Amazing staff. Amazing service. Don't believe anything negative, these people are saints. 11/10 would take my dogs here again. If you'll kindly notice, this place only gets 2 kinds of reviews. 5 star by normal people, and 1 star by screachy ass Karens and Kens who can't even articulate their complaint despite them hen pecking at a keyboard for 45 min straight. We love you guys! read more

My French bulldog has many specialists , but Dr. Schmidt and her team and those I had contact with Nicole and Krissy have been exceedingly outstanding !!! I feel like they are angels for being in the area and healing our loved one's eye issues. I called one day and was told they were booked out till march (this was early December) , but I got squeezed in the next day. Thankfully , she noticed he had a non healing ulcer. 5 eye medications later and he's progressing on to the right path after a week.. and fully healed in 4 weeks. I can't thank them enough for the great care, the education Dr Schmidt and Nicole gave on procedures and eye drops , and the great compassion they have for an already overwhelming situation for me. I called several times panicking on how to give my dog his eye drops at home , bc he was so stubborn. I'm so thankful for this gem of an office. You saved my little one's eyes. Very knowledgeable , and compassionate ! read more

Kristiane S Schmidt, DVM - His eyes at 4 weeks !!! My child is no longer in pain - Veterinarians Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

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Dr. Schmidt saved my Giant Schnauzer's life by restoring her vision! I would and have recommended her service to anyone that has a dog with eye troubles, she is amazing! Thank you for everything you did for Sophie! read more

Be cautious of Veterinary Ophthalmology Services, Inc., Kristiane S. Schmidt, DVM, Diplomate and their use of "Traveling Ophthalmology Specialist; more specifically Dr. Rick Lanuza. After being referred to them, by Nipomo Dog and Cat, for a more detailed eye exam of my 9-year-old Assie/Boarder mix, December 2024, I was left with a 15-minute exam, phone call in my car diagnosis, and a bill for $559.00. Exam $245, Services $209, medication $115. Diagnosis "nyctalopia" (refers to nigh blindness or difficulty of the eye in visualizing under dim or at night; daytime vision, however, is unimpaired) based on her age and breed after a cotton ball test in a lighted room and a dark room. Dr. Lanuza prescribed eye vitamins and drops for dry eye with follow-up in six months. His diagnosis is not covered under my Nationwide policy due to her breed. I did not agree with the diagnosis and provided her medical history of an event which was the reason of the exam. She was 4 years old, rushed to Emergency not breathing, intubated, stabilized and spent 6 days in ICU. She was unable to see for several days and the follow-up exam upon release by Dr. Alicia Stamp indicated limited vision (all this in her medical records provided). She recovered but her vision was altered greatly both peripheral and perception. She is startled when you approach her from the side, and she can't judge distance when jumping onto things. The exam involved staff coming to my car for her, returning her after the exam and a phone call from Dr. Lanuza. No one was allowed in the facility, they advised they were still under Covid protocols. Dr Lanuza has failed to return my calls, staff advised his position is that his diagnosis is based on results of exam, breed, and her age. I was told he works at the facility on Fridays, however, on two Fridays I went to the facility (still not allowed in) he was not there. Based on a second opinion, due to her lack of oxygen to the brain, she likely has damaged retinas which has affected her vision in the way I've described. Dr. Schmidt has been in the AG community for many years and built a quality repretation; however, I'd be cautious of veterinary services being offered by "Traveling Veterinary". They do not know the area veterinarians who refer to established facility, nor the pets in our community. read more

My American Bulldog started squinting, so I took her into work to see my Dr [I'm a vet tech], my Dr referred me to Dr. Schmidt. I booked an appointment some weeks out, but was on the wait list and I was able to get in earlier when an appointment cancelled. Dr. Schmidt performed an eye procedure [grid keratotomy] on my big lady while she was there to fix her non-healing eye ulcer. Worlds largest e-collar, 5 eye meds, and 2 weeks later her eye was completely healed. They sent me home with discharge instructions, and sent the records to my vet the same day. So lucky to have this talented ophthalmologist on the Central Coast! read more

Kristiane S Schmidt, DVM - Veterinarians Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

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Dr Schmidt is a very caring professional that has always taken the time to explain diagnoses to me and answer any questions I or my husband have. She is very caring, considerate and knowledgeable. read more

Won't be back. Can't stand sending my dog in without me! Very impersonal! Very unprofessional.

