Sabates Eye Centers - Northland

Back in November, I suddenly experienced a retinal tear and was referred to Dr. Kwedar. I was absolutely terrified, especially since I’m deaf—I rely on reading lips and speaking—and as a middle school ELA teacher, my eyesight is everything. From my very first visit, both Dr. Kwedar and her team made me feel at ease. Their compassion and professionalism immediately stood out. She truly saved my eye through several laser treatments, and I always felt fully informed. She is honest, upfront, and takes the time to clearly explain what’s happening, what to expect, and how to prepare moving forward. I’m so grateful to say my eye is almost healed, and I’ll return for a follow-up in six months. I will forever be thankful that I was led to her. What meant the most to me was how she communicated—with respect, clarity, and kindness—never talking over me with complicated medical language, but treating me like a person. I highly recommend Dr. Kwedar and her entire team to anyone needing expert, compassionate eye care. Thank you for everything you do to keep our eyes safe and healthy!

I’m writing this to share my honest experience so others can make an informed decision when choosing an eye care provider. I was disappointed with the level of care I received from Dr. Kathleen Kwedar. I initially intended to establish ongoing care at this practice, but after my appointment, I left feeling uncertain and uneasy. The appointment felt rushed from start to finish. In particular, the retinal exam was the fastest I have ever experienced. Each eye position was examined for only 1-2 seconds before moving on. While efficiency is important in medicine, the pace of the exam made it difficult for me to feel confident that my concerns were being fully evaluated. I also felt that my symptoms were somewhat dismissed. When I explained the issues I was experiencing, it felt as though assumptions were made about my baseline health rather than fully exploring what I was describing. As someone who works in the medical field, I understand the importance of clinical judgment, but bedside manner and patient reassurance are equally important. The overall tone of the interaction felt short and dismissive, which made it hard for me to fully trust or feel comfortable with the conclusions provided. It is entirely possible that my findings are benign, and I sincerely hope that is the case. However, it is difficult to leave a medical appointment feeling uncertain about whether your concerns were thoroughly addressed. Clear communication and a sense of partnership between physician and patient are essential, especially when it comes to something as important as vision and eye health. If you value a provider who takes time to explain findings and ensures you feel heard, you may want to carefully consider whether this practice is the right fit for you. I believe patients deserve to leave appointments feeling informed, reassured, and confident in their care.

Dr. Waldman was knowledgeable and thoughtful and answered my questions thoroughly. My issue was not with him, but with the office. The office seemed understaffed, and I often waited 30–45 minutes past my scheduled appointment times to be seen. Within hours of my last eye exam, I developed significant eyelid swelling, pain, and redness in one eye. Because of the timing, I was concerned it was related to the exam. I called the office twice, first thing in the morning and again early that afternoon and was told the doctor would be notified and get back to me shortly. I never received a call back. I also sent a portal message that was never delivered because their patient portal software was not working. The next morning, I contacted another ophthalmologist at a different eye center. That office saw me immediately, prescribed two medications, and scheduled a follow-up visit to make sure the issue was resolved. A week later, Sabates Eye Center called to say they had realized Dr. Waldman had never been informed of my eye problem and that no one had responded to me. I liked Dr. Waldman, but when I needed timely help, the office was not reliable in handling my care.

My spouse has been sent here by the VA for a few years due to diabetic retinopathy to get the same procedure with this company’s ever revolving door of staff. Today the Doctor/staff he saw blatantly ignored my husband when he told them MORE than once that something was wrong and he could FEEL what they were doing. They did NOT numb his eye correctly and even after expressing his concerns that Dr. proceeded to give him a shot in his eye which he FELT and then left the room as fast as possible. He came home with an extremely inflamed bloodshot eye that watered for almost an hour nonstop. Be assured we will be filing a complaint as not ensuring safety of a patient who you know has done a procedure numerous times and who KNEW something was wrong - especially when it involves a needle in the EYE- is completely unacceptable. Subpar staff giving subpar care to VA patients

U will never find staff nurses doctors as the women there one eye totally blind other started going too at 67 very active though ift was over now don't spell well last visit I was 2weeks late got worried did know for sure if make myself go but I did to get injection this nurse was good all them are but when doctor Mrs Chester walk in so happy full life I became relaxed and grateful that I got great 😃 doctor get anxiety attacks real bad but I walked out feeling in like million dollars thank you all iam very contsfosble with all the staff your eyes are so very in important thank you all one better then none make good country song 😂😆 see my good sttuide back Buddy aka billykidd see ya in April 8t21h 2026 1:10