a value for dollar front when you include this service it was second to none. Thanks so much Focus.

S Garrett

I’ve had the following experiences and they seem to be getting more and more frustrating... 1. During the pre-op appointments, they are great. But as soon as they take your money the service really really falls short. They are late, by 15 minutes or more, for every single one of my post-op appointments. 2. They confused the date/time of some of my appointments, including my surgery appointment. 3. They screwed up processing all my my payments. The deposit was not processed properly and I had to make a payment over the phone, which I’m not 100% comfortable with. 4. I chose to do the in house financing. On the day of the surgery, I paid the 50% and gave the reception my bank account details, and my credit card details. They gave me a paper outlining the payment dates. That was all. I was supposed to get a copy of the financing agreement as well, but I didn’t get it. (I didn’t know this until after the fact) When I asked how the remaining payments would be collected, the receptionist told me they would be collected on my preferred method of payment. I told her that was my MasterCard. She also told me that they keep the bank account on file in case the preferred method of payment defaults, they would have a back up. This information is not correct. When Focus eye collected my 1st payment, it was from my bank account, which is now massively overdrawn. When I called today to get it sorted, I was told that they don’t take MasterCard. I was also told that the financing payments must come from the bank account and the credit card is used in case the bank account defaults; the exact opposite of what the receptionist told me. Whatever the actual process is for in-house financing is, it’s not understood by the whole staff, and they are misleading the customer. In this case, it’s going to turn into a massive hassle for me to pay my bills that come from my bank account for the rest of the month. Not to mention the nsf fees for being over drawn. 5. There is a nurse that seems to not respect social distancing or she thinks it’s funny? But then she will tell people they have to step back and give her 6 feet of space. I was standing at the reception desk waiting to check in, and she will come and stand right beside me and say “please step back, covid procedures.” And followed by this weird giggle. And she has no reason to be there. And if seen her do this to *several* people while I’ve been waiting for my appointments. Maybe she she thinks it’s a game? It’s really off putting.

Brian B

Well - I can see without glasses now, so I have no reason to not give them five stars! The main thing to know is that the procedure has risks. If there are complications that are outside the control of the staff or business, how can you rate them negatively? If you're not willing to accept the risk, consider other options. Of course that's easy to say since my procedure went fairly straightforward, but I certainly did my research beforehand to know the risks and possible complications. Everyone at Focus is generally friendly. There was one staff member who's room I passed through in one of the initial exams who was pretty unfriendly, but I guess everyone has bad days. A couple visits the appointment was a bit behind schedule, but I was also late for my last appointment and they accommodated - so I had no issues there. I had a couple confusing conversations with reception - receiving an appointment reminder for the wrong time, asking if I still wanted a paper copy of my bill sent (I never asked for one in the first place), but nothing serious. One thing I had to figure out myself is that many of the technicians / opticians don't really tell you anything about the post-procedure tests and exams unless you specifically ask. After the exams were finished for the first and second follow-ups I basically just got a "great, you're done". Of course, my eyes are still bloodshot and I can only half see out of one eye, so I would like a bit more information about what's going on. They're happy to explain everything - you just have to ask. The procedure itself was exactly as uncomfortable as I expected. The staff were really good at walking you through what was happening, though. It was really uncomfortable but bearable. Apparently during the first night you're meant to wake up every couple hours and put in more eye drops. I'm almost positive no one told me this (possibly I was told when I was drugged up right before/after the procedure? Seems like a bad time to give important instructions) - and in the information book it doesn't specify this (unless I'm dumb and completely missed it) - so maybe be a bit more clear on that. Thankfully it didn't cause any issues in my case, I was just instructed to use the steroid drops a bit longer. Overall a good experience. If I had to get it done again I would go back. I am, however, very happy I don't have to have it done again.

Priya J.