Hank has his eye taken care of by dr schmidt he recovered beautifuly they did a fantastic job i am very thankful so today he had his recovery photo session. Thank you Dr schmidt and staff Madeleine Vite read more

Kristiane S Schmidt, DVM - Hank vite eye recovery photo. - Veterinarians Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

The best, most caring person in the world. Kindness is hard to find, and she has a heart of gold. My Sadie got the best care. I am grateful for her knowledge and her awesome staff. read more

Our latest visit to this office has provided evidence of a very low level of "customer service". We had an appointment scheduled for 7/11/2019, which we cancelled by leaving a message on their voice mail. Today, when we went in for an exam, we were charged $80 for a "no show" for that 2019 appointment. They should have billed us for the no-show fee at that time, when we could provided evidence of calling back to cancel. They stand by a note in their file from almost 2 years ago that they attempted to contact us about the appointment. However, they apparently never followed through on the voice mail that we left to cancel - the only way to typically get in contact with the office. We've been patients with several dogs for many years, but today is the last visit and there will be no further recommendations to our many dog-owning friends. Adding a followup to this. I can see why Alex gets multiple, extremely negative reviews. He had the gall to call my wife, berate her, complain that I was condescending to their non-customer-centric staff, accuse her (unjustifiably) of multiple no-shows, and inform her that they were dropping us as patients. Good riddance. read more

How is it that Alex who claims to be a psychologist has such bad manners that at least thee reported reviews give specifics about the way in which he mistreats clients? He gives lengthy response to defend himself and it's always justifiable according to him. Alex, if you're a psychologist who can evaluate people just by listening in on a telephone conversation, then why don't you know how to treat us with the same respect that you expect of us toward your staff? Yelling at people, making up lies, and calling people rude is so unprofessional . Where did you earn your PhD? I believe that fraud is a crime Your staff is rude and incompetent, but loyalty to you is of utmost importance apparently. Maybe fix the problems you have and see if people won't report such horrible experiences with you. read more

Wonderful!! After 5 weeks, 3 visits to the general vet, multiple medications, and no improvement in our dogs eye, we made an appointment with Dr. Schmidt. The staff was extremely friendly, competent, and informative. Dr. Schmidt spent plenty of time discussing her diagnosis and going over her treatment recommendations. Within 2 days his eye showed dramatic improvement! I am so grateful for her knowledge and for her friendly staff! Thank you! read more

Kristiane S Schmidt, DVM - Veterinarians Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

We live in Santa Barbara and after receiving a very large quote for some minor eye surgery for our Basset I decided to call around. I quickly came to realize that there are not many K-9 eye specialist so my search lead me to Arroyo Grande and Kristiane Schmidt. Dr Schmidt was extremely thorough on the initial consolation, and when she confirmed that surgery was the recommended path she gave us the standard quote which was less than half of what we were quoted in Santa Barbara. Doctor Schmidt gets 5 stars from me because of the combination of exceptional care, and fair/value minded pricing. It is rare now-a -days when you get both value and quality and that should be commended. read more

Our 13 1/2 yr old Golden Retriever (Chula) had a ulcerated cornea & needed surgery. We were worried because of her age about any surgeries. From the start Alex, who came & took, was so caring & so kind & loving to Chula. After 2 long weeks of wearing the "Cone" her check up was great. She healed amazingly well. When Alex came to get her she went willingly with him which is a good sign how loving they were to her. We would highly recommend Dr. Schmidt & her staff for any of your pets eye needs. Karen & Mike Baird read more

My dog has been a patient of Dr Schmidt for years. She's great and kept my cocker seeing for the rest of his life. Yes, sometimes you have to wait, but it's because she takes her time, which you appreciate when it's your turn. I've always found her staff to be very helpful. read more

staff is very unfriendly! Dr is very unfriendly. The vet never sent her recommendations to our regular vet .very poor not to have ANY notes of our visit! read more

