Dr. Hwang is an excellent surgeon. I had two cataract surgeries with him. He is part of an organization that provides free eye care overseas. I can't say enough good about Dr. Hwang and his office. Dr. Nguyen and Dr. Ong are outstanding optometrists in the practice. The front desk is very efficient and pleasant. The assistants who first screen you at your appointment are kind and knowledgeable. Wait time for OD care is short. Highly recommended! read more

Dr. Hwang has been my Opthamologist for many years. He is an excellent doctor, takes his time examining my eyes, answers any questions I may have, and very kind. read more

Dr. Hwang is humorous and easy going. I have cataract surgery for both eyes and eye lid surgery by Dr. Hwang. I am very satisfied with the outcomes. His team in the office and surgical room are friendly and helpful. read more

I have been a patient of Dr Hwang for over 20 years. Although I have waited extended periods of time, Dr Hwang is more than worth the wait. Initially, he did surgeries because of malignancy (squamous cell) growth in my lower eyelid. I just had bilateral cataract surgery and wouldn't have gone anywhere else. Office personnel are very kind, competent and nurses are outstanding. read more

Dr. Hwang is great when you finally get to see him! I've seen him twice in the last while and waited over an HOUR each time. His office is extremely badly run! This time I finally walked out and complained and everyone who was waiting was very fed up! read more

As others have said, he's great when you can see him as his is mostly late for his appointments. Being on time is one of the traits I want to see in a provider. I heard folks waiting more than 2 hours often. I realize there are emergencies but doing it on a regular basis is not acceptable. read more

I suffered an accident that left me with a significant orbital fracture. Apparently, my injury required me to be seen by a sub-specialist. This was concerning at first, because the plastic surgeon who was the first to see me after my ER visit, didn't even know who, in a 100 mile radius, could fix me. Not confidence inspiring! After calling in some favors, it was suggested I call Dr Hwang, who specializes in Oculoplastic surgery. Yeah, not too many of these doctors around. During my first call to his office, I explained my predicament and the nice woman quickly offered to have me seen the same day. Due to the distance between home and Dr Hwangs office, I could not get there that day. I was offered an appointment the following day. Upon arrival, I received a very thorough examination by two different people. One was some type of assistant and the other appeared to be an eye doctor of sorts. Lastly, I was seen by Dr Hwang. Most importantly, Dr. Hwang was confident he could solve my problem. He instilled an instant sense of relief in me. Which, was much appreciated after several days of wondering what I was in for. He explained the injury and why it happened. He even gave me a lesson in the evolution that led to the broken bone and not the loss of my sight. I underwent surgery two weeks later. His surgical staff was fantastic. They listened to my concerns and fears. I was treated in a manner that helped relax me and allay my fears. Dr. Hwang was a rockstar during the surgery, which I stayed awake for. He seemed genuinely concerned for my well being and positive outcome after surgery. He and his staff worked with my hectic travel schedule and need to spend the night in a hotel after the surgery so I could be seen the next day. During my treatment, I visited the Walnut Creek and San Ramon offices along with the Antioch surgery center. All the offices were busy, with social distancing and mask usage enforced. The three offices also had noticeable air purification units in the common areas. I heard from his staff, Dr Hwang is related to an infectious disease doctor. That led me to believe Dr Hwang had some of the latest and most accurate information about the spread of covid-19. In the end, after suffering a pretty frightening injury, Dr Hwang and his staff were A-list folks who had the medical knowledge, EXPERIENCE and empathy to get my family and I through this. I consider myself blessed to have access to doctors like Ivan Hwang. read more

I felt like my call didn't matter. I called the office at 10:05 in the morning only to be placed on hold. I sat on hold for 5 minutes and when the receptionist came on the line....I asked one question: Is Dr. Ivan Hwang a Plastic Surgeon? Rather than state yes or no, she placed me on hold while I waited for a yes or no answer. I cannot bring myself to do business with this kind of treatment. I am still on hold and it has been another 5 minutes so I am hanging up. Terrible patient care in my opinion. read more

