I had Wavefront LASIK performed by Dr. Mandel in late 2015 and could not be happier with the results. Dr. Mandel and his staff are caring, attentive, and responsive. Every question I placed to their office before and after the procedure was promptly and effectively answered. Dr. Mandel is a true expert and has a calming way about him that helps with any nerves that might flare up during the procedure. While the thought of eye surgery is understandably a little scary, it is not bad in the moment because you are surrounded by these experts who calmly and skillfully take you through the process. The surgery itself is painless, with only some minor pressure/discomfort. The recovery was fast and easy, and I could drive and work the next day. While I have a little bit of dryness/light sensitivity, these are minor (and I understand common) issues that continue to improve and are certainly better than being back in contacts. In terms of the cost, I cannot think of a better value considering the great service, advanced technology, and fantastic results. read more

PERFECTLY AMAZING all around! Dr. Mandel and his entire staff are beyond AMAZING!!! From day one I was treated with respect and kindness! The staff at the Concord location always greeted me with a smile and a friendly hello. These qualities are as important as years of experience because they give a patient a sense of comfort and security-- which is important since you're allowing them to slice into your eye :) I had a bit of a dry eye complication that pushed my surgery back about a month but they talked me by every minute of it! They knew how upset I was and actually made me feel better and made sure I was at a optimal health for best results! If that isn't caring I don't know what is! They don't see numbers, they see actual patients that they want the best for! I call that EXCELLENT SERVICE! I was beyond nervous the day of my surgery and they knew exactly how to help! They made me feel very comfortable and in great hands! And I surely was in great hands! Dr. Mandel and his staff gave me almost 20 years of compromised vision back in less than 20 minutes! "I can see clearly now" and it feels like " a whoolleeee newwww worrllldddd" !! I LOVE Dr. Mandel and his staff and can't thank them enough for all of their hard work and dedication!!! If you want a staff that actually cares about you and does an AMAZING job with EXCELLENT results, HURRY HURRY and book your appointment! :) read more

I had my eye surgery with Dr. Mandel in January 2012, in the Concord office. My only regret is that I didn't do it years earlier. All of my pre- and post-op appointments were with my eye doc, so I didn't spend very much time with Dr. Mandel, but my doctor and Dr. Mandel's staff provided all the information I needed to be completely confident that I had chosen the right doctor for my procedure. Two years later, 20/15 in my right eye and 20/25 in my left. No glasses and no contacts! read more

Dr. Mandel is top-notch. He freed me from the slavery of eye-wear 4 years ago, and I have been thrilled ever since with my 20-20 vision. He is brilliant, kind, professional and I felt I was in great hands. I would highly recommend him to anyone seeking eye surgery or Lasik. read more

I had a perfect experience with Mandel and his team. I realized the other day that I was watching a golf ball pitched onto a green beyond 400 yds away. My vision couldn't be any better. Top notch skills set and attention to patient needs. Many thanks! read more

I received wavefront laser correction of severe myopia in 2005 from Dr. Mandel. The operation went well and seven years later everything continues to be fine. It is now ten years later. Everything is still fine. read more

This is like a miracle!! Everyone told me Dr. Mandel is the best there is, and after seeing the list of doctors who go to him (3 of my own doctors included) and hearing rave reviews, I trusted the recommendations, watched and read the extensive pre-op info, and went ~ and I am thrilled I did!! I can think of very few truly LIFE CHANGING procedures ~ this is life-changing. I went in on Friday functionally blind without contacts, frustrated with glasses, -4.0 prescription and came out seeing 20/20!! Everyone was very friendly and professional (Helen, the surgery nurse, was truly friendly, reassuring and wonderful - thank you!) It's like an assembly line which is extremely comforting - they do a ton of these! Dr. Mandel was kind and talked me through exactly what he was doing, and 10 minutes later I could see!! I slept through Friday night and woke up Saturday morning to a whole new world ~ I have NEVER SEEN AS WELL AS I DO NOW! Thank you, thank you, thank you Dr. Mandel and staff ~ I am extremely grateful for my new vision, and would encourage anyone considering LASIK to do it - what a lifelong gift to be able to see!! read more

