Optik PDX - Binocular Vision Specialist and Eyewear Boutique — Local services in Portland

Edited August 30, 2022 Dr Bonner has reached out personally and has scheduled a follow-up visit in September. She has apologized profusely for the issues I've experienced and wants to make it right. I will amend my review after I've had my follow-up visit and any further experiences I have with Dr Bonner and the team at Optik PDX.

---original review below---

I was initially excited about going in for an exam for binocular vision dysfunction (BVD). I was initially meant to see Dr Ezra but had to reschedule so saw Dr Bonner instead. The initial exam was long as expected, but everything seemed positive.

I was told based on my self-assessment I had a severe BVD. I brought in a pair of glasses that were only a few months old and had less than 6 month old prescription in them. They were able to use these for my new lenses. I got my first set of prisma glasses a couple weeks later and dutifully wore them almost non-stop for 4 or 5 weeks before the follow-up appointment; note I did not receive my old lenses.They seemed to be helping, but my corrected vision was not sharp and I still had some double vision and halo.

At the follow-up appointment some tweaks were made to the prescription and a new set of lenses were ordered. I was told I had an astigmatism which I'd never been told in 20+ years of having eye exams. After a few days of wearing this second pair of prisma lenses I started having uncontrollable migraines. I pushed through thinking they would subside as my eyes got used to the lenses. They did not and only got worse. I stopped wearing the glasses and the headaches subsided. I made an appointment to have them looked at as I thought maybe an error occurred at the lab.

They ordered a third pair of lenses after Aaron spoke with Dr Bonner who apparently said 'I thought those lenses [the second pair] may be problematic.' ?!?! Some adjustments to the frames were made and I was sent on my way. This was several months ago.

The glasses are unusable. They didn't help with any of the symptoms that lead me to getting a BVD exam and made my corrected vision worse. I have reached out on several occasions to try resolve this, but I've had no response. I know the office has been short staffed, but I have chased by phone, email, and through their own online satisfaction survey and have heard nothing. I've been having to get by by wearing these prisma lenses only for short periods of time or using 4 year old lenses.

In terms of cost, I paid out of pocket and knew it wasn't going to be cheap. The first visit was ~$1200 (extensive exam and lenses), but was shocked when I was charged $350 for my follow-up appointment. I understood this was included as part of the initial appointment because it's part of the process with BVD diagnoses.

I've given up on trying to get this resolved with them. I'd say be extremely cautious if you go in for a BVD exam, you may be out of pocket $1500 and be no better off. Yes, the front office staff are willing to readjust the fit of your glasses several times, but that's not going to help when there's something inherently wrong with the prescription.

I'm really disappointed with the care I've received and wouldn't recommend anyone go to this clinic for BVD or...

If you're seeking help for what you've come to know as Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD), I strongly recommend exploring other options before committing to treatment through Optiks.

After being diagnosed with BVD at Optiks, I was prescribed prism glasses and told I would need to continue wearing increasingly stronger lenses every couple of years, likely for the rest of my life. The long-term trajectory I discovered later through more research was that I would need stronger and stronger prisms until eventually corrective surgery. This clinic emphasized the use of their proprietary lense technology/prescription services, and I felt there was significant pressure to continue care solely through them.

While I will say the initial assessment was thorough and seemed technically well-executed, what followed was not patient-centered care. I was not offered any alternative treatment paths, nor was vision therapy ever mentioned, despite the fact that it is a well-established and effective intervention for many functional vision issues.

After seeking two additional professional opinions from providers, I learned that BVD is not a singular diagnosis, but rather an umbrella term describing a variety of types of disfunction and symptoms stemming from the eyes not working together properly. It’s crucial to identify the specific dysfunction and tailor a plan that addresses this.

At my new clinic, my treatment plan includes both prism lenses and ongoing vision therapy, with the specific goal of reducing lens strength over time and eventually eliminating the need for glasses altogether. The care is more rooted in long-term improvement, not permanent dependency on prescription eyewear. My provider also identified additional neuro-visual challenges that are now being addressed, which has already improved multiple aspects of my daily life.

One more concern I have about Optiks is how they present BVD as a rare and difficult-to-treat condition, implying that few specialists are equipped to diagnose it. This is misleading. I’ve since found knowledgeable and compassionate specialists not only in Portland, but also in areas like Albany, Oregon. These professionals offer vision therapy and other treatment options that I was never informed about at Optiks.

I will also mention the payment situation. As I remember, Optiks wanted cash payment first, then they put the responsibility on you to try to go through your insurance to get the money back, and the other two places I went were able to bill directly to my insurance, and appointments and assessments were majority covered.

Lastly, I did not feel welcomed during my time there. The doctor I saw was cold and dismissive, and several interactions with other staff members were equally unpleasant. That lack of empathy, combined with the limited treatment approach, left me feeling discouraged at the time, but I’m very glad I chose to seek second and third opinions.

If you're starting your journey with BVD symptoms, I encourage you to do your research, ask questions, and seek out providers who offer a range of treatment options, including vision therapy. I wish I had known all of this from the beginning, it could have saved me time, money, and...

I've been meaning to write this for years but didn't get around to it until now because my glasses from Optik PDX finally died... today... at the hands of a far inferior optometrist.

First, Dr. Ezra is a fantastic optometrist; exceptionally knowledgeable AND very, very, very thorough. He really gives you the royal treatment. The eyewear in his shop is also excellent. It's all super unique, fashionable, and well-made... all using high-grade acetate with very durable lenses... all well-worth the money! I'm telling you, I didn't know what I was missing until I went to him... and especially after I left.

I begrudgingly left Dr. Ezra a little more than a year ago because I switched school districts and went from Providence to Kaiser Permanente Health Car and thought I might save some money going to their optometrists -- what a mistake! The glasses that Kaiser prescribed me were a hot mess from the beginning: the prescription was off (which has been giving me persistent headaches and dizzy spells), the anti-glare coating they upsold me actually increased glare (I now have night vision issues when I wear that pair of glasses), there are more scratches on my new Kaiser pair than my 4 yr. old Optik PDX pair, AND they were more expensive AND they didn't look as cool. Their Kaiser glasses were so problematic that I'd actually switched by to my old pair that Dr. Ezra prescribed me back in 2015.

I went in today to Kaiser to make sure that the problems I've been having were really due to my glasses and not my eyes. Thank goodness, it's just the glasses but I didn't leave there unscathed. My Kaiser optometrist recommended that I use my old Optik PDX glasses since the prescription is more accurate but to make sure that I got them refit since they were a bit loose. I handed the tech my perfectly good glasses and what I got back was a bent pair of glasses with distorted lenses! I'm absolutely devastated! I miss your expertise, Dr. Ezra, and your lack of ham-handed assistants! Please take me back! :D

R.I.P. Awesome pair of Anne et Valentin green cat-eye glasses. You will...