This was my fifth time coming for annual eye exam This was my second time I was seen but not heard by Dr Ivan Hwang I found him to be very condescending and rude I am not certain if that is due to the fact of being a senior female The exam itself was not thorough and my concerns and questions were mostly ignored When finished with his "exam" he spent more time talking to his assistance as if I were not present When I questioned some of his responses, he answered with his back to me and gave no additional information to my concerns Most of his time was spent conversing with his assistant regarding her future education and career choices It would be encouraging to know someone addresses his patient skills and concerns There will not be a third visit to this provider read more

He is an excellent ophthalmologist, a smart and funny guy but I refuse to wait for almost 2 hours to see him for each appointment. Not worth it. He needs help with his scheduling. read more

This doctor is extremely unethical, overbooks his office, and then either makes people wait for hours or, in my case, turns them away (because I was 3 minutes late for an appointment). When I explained that I had trouble finding this hidden office and had to wait for an extremely slow elevator because I couldn't walk all those stairs with a disabled leg, they could care less. I waited months for this appointment and looking around at this way overcrowded, dank, stuffy office full of people who looked extremely miserable waiting for hours, I consider myself lucky to be turned away. This obviously is not a professional doctor or establishment and how can you trust something as important as your vision to someone who treats patients like cattle like this? I've never been treated like this by any other doctor in my life. He obviously is just in it for the money. Stay far far away from him. read more

The purpose of this review is to let others know of my experience with this so called Dr. & also let him realize that people have options & need to be treated with respect. Unfortunately, I met this person today on an emergency basis, ( he was covering for my regular Ophtomologist. ) He is a disgrace to his profession & should not be treating patients. He is extremely rude, arrogant, condescending & unprofessional. This has been a very unpleasant & disappointing experience. I agree with the other reviews, he has a social problem & unfortunately, they did not teach him compassion & empathy in medical school. Do not go to this ophthalmologist. read more

Don't waste your time. Made an appointment to see Dr Hwang about a chalazion that was not responding to hot compresses and massage after a month. After waiting 75 minutes after my appointment time to see him he poked at my eyelid with a cotton swab and gave me a handout with info I'd already seen on webmd and said to try hot compresses and massage. I explained i had tried that for the past month and it was not working and the chalazion was now making my vision blurry and it was impacting my life. I was told again to use hot compresses and massage. Either this doctor is deaf, has no desire to treat people with eye problems or just wanted to get home at the end of the day. I can't wait to see how much I get charged for literally 5 minutes of his time with a cotton swab. I feel bad for the office staff who are all very nice. I'm off to find a new doctor who will actually help me and LISTENS to patients. read more

This office is in suite 201, upstairs at 301 Lennon Lane, which is off the YVR in the Shadelands area. We were referred to Dr. Hwang by FaveRel's PCP in Walnut Creek, because she requires an annual visit for something discovered a couple years ago. We've been to this office about 3 times. It is an Ophthalmology office, which is different from an Optometrist or Opticians place. The main difference is that Ophthalmologists are M.D.s, not O.D.s (Optometrists), and are trained to perform surgery, with a few more years of education, training and residency requirements than an Optometrist, although for eye diseases and examinations, there is overlap in many patient services. Opticians fit the prescriptions for visual aids (i.e. spectacles) that come from M.D.s and O.D.s. Dr Hwang works this office, but also a couple of others farther east in CoCo County, like Brentwood and Antioch. 2 other doctors share the work load at this office, namely Dr. Feiz, and Dr. Shah. This office is usually busy and I have never been here where we didn't have to wait awhile. But this is understandable because there is a process, depending on why you are here. So prepare for a 45 minute process from start to finish. First the desk checks you in and gets your Co-Pay, later an assistant does the intake interview, and depending on that, you may then talk to another person (not sure if they are an O.D., Paraoptometrist or other licensed eye care professional) who does some basic eye exam things, perhaps checking for Visual Acuity, contrast sensitivity, etc. Then prior to the M.D's turn, dilation of your pupils needs to set-in, so you wait for this, and when ready, then you are put into an exam room. Usually the exam itself is fairly quick. The last time we came was on a Saturday, which is great if you have a busy schedule yourself. Dr. Hwang wasn't there that time, but in the previous 2 exams, he was very efficient and had a good succinct manner with a nice feel. I think he studied at University of California, and also at the University of Utah. Not sure about his residency, but you can probably look it up. Not sure about all the insurance plans they take, but they do take Blue Shield HMO. I am switching to Aetna soon, so I will have to see if they are on the Aetna PPO plan. FaveRel came out 20/20 with no indications of other issues. Good news. read more