We took our small white dog, on our Vet's recommendation to see Dr. Schmidt. The first two visits went very well and we were pleased with both the Dr. and the staff. On the third visit the office was overwhelmed and not functioning very well. We waited in 100 degree heat outside for a long time. I offered to leave and they threatened to charge me. I said, still leaving. They then came and got my dog. While Dr. Schmidt was wonderful the office staff became rude and nasty to us. (we drove 100 miles each way). When I left I called my vet and told her I was going to write a letter which she thought was a good idea. 4 days later I got a nasty and somewhat threatening phone call from the office manager who acted like a crazy bully. I finally said, seems like this office is not a good fit for us and at that point he told me never to come back. Like I said, good dr. but you have to be prepared for a rude and nasty staff. I understand that they are shorthanded and overwhelmed due to covid. However, all they had to say was, we are running very late, have lunch down the street and we will call you when to come back. We are both Sr. citizens and have never in 52 years of having dogs been treated as rudely or as nastily. The office manger also called my primary vet and told her to fire me...when she refused he hung up on her. We all have choices. read more

My dog and I had a VERY positive experience with Dr. Schmidt and her wonderful staff. Truly, Dr. Schmidt is an extraordinary vet ophthalmologist. I traveled 90 minutes to see her, and she is worth the trip! She picked up on nuances and details in my dog's eyes, explained everything thoroughly yet understandably, and was extremely kind and friendly. I would also like to thank her kind staff who went out of their way to help me--Annette, Rebecca, Alex and the others. Please keep in mind that because Dr.Schmidt is SO good, she is very much in demand and it is a very busy practice. But she also takes whatever time is needed for her patients. So please be patient if things get busy in the office. Staff has always been extremely kind to me and have always gone the extra mile to help. I can't say enough good about the doctor, her practice, and her staff! To all of them, I heartily thank you for your many kindnesses! read more

Over the weekend, my 12-year-old basset hound's eye suddenly turned cloudy. On Monday, I took her (Lucy) to the vet, who said her eye had primary glaucoma and should be immediately removed. In short, the glaucoma was causing high pressure in the eye and, probably, bad headaches for Lucy. The vet explained that glaucoma eye drops were available, but he said the drops were expensive and unlikely to work well enough to control the problem. Needless to say, I was distraught. Eye removal surgery felt like I'd be removing a part of my sweet dog's soul. Luckily, my vet also told me that Dr. Schmidt works in the area. Dr. Schmidt has a very long wait for appointments (about two months), but my vet advocated on our behalf, and Dr. Schmidt and her staff went out of their way to squeeze us in for an emergency appointment. By the time we left her office 2.5 hours later, the pressure in Lucy's eye was within a normal range, and there was no eye removal surgery on the horizon. What a relief and blessing. Dr. Schmidt is going to keep a close watch on Lucy, and she prescribed drops that will hopefully delay loss of vision in her healthy eye. The drops are a little expensive, but Dr. Schmidt and her staff explained more affordable alternatives, like getting the prescriptions filled at Costco. Everyone I met was compassionate and provided us with the highest quality of care. read more

My dog had a terrible ulcer on his eye that ruptured, and Dr. Schmidt saw him on an emergency basis, and gave him extraordinary care. There are very few veterinary opthalmologists, and we are lucky to have her in the area. Even though it was a very long drive for me to take him to her, I am very happy I did. She and her staff are stand outs, and if you have to take your dog to them, you will be very happy with their service. My dog became blind because of his problems, and the office provided me with a book on blind dogs, and recommended www.blinddogs.com as a resource on the internet for more information. In a lot of ways, dogs deal with blindness better than we do. read more