I recently had LASIK with Dr. Mandel at his Castro Valley, CA location. I have to give a huge thank you to Dr. Mandel and his staff. Everyone was nice and supportive. I was quite nervous the day of my surgery. Not only did they give me a teddy bear to squeeze, but Helen ( a staff member) held my hand the entire time (Thanks Helen!). Luckily it was a super fast surgery. I can't say with certainly how long it took, but it honestly only felt like it took about 5 minutes for both eyes! Dr. Mandel was great throughout the entire procedure as he walked me through every step, reassuring me that everything was going perfectly. I now have 20/15 vision in both my eyes and I couldn't be happier. Thank you for changing my life Dr. Mandel! read more

Now that I've had cataract and lasik surgery by Dr. Mandel, I can see better than I ever could for over 75 years. I need no glasses or contacts. I'm indebted. The wait time in the office is horrendous, but the results are worth it. Gretchen read more

In my 70+ years, I have had several surgeries (no eye surgeries). I've interacted with a lot of surgeons. Even though all my surgeries were successful, the surgeons themselves were aloof and lacked people skills. Dr. Mark Mandel is different. He is an excellent surgeon PLUS he is patient, accessible, dedicated, and I believe, a perfectionist. And for me, that is a good thing! I think he wants the BEST result for each client. At least that is how he's been with me. He has a staff of optometrists and ophthalmologists who are patient and will answer every question you ask, and I ask lots of questions! His technicians are readily accessible, kind and caring. They all work together beautifully, like a well-orchestrated dance. Yes, sometimes there have been long waits, but NEVER as long as waiting on the phone, on-hold, for my cable-provider, right?! Or standing in line at my favorite restaurants. His team is meticulous about pre- and post surgery testing. And learned that tests need to be done in a particular order. Some tests require drops that take a while to kick in. So yes, there is waiting involve. IMHO, Dr Mandel and his dedicate staff are worth it. My eyes are worth it. BTW, I've met some nice people in their waiting room. I just put my cell phone down, talk to the person next to me, and wa-la, time goes by faster. Eydie DeVincenzi read more

Sometimes what seems to be a routine procedure can spiral into a nightmare of intense pain and uncertainty. After a visit to her optometrist my wife was informed that she had cataracts in both eyes. Upon the recommendation of her optometrist she scheduled a visit with Dr. Mandel in Hayward. Mandel scheduled and performed the cataract surgery on her right eye on Tuesday, February 26. During a routine follow up visit on Thursday of the same week, Dr. Mandel decided the first lens wasn't strong enough, so he performed a second surgery. Dr. Mandel left for vacation in Europe the next day. In the meantime, my wife's vision was a blurry haze. She made several visits to Mandel's practice and saw Dr. Alberelli while Mandel was in Europe. Dr. Alberelli, after two weeks surmised that a hemorrhage was the cause of the blurred vision. Rather than sending my wife to a retinologist at that time, she told my wife that she could go on a previously scheduled back packing trip in the Sierras that weekend. Upon Dr. Mandel's return from Europe he promptly sent my wife to see Dr. Stewart Daniels, a retinologist in Castro Valley. From then on Dr. Daniels took over care for my wife's condition. Dr. Mandel had evidently nicked a vessel in my wife's eye causing it to fill with blood. My wife's eye eventually became infected with endophthalmitis, a flesh-eating-bacteria. Three more surgeries plus a paracentesis to kill the bacteria: a vitrectomy to remove the blood and repair several retinal tears; a surgery to repair a detached retina, and a final surgery to remove the silicon oil used in the detached retina surgery. My wife made one additional visit to Dr. Mandel's office to see Dr. Badger, the glaucoma specialist, who helped to relieve the intraocular pressure that had built up in my wife's eye after the retinal detachment surgery. Dr. Badger was very professional, spending several hours on a Friday night after closing, working on my wife's eye. She then followed up with phone calls to Daniels afterwards to check on my wife's progress. We don't feel that Dr. Mandel necessarily made any gross technical mistakes in treating my wife. His practice is like an assembly line for Lasiks and routine cataract surgeries. The waiting room is always packed and wait times can be 90 minutes or more. He is always in a big hurry with very little interest in the patient. During the several months that my wife was under the care of Daniels and his associates at Bay Area Retina Assoc., he never called to find out about my wife's condition. She had one other visit to Mandel in March. He seemed completely unaware of what she was going through even though Bay Area Retina Assoc. sent over detailed notes for each visit. Dr. Mandel has a flourishing visit performing dozens of routine surgeries daily but seems to be out of his league when dealing with a more complicated procedure. read more

