I have been a patient at Midwest Eye Consultants for many years, and until recently, I trusted the doctors and staff without hesitation. Unfortunately, my most recent experiences have completely eroded that trust, and I will not be returning.
Over the past several months, I had multiple appointments due to an infection in both eyes. During that time, I also experienced significant blurriness while using the prescribed medication. When I mentioned this, the doctor dismissed the possibility that the medication could be contributing, insisting it “shouldn’t cause blurriness.”
Once the infection cleared, I returned for my annual exam. I again reported ongoing blurriness and a feeling that my eyes weren’t focusing properly. The doctor told me my vision had not changed and recommended trying a different contact lens brand to improve oxygen flow. I agreed, trusting his guidance.
For the next several weeks, the blurriness persisted. I developed daily headaches, and my left eye began to ache - likely from overcompensating. I scheduled another appointment because I genuinely believed something was wrong with my eyes.
A few days before that appointment, I happened to look at the contact lens case I had been given. That’s when I discovered that one of the lenses was the wrong prescription - a weaker prescription than what I’ve worn consistently for over five years. I immediately replaced it with one of my correct lenses, and the blurriness resolved instantly.
I called the corporate office to update them - not to complain, but simply to inform the doctor before my appointment. The representative immediately confirmed that I should not have been given that prescription and that my chart clearly showed no change in vision.
At my appointment, I calmly explained everything to the technician, emphasizing that mistakes happen and that my priority was ensuring no damage had been done to my eyes. Instead of acknowledging the issue, she minimized it, saying she sometimes wears weaker prescriptions without noticing a difference. She implied the doctor “probably had a reason,” even though he had never informed me of any prescription change.
When the doctor came in, I repeated the situation and expressed my concern about any potential harm to my eyes. He claimed he intentionally gave me a lower prescription to “test” my eyes because I was “on the border,” and insisted such a small change shouldn’t have caused the symptoms I experienced. This directly contradicted what he told me at the previous appointment - that my prescription had not changed and that we were only switching lens brands.
When I asked why I wasn’t informed of this prescription change, he avoided the question entirely. He never acknowledged the mistake, never apologized, and instead reframed the situation as if my reaction was due to a new “sensitivity” rather than the result of being given the wrong lenses.
After the exam, I was immediately handed a set of brand-new contact lenses and told I was good to go. I requested documentation of this supposed “sensitivity,” my records from the past few years, and the empty contact case containing the incorrect prescription. A staff member went around the corner to speak with someone, then returned and attempted to hand me an additional set of free contacts - which is not in the norm. I declined and again asked for the empty case. She said she wasn’t sure where it was. I insisted she locate it, as I was only there for twenty minutes. After another whispered conversation out of sight, the contact was retrieved from the trash.
I was given a letter by the doctor stating that my symptoms were due to “long wear exposure,” which contradicted what he told me in the exam room, where he attributed the issue to the prescription change.
Throughout this entire process, I remained respectful. Had anyone simply acknowledged the mistake and apologize, I would not be writing this. Instead, I was gaslit, dismissed, and given conflicting explanations. The lack of transparency, accountability and basic honesty is deeply concerning.