This has been the absolute WORST experience! When I went for my consult, I left feeling good and excited about the procedure. On the day of my procedure, I was told the machines malfunctioned and that they would call me once they were working again (mind you, I do not get paid day offs). They eventually told me that they would have to rebook me, which ended up being 2 weeks later. When I went in, they put drops in my eyes and tried to suction them for a while before realizing that it won't fit and that I can't do the SBK surgery. This was frustrating for me since this was the 2nd unpaid day I've had to take because of them, and still no surgery was done. I asked how they couldn't know that my suction won't work with my eye shape, given the fact that I've done all the consults- and they took multiple pictures of my eyes. To that they just said sometimes it happens. I tried to express my frustration at having this surgery cost much more than the $4900 I was supposed to pay given I had to take 2 days off work for no reason at all; however, they firmly told me that I will not be compensated and that I should look into doing the PRK surgery instead. The lady was more concerned with booking me for ANOTHER surgery next week rather than how much I was struggling financially due to their carelessness. I told them to just give me my refund as I will DEFINITELY not be doing my surgery here. To this, she said no problem. This is a place where no one took accountability or cared at how much I was having to sacrifice to get this surgery. They would rather lose me as a client than shave off a couple hundreds to compensate for the 2 days I've had to come in just to have nothing done, when I could have been at work. On top of that, I didn't see my eyes until I got to the car. There was a painful red ring surrounding my eyeball which no one told me about. I was not told when the swelling would go down, how to treat it, if any drops were required, nothing. . The only thing they cared about was booking me in for the next surgery. All in all, TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE. WOULD NOT RECOMMEND.

Michael Moffatt

I had a wonderful experience at Focus Eye Centre. From initial consult to now I have had nothing but professional, caring interactions with all the staff. I had SBK on my right eye this past September, and besides the procedure being efficient and professional, I was shocked to notice the instant clarity of vision immediately afterwards. I highly recommend Focus Eye Centre to anyone I meet considering laser vision correction.

J. G

(Translated) Excellent service there are all bilingual. After the operation during convalescence I had to go back after opening hours because I had a problem with a contact green and no fees within the next hour someone was available I recommend it to everyone and my seen today is 15/20 very happy (Original) Excellent service il sont tous bilingue. Après l'operation durant la convalescence j'ai du y retourner après les heures d'ouverture car j'avais un probleme avec un vert de contact et aucun frais dans l'heure suivant quelqu'un était disponible je le recommande à tous et ma vue aujourd'hui est 15/20 très heureux

Jessica Simpson

Thank you focus eye centre for giving me my vision back. I had worn glasses basically my whole life. I was tired of not being able to see with out glasses and made the decision to go for laser eye surgery! Honestly, my only regret is not doing it sooner. From the first consult appt to surgery day and the follow ups, the entire process was absolutely flawless. I am now 2 months post opp and I am SO happy with my results. Thank you!

