Evergreen Eye Center

I was referred to the Seattle office of Evergreen Eye Center by my regular eye doctor for cataract surgery with assurances that Dr. Whitehead was "one of the best in town". I had read other reviews that were pretty negative, from long wait times to rude staff, poor work, and condescending attitude. Now, at nearly a month post-op from both of my cataract surgeries with Dr. Whitehead, I am happy to say my experience was nothing but exceptional. Everyone--from reception, to office staff, to techs, to nurses, and Dr. Whitehead himself, proved to be wonderfully skilled and respectful. The practice and operating room run like a well-oiled machine without being impersonal. I never had a wait time longer than ten minutes, and more than once I was walking out the door just five minutes after my appointment time. So consider this a hearty and heartfelt endorsement of Evergreen Eye Center and Dr. Whitehead. I am now back to 20/20 vision, no complications at all, and ready to dive back into life. Thank you, Dr. Whitehead and staff!

Dr Whitehead is an excellent provider. My cataract surgery 3 years ago was extremely successful thanks to Dr Whiteheads expertise. He now is my exclusive Opthalmology provider. He explains things very well and I’ve experienced few surprises due to this skill. I wholeheartedly recommend him.

Great staff. Did excellent job in preparation for my procedure on July 28. Friendly and competent. Dr. Whitehead's work is still to be determined, but so far, so good. Lots of discomfort following surgery but feeling much better today. Looking forward to next week's checkup.

I have been very happy with Evergreen Eye Center. I have been able to schedule appointments without waiting months for the next available appointment. I was very pleased with my visit with Dr. Whitehead. He very clearly explained the combined cataract/glaucoma surgery I needed. I was able to easily schedule my pre-op visit. The staff is always very pleasant to deal with.

Unfortunately, I was not happy with my experience. When I arrived for my 1:30 appointment, it was confusing from the start. There appeared to be two different check-in areas—one at the main reception desk and another in a small office off the reception area—with no clear direction about where patients were supposed to go. My appointment was at 1:30, but I wasn’t seen until approximately 2:30. During that entire hour, no one communicated that the office was running behind or provided any update. The front reception staff seemed more focused on clocking out and leaving than checking on patients who had been waiting. When I was finally called, the nurse or assistant took me back to the same small office where I had checked in to perform my pre-op procedures and take my vitals. At that point, I honestly found myself wondering, “Am I in the right place?” The entire process felt awkward, disorganized, and unprofessional. Afterward, I was ushered into another room to wait for the doctor. I was sitting with several other patients, some of whom appeared to have just completed eye procedures while others seemed to be waiting for theirs. Again, the setup felt strange and impersonal. When it was finally my turn, I was quickly seated, and the doctor essentially told me to move my head forward and that it wouldn’t hurt. His bedside manner came across like a “cold handshake”—very little warmth, explanation, or effort to make me feel comfortable. The actual procedure took less than five minutes. Bottom line: the entire experience felt more like patients were being herded in and out of procedures than receiving individualized medical care. Had I known beforehand that this was how the office operated, I would have chosen a different ophthalmologist. For something involving my eyes, I expected a much higher level of organization, communication, professionalism, and patient care.