I highly recommend Dr. Mandel if you're considering getting Lasik. His years of experience performing Lasik surgeries and his high regard for safety really came across in the numerous pre-op preparations and in the post-op instructions/follow ups. I really appreciated the care the staff showed before and after the surgery. The surgery itself was lightening fast but the time leading up to the surgery, waiting right outside the procedure room, was nerve-racking and the staff was sure to be really upbeat and chatty during the wait. My post surgery followup checkups were with different doctors but every doctor I've seen from his practice has been so personable and great about answering all my questions. To me it was overall a pretty painless experience - I only experienced some discomfort for a few days after surgery (my eyelids felt gritty when I blinked) and didn't have to take the pain medication provided. Now my vision is fantastic and I'm so glad I don't have to think about glasses or contacts again. My consultation/surgery was at the Castro Valley office and most of my followup checkups were at the Hayward office. The Hayward office is busier and older than the Castro Valley office so I recommend trying to get appointments at the Castro Valley office, if possible. My vision pre-surgery was -7 to -8 in both eyes and I had astigmatism. I'd been thinking about getting Lasik for a while but was always worried I wouldn't be a good candidate because of how poor my vision was. What convinced me to finally schedule a consultation is two family members got Lasik with Dr. Mandel and had great experiences. I'm hoping that other people who have been considering Lasik for a long time will read this review and it will convince them to finally schedule that consultation. It's worth it! read more

I had lasiks performed NINE years ago! The best thing I've ever done, and wished I had done it sooner. Both eyes were corrected. After a couple of weeks, while vision was 20/20, it still wasn't as "crisp" as it had been with contacts. They adjusted for $100.00. It was some sort of service fee. All that was explained previously, so I was totally fine with it. Like I said- best service ever! Nine years later, just after turning 40(something)... I noticed my eyes have suddenly worsened. Not horribly, but no longer crisp. After racking my brains trying to remember Dr. Mandel's name, I called to schedule a check-up. Turns out I was supposed to be getting annual check-ups. As someone who's worn glasses since I was 4 years old, I just assumed people who could see didn't need to go to the eye doc. WRONG! After getting beat with a wet noodle by Dr. Mandel's reception, I'm scheduled to back in this Friday. Total with appts and surgery this time around (for repeat customers) s/b about $1500. WELL SPENT!!! My dad has worked in the East Bay health care field for 40+ years so he was very familiar with Mandel. Nine years ago Mandel was THE BEST. Today, he's EVEN better! The key to a good doc in this field is someone who does this practically in their sleep. read more

I was recommended to Dr. Mandel by my optometrist, Dr. David Redman (who is also wonderful), and largely chose to have my LASIK surgery with him because of that recommendation. I have to say that I am SO glad I made that choice. I was very nervous about this procedure - like most people, I suspect! - and I did a lot of research (for over one year) before I took the plunge. First, Dr. Mandel's staff is excellent. All my questions were answered, every call to the office was helpful - just great. On the day of the surgery, yes, there was a long wait - perhaps my only small criticism - but, for me, it helped give me time to calm my nerves (and for the Valium to kick in!). Dr. Mandel was absolutely marvelous in the OR. So calm and sure-handed - he immediately inspired confidence, which is so important in a procedure like this. I was able to keep calm during the procedure, which was nothing short of a small miracle for me. My one recommendation to future patients: when they offer you the pain medication after the procedure, TAKE IT RIGHT AWAY. I was given the option to wait until I got home - for me, this was a mistake, and I had to manage through about a half-hour of unnecessary (but significant) pain because the drops they used for the operation wore off. Once the Vicodin kicked in, though, everything went smoothly, and my optometrist tells me that - even looking at my eyes through his equipment - he would be hard-pressed to find ANY evidence that I had had a surgical procedure - there is NO scarring on my eyes, and my vision is exactly what we ordered ("perfect" monovision - one eye for near, one eye for far). Highly recommended. read more