My local vet recommended this ophthalmologist for my 3 year old Corgi. My husband and I first tried to take our dog to the Pet ER in the middle of the night. The problem was that his inside eyelid was horribly inflamed. The lady at the ER gave us drops to help his eye but nothing seemed to work. We then took him to our local vet and she knew what the problem was. The issue is called a 'cheery eye', which means the eyelid had flipped out and needed to be sewn back in. She recommended Dr Schmidt and explained to us her success rate for fixing the problem. All of the staff at Dr Schmidt's office are very friendly. I felt so comfortable talking with them as well as leaving our dog with them to perform surgery. They are very accommodating as well. Our dog has an issue with other dogs, so they took our dog in a back side door to avoid any issues with barking. The staff was wonderful with dogs as well, I was actually very surprised at how easily they handled our dog. While most vets need to put a muzzle on him to look at his face to be safe, they seemed to do a fantastic job with just holding him in place. The surgery went well and its been three weeks since the procedure. Although their are quite a few medications and drops he had to be on and still needs to take, it seemed to heal up very fast. Although it is pricey to take a dog here, it was worth it to have my puppy taken care of! I am very thankful for this office! A++! read more

Dr. Schmidt saved my pug's vision. She's worth every penny. Little Hugo already only had one working eye (his other eye was injured when he was 2 weeks old and never recovered), and we were horrified when he woke up 2 days before Christmas totally blind in his remaining eye. He bumped into walls and furniture, then just froze in a corner, shivering with fear. His eye was milky and clouded over. We rushed him to our vet, but she immediately referred us to Dr. Schmidt. Dr. Schmidt saw us that morning and found a corneal ulcer that, left untreated, would result in losing the eye. She prescribed nine different medications and took the time to explain what each one did. Hugo rapidly got better, returning to his happy pug self. A month later the ulcer is gone and he sees just fine. read more

We have a Shih Tzu that was bit by a larger dog at 7 months old on the face. This caused both of her eyes to pop out and we had to have an emergency vet put them back in right away. The worst part was we were moving to Cali the next day. After arriving in Cali we took her to a vet to be checked up on and they recommended Dr. Schmidt because of how bad her injury was. She was unable to save the one eye but did an awesome job at caring for our pup and understanding how hard it was for us. It has been one year since the accident and our pup is doing well. She is always excited for her visits to see Dr. Schmidt and you would never know that she only has one eye. It is expensive to see a specialist, just as it is for human specialists but it is worth it to knwo your animal is getting the right care. read more

Dr. Schmidt is a wonderful, kind, and very knowledgeable opthamologist. I learned about her services after adopting a pug from rescue and who, unbeknownst to me, had serious vision issues. She has put Violet on a eye regiment to preserve what little sight she does have left. Dr. Schmidt also helped save my other pug's eye (Louise) after she got poor care (neglect) from 3-day stay at a local animal hospital. All in all, we are wonderfully pleased with Dr. Schmidt and her whole staff. read more

Kristiane S Schmidt, DVM - Veterinarians Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

Dr. Schmidt and her entire office are wonderful! My pug had an eye ucler caused by eye drops another vet had prescribed. Dr. Schmidt gave us an intense but sucessful alternative to eye surgery. I have a happy and healthy pug! PS I drove from San Francisco at the time to see her!! Well worth it! read more

The area is ripe for an alternative opthamologist. We go out of the area (3 hour drive) because we find the experiences so distasteful. Received the same line as others about an emergency *every* single appt. Yes, 100% of the time. Excessive re-checks (each with hours long delay) for simple ointment. Every 3 months. Even my human doctor doesn't require such frequency for simple dry eye. Each time $140. No new information. Forcing the use of custom mixed ointments to require the customer to return vs. using existing formularies that are available and just as effective at either less or greater strength. Extremely uncooperative and unempathetic office staff and environment. Very uncomfortable situation for pets to wait for extremely long periods of time. read more

We LOVE Dr. Schmidt. I'm not sure where these other bad reviews have come from, but every single experience we have had with her has exceeded our expectations. Our dog was diagnosed with non healing corneal ulcers and we were referred to her from out of town, for further treatment. We were told he would most likely have to have surgery on both eyes. With proper treatment, we went back 6 weeks later and he was healed and did not have to have the surgery. Her staff is absolutely amazing and it is evident how much they love animals. Also need to mention the fact that she was extremely thorough, we never felt rushed or pressured to do anything. On our first visit, they spent a couple of hours with us answering every question we had. Can't say enough good things about her. Thank you Dr. Schmidt and staff! read more

