The Vision Store — Attraction in Bernalillo

I took my youngest back first for his 2nd appointment with Dr. Casaus only this year he was not getting a dilation done because he's in Marching Band and had practice, plus what person actually enjoys dilation! When Dr. Casaus found out I wasn't going to allow her to dilate his eyes she became very irritated by this and continued to go on and on about is not having it done stating she believed other places didn't require dilation. Like it wasn't my right as a minors parent too say no to having this done. Needless to say I left there very irritated and had them immediately cancel the appointment for him that was set up for next year. The rest of my family (3) went in for their follow up appointments a week later only this time we came with a waiver form signed saying we didn't want the dilation done and we would come back and say any problems we might have we're Dr. Casaus' fault because we opted out of dilation. Well that was fine until the Dr entered the room and carried on about how she didn't want to hear any complaining if I had a torn retina the week following my appointment. Which could have happened anyway, might I mention. My husband was having a medical issue that was discovered when she did his exam. Alright fine you can do the dilation, but she went on and on again about how I didn't want anyone dilated and see what happens. I forgot to mention my husband, myself and my daughter are all grown adults that didn't want dilation and made the choice to sign the paper. My husband informed her that she won't be doing his dilation either had there not been a problem. No real problems happened during my daughter exam but because she was fitted with contacts she had to return for a lens check a week later and this is when the problems came about. My daughter in for her lens check and to get her script because we didn't order contacts from them was informed that she had to have her internal (dilation) done or she could pay for the pictures. My daughter didn't want a dilation done this time either and she didn't want to be out $39 for some pictures. So she sent me a text and my husband made a phone call reminding them that the waiver form we had signed carried over to this appointment because it was a follow up and as the patient she had said no. When the Dr came in the room, checked my daughters script ahe asked if there was anything else they needed to do and was informed by her writter (gal in the room that updated the chart) that they had the dilation but there was a wavier for that. Words that came outta the Drs mouth, that doesn't matter we still need to do the dilation and my daughter informed her she wasn't going to do that. Of course again the Dr went on and on about it. Then she found out that contacts were not being gotten from their office and started asking all kinds of questions about where they were being bought. How is that anyone's business but ours. Just like we have a choice to shop at Wal-Mart or Albertsons I can get my contacts our glasses anywhere I want. Finally my daughter was given her script and aloud to leave. Needless to say I also cancelled the appointments that had been set up for the 3 of us next year because we won't be going back here. It would seem that patients have rights about their medical care everywhere but inside this office. This Dr allows patient rights to until you tell her your not doing something and she can't bill your insurance for it then all patient rights go out the window. Maybe that's why this office doesn't have their patient rights displayed for patients to read. On a better note though, the stuff at this office is wonderful. Always very pleasant every time we've been in for appointments, to pick up glasses or when my husband called to complain about what was going on. Amanda is a great office manager and I'm sorry that she has to put up with the complaints that I'm sure she has to hear. Its too bad the Dr doesn't live up to her staff and the way they treat the patients that come in. Needless to say it was the Dr not the staff that will keep us...

I was searching for a vision clinic to start orthokeratology (Ortho-K) treatment for myopia control, where pricing is a top priority for me since it's an out-of-pocket expense. Unfortunately, my experience with The Vision Store NM was frustrating and unhelpful.

When I called to inquire about their Ortho-K program, Katherine was cordial but extremely vague. They discuss Myopia Control on their website but Katherine didn't appear to know much about Ortho-K based her vague responses. I explained I already had a general eye exam scheduled elsewhere and could provide all necessary details from that appointment. Despite emphasizing that cost was my most important factor before deciding on whether treatment was even feasible for me, she refused to give any specific information without me first booking an appointment. After much back-and-forth, she threw out a rough range of $1800–$2400 but still insisted I couldn’t get meaningful details until I was seen by the doctor. If you know anything about Ortho-K, it is a commitment. There are substantial fees for the first year (fitting, lenses, follow-ups, adjustments) and ongoing yearly maintenance -- so making an informed decision about the treatment ahead of time is imperative. These are custom fitted lenses based on measurements of the topography of the eye -- like Invisalign for teeth, it's actually reshaping your eye as you sleep, so you have 20/20 vision during the day. It's not like buying a few contact lenses to try and then changing your mind or switching to another brand. It's a commitment for the long-haul. So yes, I expect clinics to provide all the details I need before making the decision to move forward.

Along the lines of vagueness, I also asked what lens types they use (Paragon CRT, Forge, Euclid, Alpha, Wave, etc.), as many clinics specialize in specific lenses. Katherine had no answers and repeated that lens selection was up to the doctor, further demonstrating her lack of knowledge about Ortho-K. When I asked to speak with someone more knowledgeable, she reiterated that I had to book an appointment for any details.

In contrast, I contacted a different clinic in Scottsdale, AZ, and they immediately sent me comprehensive information, including detailed pricing and lens specifics. This transparency made me feel confident and informed, which is what I expected but did not receive from The Vision Store NM. I am trying to find a local place in New Mexico, or would have gone with the AZ clinic.

The unwillingness to provide even basic information over the phone made it clear they aren’t interested in helping prospective patients make informed decisions. Their lack of transparency and dismissive attitude completely turned me off. I won’t be considering them for Ortho-K or any future vision needs, and I can’t recommend them to others. If Katherine didn't know what Ortho-K was she should have been honest and transferred me to a technician who could provide me with the information I was looking for -- as others have. Being vague and cryptic does not attract customers.

If you're looking for a clinic that values your time and offers clear communication, this is...

I don't think I've ever felt more unsatisfied with a business before. Not only do I feel unwelcome when I walk in, I feel a sense of "we are better than you." I've been going to this eye doctor for about 4 years, thinking it will get better each time, but year to year I walked away mad, scammed, and dissatisfied. My family quit going, and I only stayed because it was close by and I am too good at giving second chances. My last experience, though, was the last straw. They've always only done anything for the money and will push you to spend more and more. They started requiring everyone to do a test that charges extra money. The staff, although cheery on the outside have still always found a way to disappoint me as they make snarky comments and like to put blame on you for their mistakes. Nobody there seems to truly care about you and any "customer care" they do have feels forced and condescending. Every time I go, I end up spending about 2 hours or more, because although the office seems empty, I always find myself waiting in the room to finish my check up. Every time, I sit waiting for about 45-60 minutes in the room with nothing. This last time, due to covid-19, the person I brought with me had to wait in the car, which is understandable, but while I was waiting around for my check up (which was an appointment they've been planning since the year before) she had to sit in the hot car for 2 and a half hours. There was only one other patient in the whole office (the place is small enough, I can hear what's going on in the building). Besides the constant pushing to spend more money, this last incident was the turning point. Due to covid-19 they were trying to reduce the number of people coming to the office, so they told me they would not have me come in for a contact fitting. In the years past, I would set up another appointment a couple days later to tell them how the contacts feel. It's perfectly understandable that they didn't want me to come back (the one time they actually seemed to care about their customers). But they also charged me $93 dollars for a contact fitting that I never got. When I went back to pick up the glasses they not only seemed to force me to buy, but also didn't order until after the entire $650 was paid for (guess they don't understand how bills work; everything must be paid upfront), I politely asked why they charged me $93 for something I never got. The lady at the front desk insisted that they did give me a lens fitting. I said "The only thing that happened was that my contacts were put in my eyes and they asked how they felt." the lady at the desk snapped "yeah, that's what a fitting is" I basically spent $93 for a 5-word conversation. At that point, I cancelled my appointment they set up for next year, and I'm...