I've been going to this practice for almost 4 years after my terrible experience at my old ophthalmologist I was a bit sketchy at first but honestly these doctors are the most caring most hands on doctors I've ever met!! I seen Dr. Barez for floaters and When she first came in the room she greeted me with a smile and a handshake, throughout the consult she explain to me in a calm matter what she had seen in my eye tests and what treatments I needed honestly no doctor has ever made me feel more secure and relieved!! Yes the wait is long but it's so worth it I just bring me stuff to keep me occupied I don't understand why people complain but still come for visits? read more

I had cataract surgery from Mandel in Feb 26, 2018. I went back for my 2 day follow up and he wanted to place another lens in because the initial calculations were incorrect. He did the procedure that day without any sedatives. I developed hemorhage within 2 days. I was assured by Dr Mandel's associate that the hemmorhage would resolve. I was with a hemmorhage for 2 weeks before Mandel finally decided to send me to a retinologist. I ended up with a detached retina and a severe infection requiring several surgeries over an 8 month period. I am currently legally blind in the eye that Dr Mandel operated on. The most disturbing aspect of this very long ordeal was Dr Mandel's complete lack of concern. He made no inquiries about my condition once I was being seen by the retinologist. Not once did he correspond with my retinologist who had sent him multiple reports. I finally had to contact him myself and express my frustration with his lack of follow up. He sees 1000's of patients and I do believe the bottom line for him is monetary. I do not recommend Dr Mandel. read more

Finished my second cataract surgery last Monday. I couldn't be happier. I have the eyes of a child -- perfect vision -- no glasses or contacts needed for close, mid and distant. I opted for Symphony lenses and would highly recommend them. read more

I'm an optometrist in the SF Bay Area. Dr. Mandel has successfully performed LASIK and implant procedures on hundreds of my patients - as well as friends and family. I have great confidence in his professionalism and surgical skill, as well as his team and facilities. There is a great reason why he has performed surgery on hundreds of doctors and their immediate family: Dr. Mandel is a fellowship-trained corneal surgeon at the height of his career. He is particularly conservative in his approach and especially qualified to handle any complication. I rest easy knowing my patients are in good hands. Dr. Mandel is also very personable and available for questions from both patients and referring physicians. I chose Dr. Mandel to perform LASIK on myself because I was not a simple case. Before surgery, I was extremely far-sighted, which can make the outcome less predictable. I can say from personal experience that the procedure is easy, painless and I was back to seeing my own patients the next day. Two years later I am still 20/20. read more

Dr. Mandel performed Visian ICL surgery on my left eye yesterday and I am impressed with the results a day later. I am able to see very clearly despite the fact that I have still to get the procedure performed on my right eye. My experience from pre-op to post op has been great. He made sure to address all of my questions and concerns concisely. When I called to address a question he responded same day with a clear explanation and reassured me to call with any additional concerns. The surgery team contacted me with instructions prior to my surgery and after. They made sure I was comfortable while prepping me for surgery as well as during. I did research for providers who performed the surgery and he has met all of my expectations. Dr. Mandel is a true professional! read more

Worst experience ever. I would never recommend him to anyone. He did not do a good job for me and was extremely snotty about it. Worst doctor ever. I wish I had shop around for others first. Please go to someone else. read more

I had my LASIK surgery in 2006. I was shocked that dr Mandell didn't even say Hello to me. It did not make me feel comfortable and safe in his care. One year later I needed reading glasses and it has slowly got worse every visit since. At my last eye exam with my optometrist he told me my eye sight is so poor that the LASIK just did not work on me. I am now back to square one! So disappointed after spending big bucks on this! read more

This is the most disorganized office staff I have ever seen. The check in clerk is absolutely incapable and rude. She scheduled my appointment for a day the doctor I wanted to see wasn't even in the office. When I showed up (on time) my name wasn't on the schedule. Instead of explaining the mishap and putting me in line with one of the other doctors, she held my chart back until the last patient was checked in, which was 2 and a half hours after my arrival. When I inquired about the long wait, she replied that this is "nothing unusual - waiting times are always long". I finally got to see one of the other doctors, after one of the technicians quickly prepped me (dialating my eye) for the checkup. The doctor was very apologetic and I feel bad for her having to work with such incapable personell. Well, Dr. Mendel comes highly recommended, but if the office staff is bad it will have a negative impact on the entire business. I will not go back. There are many other great doctors, and for sure better office employees, out there. read more