My husband and I had a ten month old puppy that was diagnosed with dual juvenile cataracts. It was a tough deal, but Dr. Schmidt and her entire team were incredible to work with, being very clear about the process and what we'd need to do to ensure success. We cannot say enough about the improvements our little girl has today, with very good eyesight and an aggressive plan to try and prevent glaucoma situations. We cannot recommend Dr Schmidt and her team enough for the wonderful support and job giving our dog back her sight. read more

We went to Dr Schmidt for our Golden Retriever over 4 years ago. Max had an inherited condition that required the removal of one of his eyes. The disease is bilateral and we were told he would likely lose his other eye in a year. Max was 8 years old at the time. Working with Dr Schmidt to adjust Max's medication we were able to preserve Max's eyesight until he went to the Rainbow Bridge at the age of 13. I was so happy that Max never had a day in his life in darkness and am so very grateful for the care Max received. We also have two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels that Dr Schmidt sees for dry eye. We have had nothing but professionalism and kindness from everyone who works at Veterinary Ophthalmology Services. read more

***IMPORTANT: If you ever think of using this Veterinary Ophthalmology Services at 118 North Mason St., Arroyo Grande be forewarn, and think again. Take care NOT TO USE THEM. They are completely unprofessional to the borders of being practically unethical with their patients, which affects every poor pet that comes through their doors. After getting several reminders that my appointment with my dog was at 1:30pm I arrived there at 1:25pm before my allocated time. After sitting there for 15min with my dog pacing nervously to and fro I enquired how much longer I would have to wait. The front desk staff answered that probably another additional 15-20min. So I said I would take him just outside on a leash walk where he would be more comfortable, and asked them to text or call me when they were ready. By 2:10pm I heard nothing from them, so I returned by 2:15pm (45 min after my set appointment) to ask how much longer now. My dog was getting more and more aggravated too. By 2:30pm one of the staff told me they had had an emergency early that morning which had caused the delay to all the appointments that followed. Knowing that, I asked, that since I work and my time is precious too, that it would have been general courtesy to have called me to let me know about the delay and I would have come a little later. At that moment a man named ALEX came into the room and started shouting at me in the most terrible manner accusing me for undermining the staff, and that I had been rude on the phone (which was absolute nonsense) , and that I did not deserve to be attended. Shocked I asked what this was all about he started to become abusive and shouting again in abrupt manner claiming that since he was the husband of the actual Vet Dr. KRISTIANE S.SCHMIDT, and the Practice Manager of the clinic that he decided that his wife refuse to take care of my dog. In a rude way he boasted that they were the only Veterinary Ophthalmology in the 150 miles circle and that I was mistreating my dog by not "behaving" in their offices so he could get appropriate treatment. Then he threatened me to kick me out of the building if I did not leave immediately. After that I asked the Staff to speak to Dr. SCHMIDT herself, and the Staff shaken and visibly scared of him, responded that they could not override him. Through the crack of the door behind him I also noticed Dr.SCHMIDT witnessing his rude behavior and not coming forward. I am shocked after spending a lot of money on medicine and services at that practice to be treated with such abusive disrespect. They don't deserve to be in practice let alone take care of our poor suffering animals. Every Vet and pet owner in the area should know about these abominable circumstances. ***We shall report them further and warn anyone who might contemplate using their services. read more

Dr. Schmidt is the Vet you want to go to for eye issues on your pet. My Jack Russell Terrier was struggling with eye problems and nothing we did seemed to work. We were referred to Dr. Schmidt and we saw a dramatic improvement in his problem. read more

We have been seeing Dr. Schmidt and Alex and the staff for over 7 years. They have NEVER been anything but professional and caring. We are so lucky to have them in our community and I would not even consider going to see anyone else. The level of care and attention to detail given by this office is something I wish I had with my own medical care professionals! read more

