I’m really disappointed with my experiences here. From my very first visit with Dr. Pakzad, I left feeling worse than when I came in. Instead of feeling supported, I felt judged and embarrassed about the condition of my eyes. She told me she did not feel comfortable prescribing contact lenses, but did very little to explain why or what I could do to improve the dryness until I started asking several follow-up questions myself. I should not have to pull basic care recommendations out of my doctor. I’ve now been here 2–3 times, and the office setup itself is also very uncomfortable. The lobby, receptionist desk, and pre-testing area are all in one very small shared space, which makes it feel like private health information can easily be overheard by other patients. For a healthcare office, that lack of privacy feels inappropriate. Every time I’ve had questions about insurance, the receptionist has been very standoffish and quick to dismiss the issue by saying I need to call my insurance myself. What has been especially frustrating is that when I try to explain the issue from my side, I’m often immediately told that what I’m saying is “inaccurate” rather than anyone taking the time to sit down, look into the problem, and help figure out where the misunderstanding is. The conversations tend to feel defensive and dismissive instead of patient-centered. Overall, I have consistently felt dismissed instead of cared for. Between the lack of empathy, poor communication, privacy concerns, and the tendency to tell patients they are wrong before fully hearing them out, this has not been a positive experience.