This office expected my 86 yr old mother to wait in excess of 2 hours for her appoint. She was there for a 3 hour cataract consultation with Dr Mandel. When asked the 1st time about the delay, reception offered, "the lobby is almost empty, it should any time now". When asked again by my mother, she was told they would call the dr and get her in shortly. When asked for the 3rd time they had nothing more to offer; not even an apology. By then the lobby was empty, it was almost 5 o'clock and we were still waiting for a 3 hour appoint. My mom elected to tell the staff she was leaving and why. One day later, she received a letter telling her she'd missed her appoint. Dr. Mandel's reputation can't compensate for his staff and patient management. read more

Well, it has now been a full year since cataract removal and dual focus lens implants. I must say that the results are wonderful. I was born nearsighted, lived with 20-400 vision corrected with glasses, except for a period of about ten years when I wore contact lenses. The contacts were great, I could see "normally", but then presbyopia set in, meaning I had to wear glasses again, so I gave up on contacts and started wearing progressive lenses. When told it would be necessary to remove a fast-growing cataract from my right eye, the option for lens implants was explained. After weighing all options, I decided to go for it. The consultations with the folks at Optima, then the final consult with Dr. Mandel, were very thorough, and all risks and possibilities explained. The actual procedures, one eye at a time, were very quick and painless. Now, after a year during which my neural mechanisms of visual perception have reprogrammed themselves to adapt to the new lenses, I can see as good as with contacts! At first there was some glare and halos at night, but my brain has learned to filter these out. For those contemplating this procedure, I would say don't wait. Being able to see clearly from nearby to far away is great, particularly when approaching 70 years old! And, in my estimation, Dr. Mandel and the team at Optima are as good as any you will find in the USA. read more

I had Mark do PRK on my eyes around two years ago, I couldn't be happier with the results. My vision is great in both eyes, and I started with around -7 with astigmatism. Mark and his team are very professional and know exactly what they are doing. Having PRK is easily one of the best investments I've ever made. read more

It's been several months since my double laser surgery with Dr. Mandel. I'm sorry to see that some people had a bad experience with waiting for their appts. I can't recall any similar trouble. The staff was very thorough explaining the process and putting me through all the different tests and measurements. The surgery itself was very organized and well done. And, in a bit of a nerdy way, it is a fascinating procedure. Looking back, I think it is interesting that the surgery can be "tailored", to a certain extent, to the type of vision you want: I wanted to see distance as well as possible, even at the expense of some close-in reading vision. I was using over-the-counter drug store reading glasses prior to surgery, now I wear prescription reading glasses and need them more than before. The doctor and all the literature explains that you will still need reading glasses after surgery, but you have to be prepared to perhaps need stronger, or prescription, reading glasses. That was the only surprise (a little) for me. I find that I can still read with the drug store reading glasses, but to get perfect reading I use my prescription ones. Also, my vision continued to get slightly better over 3 months after surgery, as my eyes healed. That was an interesting and pleasant surprise. You have to be patient and not expect it's all over the day after surgery as is the reputation. I have to say my regular optometrist, Dr. Daniel Chin, in Alameda, provided great pre- and post-surgery care. That's a very important part of this process, to have a good relationship with your regular OD. The only reason I'm not giving this 5 stars is because different people will have different experiences and it's really important to get your particular questions answered no matter how trivial it may sound. read more