I brought my elderly relative in for a follow-up to her surgery. The office called a few hours before our scheduled appointment and requested we come in 45 minutes earlier. When we arrived at the building, we were dismayed to find the elevator not working ... a detail you'd think the office staff would have thought to mention to a 92-yo patient who has mobility issues! When we finally arrived at the waiting room, every single seat was filled with NO social distancing in place during Covid-19! My relative wasn't seen until her previously scheduled time, and then waited endlessly for a series of sessions with staffers before having to move to yet another room to see the very important Dr. Hwang himself. No one ever apologized for the wait. The doctor was totally obnoxious, directing his comments to me rather than to his patient before telling her, "My advice is: Don't get old!" The office is very badly managed and he is a jerk. My advice is: Find another ophthalmologist, stat (which is what we're doing)! read more

What a wonderful office to visit! Everyone is so pleasant. The exam was very thorough and I was promptly referred to a specialist for further evaluation. I will be returning to this Doctor. He is professional with a sense of humor and true empathy for his patients, as does the rest of the staff. Highly recommend this Practice! read more

I found Dr. Hwang professional and accomodating. Questions were answered in a way that I completely understood. The testing was thorough, his staff, in the San Ramon office, were friendly and professional as well. His assistant Stephanie took enough time in adjusting my glasses to fit in a way that I felt as if I wasn't wearing them. read more

I first saw Dr Hwang in 2007, I had what my dermatologist thought was a melanoma on my lower eyelid, because it would require the skill of a plastic surgeon that is also an ophthalmologist he referred me to Dr Hwang. When the front office was scheduling the surgery date I asked if he could also "fix" my hooded upper eyelids and eliminate my under eye bags at the same, he did. Dr Hwang's surgical skills are fantastic. read more

I checked in with the front office 10 minutes early and was seen 40 minutes later. The new assistant was very friendly and helpful. She wrote down all my reasons & concerns for my visit. Once she was done I then had to go out and wait again for the doctor. When he walked in he barley greeted me and began to review the notes. He began to lecture the assistant in a demeaning manor. He told her he doesn't have 3 hours to be reading notes and that everything she list WAS NOT important.When I stepped in to let him know that my concerns were all important he cut me off to tell me I needed to wait till he was done with her. He was a complete ass with ABSOLUTELY no bedside manor. He was not only inappropriate & demeaning to his staff (assistant) but also myself, the patient. I would run the other way if anyone recommends his office ( Walnut Creek, Antioch, Brentwood). read more

I am so indebted to Dr. Hwang. He came on a cold holiday evening to John Muir ER for my strange eye issue~~ spent long hours with me and the CAT scan results, booked me into his surgery the following week, and has spent time and energy since then trying to resolve my problem (a mass behind one eye). He IS eccentric, but my brilliant friends are! And I love his staff as well. He volunteers every year to help out at a clinic in Africa (and has been instrumental in setting up this clinic) . Good professionals know other good people in the field, and he is currently working hard to get an appointment with another guru at UCSF. He said, and I absolutely believe him, that he wants the best treatment for me. Wow! read more

Have seen Dr. Hwang several times now for severe dry eyes. He is knowledgeable, pleasant, never in a rush, and has good staff. Very pleased with the experience and he is available on Saturday !! read more