First eye surgery was botched! I spoke with Rebecca about the situation and about receiving a quote to re due the surgery. She said she would speak with Dr. Schmidt about my situation since also money was tight after coughing up 2,000 for her first surgery. A week later I get a call back from Rebecca with a quote more expensive then her first surgery! I couldn't believe it! Either she didn't speak with Dr Schmidt or she did and Schmidt didn't care about correcting her wrong!? read more

Dr Schmidt was very knowledgeable, kind, understanding, and professional. My cat had a growth over his eye. It turned out to be relatively common. Dr Schmidt was very thoughtful about my budget, and the quality of life (both human and feline) and found a treatment for me that worked to fit our lifestyle. Our cat healed quickly and completely. While I was in the office, I ran into a man who's dog could not see when he went into surgery, and was looking at me and wagging his tail as he left. The man had tears of joy in his eyes, and was walking around telling everyone how his dog could see now and he didn't have to get put down. read more

I have been coming here for a short time for my Boston terrier (4-5) visits. We have been to an office in Campbell and was referred to Dr. Schmidt. I haven't had any bad experiences with anyone. I have never seen or talked to anyone by the name of Alex like others have posted. Yes from time to time they get set back due to other emergencies that may occur. I don't blame them for this. If my dog was to have a body part as sensitive as his eye I would want them to take him in immediately and care to him in the best possible manner....if an emergency arose. The staff has even attended to jager well after the hours of operation and I have no complaints of the Doctor or her staff. Everyone remembers my name and my dogs name as soon as I walk in and they know I can be hard to get ahold of and remember to always leave me voicemails as requested. Jager will be getting surgery soon and I expect nothing but the best for him and I feel confident Dr.Schmidt office will exceed my expectations. For the time being I see no reason for not giving them a 5 star rating. read more

The Doctor is of the highest caliber. The 1 star rating relates to the unprofessional rudeness I was treated with by Alex. He actually yelled at me over the phone because the pump on his compounded medication did not work when I went to use it for my animal. I asked them to remake the medication in a pump bottle that was not broken and he told me i was incompetent, that I broke it and it was my fault. He continued to escalate, talking over me, refusing to give me my records and told me to go to a different doctor. He refused to give me the medication - Alex "first do no harm". After spending thousands of dollars with this doctor I thought the broken pump wouldnt be a problem to take care of but evidently Alex had a bad day and yelling rude insults is his protocol . Too bad because she is an excellent Doctor, he should not work with the public. read more

Dr. Schmidt is the best and we are so lucky to have her on the Central Coast. My kitty only has one eye and that eye is not 100%, So I want to make sure she has the best eye care possible. Dr. and her staff are all so caring and gentle - my kitty gives her her 5 meows! read more

This was the most disappointing experience I could ever have imagined...one failure after another....our puppy is blind now.....enough said... read more

Rhonda (my Rhodesian Ridgeback) has lost her sight due to early-onset cataracts. Kristiane restored her vision by removing the cataracts and installing one artificial lens. More than six years later, Rhonda can still see and she's still a wonderful, loving companion for our family. Kristiane is the best! read more

We were referred to Dr. Schmidt for our 9 yr old Bassett Hounds eye problems. We are from Bakersfield, CA and are so happy that our local vet didn't try to treat something that was obviously out of their area of expertise. Dr Schmidts office made an emergency appointment for us the next day. It was too late for our dogs right eye as he already lost vision. Due to their quick action and expertise they were able to save his vision in his left eye. We can't say enough positive things about this Doctor and her staff. We've never seen or experienced a more educated staff on the specialty that they provide. If you choose to bring your pet to Dr. Schmidt and her staff you will feel as if they are treating your pet as their own fur baby. After your second visit it will feel as though you're visiting old friends. We were also pleasantly surprised to find that the cost were reasonable. They're are also eager to help and assist you find alternative ways to find medication in more affordable ways ie; the internet etc...Keep up the good work Dr. Schmidt and everyone at the office. Job well done! Our fur babies need people like you, heck we all need people like you. You could set a good example for regular healthcare. By the way Oakley gives you five paws too! read more