Kizzy Kay

I had my surgery (intralase SBK) in 2016. I regret choosing Focus Eye Center and I regret giving them 4900$. Tldr – I’ve paid a lot of money and not received the outcome or client care that was promised. Now I feel stuck because of how much I’ve invested. 4900$ is a significant amount of money. For that amount of money, I would expect exceptional client care and clear, crisp vision – both of which are advertised by Focus. This has not been the case. They told me that 90% of people have crisp, clear vision after the surgery. I asked what happened to the 10% that didn’t. I was told one of two things would happen: Their vision would be good enough they wouldn’t need/want glasses, or they would get an enhancement surgery. I managed to fall between the cracks into an apparently unforeseen third category – my vision is good enough that surgery is too risky, but I have enough double vision that I can’t do my job without glasses, or else risk getting headaches. I also notice the double vision/blurriness any time I’m not wearing my glasses. There is nothing in place and no care available for people in my position. Am I really the only person this has happened to? In order to qualify for their Lifetime Commitment program, I now have to see my optometrist every year. My insurance only covers every second year, so I have to pay out of pocket every two years. My insurance only covers a certain amount for glasses, so I also have to pay the difference. I got laser eye surgery as a long-term financial investment. Now, I’ve paid 4900$, plus the regular amount I would have paid for glasses if I hadn’t had the surgery, plus out of pocket expenses for an optometrist every second year. This is a significant amount of money to pay - when the intent behind getting surgery was to pay less over time - in order to be eligible for a touch up surgery that I’m not even sure I would want done by them. Some of the staff seem to care and are pretty good. There was one really great doctor who really stands out in my memory - although I’m not sure they even still work there. However, my experiences have also included a doctor that tried to gaslight me about my vision, and staff (including the person I was directed to speak with about my concerns) that have been at best defensive when I’ve tried to discuss my experiences. Based on the super positive reviews I’ve seen, it seems like everyone there is really nice until there’s an issue. The company is also extremely opaque. I would love to speak with someone in a position to make change in the company who also happens to care about client experience (who is open to having a discussion and not super defensive right off the bat), but I have not found anyone and I no longer have hope that I will be able to. Honestly, it’s been a stressful four years with the issues I’ve had with Focus and my vision, and I deeply regret going with them. I would never have paid the amount I did if I knew what my results would be, or what my experience with staff would be. I wish I’d gone with the Eye Institute, or even just taken my money and gone on a nice vacation. Because of the amount of money I’ve sunk into this, I feel bound to Focus. I’ve delayed writing a review because I thought things might get resolved and wanted to try to work things out, but it’s been four years. If anything, things feel worse now than they did in the time after my surgery. I wish I’d looked into more options. I wish I’d gone somewhere with a better price, or at least with some kind of satisfaction guarantee or something. I paid a lot of money to still pay for glasses, and I’ve also paid for it manyfold in stress. 2 stars because my vision is absolutely improved from what it was before, and some staff were good. Minus three stars because I still need glasses, I’ve had very negative experiences with some staff, I paid a lot of money that wasn't worth it, and I live with regret. Edit: Since I can't find a way to reply to Focus' response: I have recently called. Those discussions are what prompted me to finally write a review.

Neil DONNELLY

Don't trust anyone else with you eyes. I had one eye done for reading no more looking for the Costco glasses freedom. The service you get from Focus Eye Centre is second to none. I would recommend you have them give you a free assessment to see what options are.

Rachelle Wood

I had mixed feelings about having eye surgery. The staff at Focus Eye Centre, took the time to explain which options were available and what would be the best solution for me. I had the RLE (Refractive Lens Exchange) procedure done in December 2020. I am still amazed at how well I can see without the use of contact lenses or glasses. Also, I only need my reading glasses once in awhile! Awesome!

Ken C

The ratings are broken down into 3 parts: service, cost, and results. 5 stars for service: their service was good and friendly. One thing I love about this place is that they have a coffee machine that can dispense hot chocolate! 3 stars for cost: their price was more than LASIK MD. But I’ve decided to go with Focus as it'll worth my money since the surgent was the founder and hope he’ll put more care during the operation. At the same time, the machine does 95% of the work - he just sits there and place the apparatus over your eyes. 2 stars for the results: Everyone is different, and results will vary. I can now see fairly good without glasses and happy with my vision. However, the side effects are still with me after 1.5 years. These side effects include dry eyes, halo at nighttime, and sensitive to sunlight. Because of the side effects, I would pay them to restore my eye conditions back to where it was prior to the operation. Remember, everyone is different, and results will vary.

Victoria Nalivo

Just had my eye surgery almost a month ago , wow Dr.Edmison what a skilled professional, outstanding recovery time , so fast , so easy , never imagined ! Thank you !!!

Imeren Rakhra

I had the intralase SBK w/wavefront eye surgery done over a year ago and I couldn't be happier. Both my eyes are now 15/20!! Thank you Dr. Deschenes and Dr. Edmison.