My experience with Dr. Hwang was pretty poor. I used him for entropic surgery. I found him to be arrogant to the point of rudeness. He will not answer questions - and seems offended that anybody would question him. His surgery seemed to correct the entropism, but left me still without proper tearing. I went to see him to correct the tearing problem, I waited in his office for nearly an hour and still had two people ahead of me and no forecast of how much longer i would have to wait. Running out of time, I left with no solution other than to seek a more competent doctor. The good thing I will say is that his office administrator is as helpful as she can be. read more

In September, 2019 following cataract surgery, I had an appointment with Dr. Hwang at 9:00 AM. Several days before I received a call from his office asking if I could come in on the same day at 7:00 AM to accommodate Dr. Hwang, who was opening a new office in San Ramon and needed to leave early. I agreed gladly. I arrived on time. The waiting room was packed. At 8:00 AM having not been seen yet, I was told by the front desk that I would be seen shortly even though I offered to reschedule. I was not seen until 9:30 AM - a half hour after my original appointment. I asked for an apology for the cavalier manner in which I was treated. My time apparently is worthless I received an "I'm sorry" under his breath without eye contact. How can anyone treat a patient so shabbily especially since I came in two hours early to help him? I have a cataract in my other eye, but I will NEVER see Dr. Hwang again! read more

This Doctor opporated on my grandfather for a lower eyelid entropian precedure. Three to 4 days later i think a suture in the corner of his eye came loose and the eyelid cam away from his eye and now has a 1/4 inch gap that will fill up with a scare. My grandfather went back with a follow up and the doctor pushed his next visit to a month away and said nothing about the gaping whole on his outside corner of his eye and that is ectropian condition is obviously worst. I understand complications; but to be a pig headed arrogant pompous ... to not fix the issue and get another damn suture back in so it doesn't scar up? woah.. just woah... no stars..... no stars.... do not go to this hack. read more

I went to see Dr. Hwang because I was having symptoms of a detached retina. His office is in a beautiful setting - lots of trees and birds, plenty of parking. I was seen by three different professionals who measured the pressure in my eyes, tested my vision and gave me a prescription, etc. Dr. Hwang examined my eyes very thoroughly even though I was the last patient of the day. He was extremely polite and gentle with me. He was everything I was looking for in an eye doctor. He did not see evidence of a detached retina, but he sent me to a specialist to be sure. The specialist also did not see it, but he said my eyes are undergoing an age-related change. Both doctors are going to follow up to be sure everything goes well. (Dr. Hwang is also a plastic surgeon.) I'm very glad I saw Dr. Hwang. I am no longer worried about my eyes. He was very professional and took his time with me. Everybody in his office was very caring and polite. Although Walnut Creek is a bit far for me, I take the backroads and drive through Redwood Park to get there - so it is a treat. It is worth the drive to see such a wonderful doctor. read more

If you are in need of an ophthalmologist do not go to this doctor!!! He is rude and arrogant. He is only in it for the money. He treats his staff like a crap!!!! He is mean to his patients and has a horrible bedside manor.Dr. Hwang is socially awkward, and doesn't know how to hold a conversation, or relate with the patients. I understand some doctors are very educated with their specialty but he has absolutely no common sense. Your not able to ask questions because he gets very defensive and then makes you fell like your the idiot for asking the question. The reason why patients go to the doctors is because they want there answers to there questions, and for some odd reason he hasn't figured that out yet!!! It's like speaking to a brick wall. He calls him self stupid in front of the patients which is quite embarrassing if you ask me. Don't be surprised when you go for your monthly check ups because you will always see new employees. He can't keep his employees and it's only because he doesn't care. He has a carless attitude when it comes to caring for his patients. Nobody wants to work for a physician who treats them like shit!!! If your insurance forces you to come to this office, do not see this guy. You will be very disappointment and if you ask me the guy needs to retire. Please see Dr. Feiz or Dr. Shah. These doctors are amazing!!! They are both very educated in what they do. They are helpful and caring when it comes to patient care. They will listen and treat you with the care you need. Trust me!!! read more