I am 43 years old and I live in the Bay Area. I have suffered from nearsightedness all of my life. I wore contacts and glasses so that I could see. When I wake up in the morning my nightstand is only 2 feet away from my face and yet I still couldn't read the 1 inch high glowing red numbers. There is absolutely no way without glasses or contacts that I could drive. I live a very active life. I ride horses, I love to swim, which I haven't been able to do without problems in the past, and do a variety of other outdoor activities. I can tell you firsthand getting dirt or hair under a contact lens sucks to say the least! I have been contemplating LASIK surgery for several years. I have known that I have been a candidate for a long time but fear kept me from actually going through with it. I only have two eyes. The idea of the excruciating pain I could possibly be in after the surgery kept me from actually having it done. I work in a retail store that caters to horse people and I ask a lot of questions when I would hear of somebody that had LASIK done. On a whole everybody seems to be totally thrilled and I would always ask them who the doctor was. Compiling a list in my head, Dr. Mandel came highly recommended most often. So in December I decided to bite the bullet. I didn't go anywhere else I just went to Dr. Mandel. My first eye appointment was to thoroughly check my eyes and to make sure that I was a candidate for the LASIK surgery. I was informed that my eyes were a little dry and that I would have to spend a month putting eyedrops in and taking a supplement so that my eyes would be in the best condition possible. My appointment was set for January 5, 2016. I was skeptically excited. The day of the surgery I was extremely nervous but still wanted to go on with it. My name was called, I was given a small pill. It was 5 mg of Valium just to calm my nerves. It worked well :) i'm not gonna lie! After around of several eyedrops and numbing drops to make my eyes ready to go into the room I was calm and could understand clearly all the directions I was given by the outstanding staff. When it was my turn to go into the room I was calmly placed on the table, handed a stuffed teddy bear and given directions on what to do, which I followed. In a matter of minutes I was done. I can say that there was some discomfort, not the excruciating pain I was prepared for. The discomfort was more of a pressure not so much pain. When I was done I was taken to another room where I was given instructions on my aftercare again to make sure that I was completely understanding what I needed to do when I get home and to put a protective dressing over my eyes. I remember every part of the procedure, and was able to understand and follow directions perfectly fine. I was instructed that I would not be able to open my eyes until the next morning unless it was to use the restroom or to eat. On my way home I realized that my eyes felt like they had a sunburn type of feeling. My procedure appointment time was about 11am. I think I arrived home at around or a little before 1 PM. I kept them closed and when I got home I took a sleeping pill. I woke up four hours later and realized I was in absolutely no pain my eyes did not hurt at all! I listened to music for a couple of hours. I went back to sleep and woke up the following morning, took the dressing off my eyes open them up and put the drops in as I was directed to do and jumped in the shower. I realized that my vision was pretty darn good! I could actually read the shampoo bottles! Being really careful not to get any water soap in my eyes I finished up and got out. Looked around a bit everything looked crisp and I can see perfectly without my contacts or glasses. I was not expecting this I thought that it would probably take at least a week for me to see the benefits of having it done, but it was immediate! Still in absolutely no pain I looked out my sliding glass door and I realized I could count the leaves on the trees, across the road on my neighbors property. LOL I went in that morning for my next day check up appointment. They ran a very small battery of tests and look at my eyes under the microscope and I was informed that my vision at this moment in time is 20/20. And I am here to say that if you've been contemplating this do yourself a favor and don't wait. My biggest disappointment about the whole deal was that I didn't do it years ago when I first decided I wanted it. I just want to say that I didn't know Dr. Mandel from Adam. He has not given me any incentives whatsoever to write this. I was very impressed with his skill and knowledge his attitude and the wonderful staff I dealt with the whole time I was there. I have already told several people that are interested that he's the man. Have also read a few unsavory things about the time it takes in the waiting room waiting for your appointment. And seriously this is a life-changing event. I'm sure you can be patient. read more

Dr. Mandel performed my laser eye surgery in September. The office runs like a well-oiled clock. My follow-up care was provided by my local eye doctor. I am about 7 months post-op and my vision is better than 20/20. Best decision I ever made. read more

I'm writing this email for my mother in-law who had lasik surgery at the age of 65. She is an avid needlepoint artist, knitter and piano player, as well as a voracious reader. She had monovision surgery which allowed her to enjoy those activities along with the benefit of seeing items in the distance. Doctor Mandel was so nice and patient with her during surgery. His bedside manner just couldn't be better. read more

I had PRK done twice on my left eye and once on my right eye about 11 years ago. I only met Dr Mandel twice - once for my pre-op check and 10 minutes in the surgery room. So my interaction with him was brief but he was nice. All the post-op checks were performed by my regular optometrist whom works in my home town. I never got near 20/20 vision and was never told why. In fact, I wear contacts or glasses all the time. My regular optometrist (whom referred me to a Dr Mandel) told me to try again in a few years because I make enough money to do it again. Wow! Really?!? Needless to say, I got rid of that optometrist and have been trying for weeks to get in contact with someone from Dr Mandel's office because I am ready again to have surgery. I have called 8 times during their regular work hours (different days and different times) and keep getting a voicemail. Does anyone work here??? I finally got a live person on the phone today and was told I need to pay for each eye again but at a discount of $1400 per eye plus $100 initial exam. Well, that's not gonna happen. Since it took so long to get a live person on the phone, I had contacted Dr Scott Hyver's office and had my free evaluation appointment. His staff is efficient, friendly and he has the latest technology. His prices are higher but I am not going to mess around with my eyes nor with an incompetent office. Plus Dr Hyver has lifetime warranty so if I need surgery again in future, he won't charge me. read more

