This review is for a visit to the San Diego Eye & Laser Center. The visit was purely to visit the doctor, be looked at and enquire about cataract surgery.
DIRECTIONS
Having never been to the office or any Sharp medical facility, I found it a little tricky to find, so I've provided detailed directions and photos in the hopes others find it helpful. I found that entering the address in Googlemaps showed the wrong building, (apparently a former location, according to staff?) so it was confusing and when I called, staff weren't very helpful.
PAID PARKING
After entering off Frost St through the ACE Parking kiosk, take a ticket and park. (There's also an entrance off Berger Ave). Parking is free for up to 30 mins and a $4 flat fee after that. Credit cards only, cash not accepted. We were quite surprised that we had to pay parking as nobody at the office had mentioned that on the phone.
Parking is an uncovered open parking lot (not in a structure). Spaces are somewhat tight, but ok. There were a lot of cars coming and going and a line upon exit where people had to fiddle about and pay. A more efficient option would be if pre-pay machines were provided where you could pay for your parking before exiting and then you could put your pre-paid ticket in the machine and swiftly exit instead of waiting in a traffic back-up.
FIND YOUR WAY TO THE FIFTH FLOOR
From the parking lot, we found our way to building 8010 (There are two large buildings served by the same parking lot). You'll see a coffee/food kiosk outside the building. Enter the lobby through the double glass doors and use one of the elevators to go up to the 5th floor. You'll see two grey double doors off to the left, which is suite 510 for the San Diego Eye & Laser Center.
The office itself is modern with a somewhat densely furnished waiting room, check-in desk and an optical area offering high-end selections such as Tiffany and Ray Ban. The optical desk was not staffed.
There is a large flat screen TV on one wall which was loudly playing a movie. I noticed people would sit under the TV and then move away as it was too loud. A zen-like video playing relaxing music instead of a 'shoot 'em up' movie would have been far more relaxing.
Gender separated restrooms are down the hallway around the corner.
My elderly mother thought the doctor was pleasant, although did not leave clearly knowing whether a cataract surgery was absolutely necessary or how much it would be and is not sure if she will go with them for a surgery. If left to her own devices, finding the office would have been difficult.
The day before the appointment, I called several times, trying to speak to someone with questions, but was put on hold every time for several minutes, so I finally gave up. Not sure why it's so hard to get through. I thought the staff were not that polished.
These are the general directions we took to get to the San Diego Eye & Laser Center at 8010 Frost St, Suite 510:
Coming from inland north county, I exited Balboa off I-163. Once on Kearney Villa Rd , it became Mesa College Drive. I turned left onto Health Center Drive, left on Frost St and left into the parking lot where you see an ACE Parking kiosk. There is also an entrance off Berger Ave. The general area of Sharp buildings is quite tight and congested.