Dr. Mandel and his staff treated me fantastic and provided me the ability to see near and far again after cataract surgery. No glasses anymore and I have healthy eyes thanks to their professionalism. If I had two more eyes I would go back to have those fixed too! Thanks so much for your help and kindness throughout the procedure. Sincerely Scott Imsland read more

What a great Doctor and organization... Friendly & welcoming staff with great knowledge and tenure. Simply the best of the best when it comes to Lasik surgery. My wife and I have both used their services and could not be happier. When it comes to cars or houses or almost any purchase I shop it, when it it comes to Lasik you want the best in the business and NOT the cheapest. :0) Do not hesitate. It is life changing... read more

i am writing this for my 88 yr old mother who had a cataract consult with dr. mandel. After having the pre op tests with the very nice technicians we were put in a room to wait . After 45 min a man in scrubs entered the room with no greeting to my mother or introducing himself to us. He proceeded to quickly look at her eyes and left the room. After more tests we sat there and waited another 45 minutes for Dr. Mandel to talk to us. My mother finally had to ask who he was and what is he planning to do. He orginally told us the wrong eye that he was going to work on first. He corrected himself and proceeded to hand us the chart and told us to make an appt. My mother did not want this man toucjhing her eye so we are not going back to this office. This doctor is way overbooked and has no bedside manner. read more

My eye doctor recommended Dr. Mandel. The website was very convincing: Dr. Mandel is Doctors' doctor. Powerful advertisement. What else do I need to hear? I went to his Hayward location. Extremely depressing facility and outdated. I felt bad that I was so juddgement and so shallow, but come on..this is a doctor's office. I expect things to be clean and pleasant. Is it too much to ask? I would have turned back as soon as I walked in if I didn't keep reminding myself that he is doctors' doctor. Dr. Mandel may be the brightest and best in the field, but not the best and the most patient communicator. I understand that he must have heard my questions 1,000 times before, and my questions based on limited reading about the topic can sound so dumb to him. When I asked him questions, he continued to review the paperwork and didn't even look at me. He said, I am listening...keep talking. He can't hide his impatience and frustration toward questions I asked. His answers to some of my questions were inconsistent with what was on the handouts. When I pointed that out, he dismissed them and he seemed annoyed. I read some people's negative comments about his behaviors and manners on Yelp, and was hoping that I may not experience what people experienced. He may not mean to be rude or he may not even be aware of it. Also I received some information from the reception that was totally wrong that I am puzzled by their lack of organization. Unfortunately, despite all my effort, the experience here wasn't good. This is when I realized that sometimes our gut feeling is not bad after all. read more

This place is a joke. I understand that at all doctor's offices, they are going to be running late, it's just a given but they are running days behind here. My grandma's appointment was at 9:40, she didn't get into see the nurse until 11:10 & that was just the nurse! It is an currently 12:07 & we're still waiting to see the doctor. Every single person here is forced to wait this long. How is it possible that you can get THAT behind?! & it's always this way! Terrible, terrible, terrible. Never in my life have I waited more than 20 minutes to get to seeing a doctor. So many people working here too & it's this bad? What are they even doing then? Obviously not a lot if we're waiting this long. I can't actually believe you have all these precious old folks waiting on y'all asses for 3 or more hours here. Worse doctor's office I have ever been to period. DO NOT COME HERE UNLESS YOU HAVE AN ENTIRE MORNING AND AFTERNOON TO WASTE. Wish I could give a no star review but I have to at least do one to post this. read more

I recently had PRK surgery at Dr. Mandel's Castro Valley office. Years ago I had investigated having Lasik however due to my very high prescription -10. I would still have had to wear glasses or contact lenses so due to that fact I decided against it. I was happy with lenses and had worn them for 30 years. As I got older however I had extreme dry eye and the lenses were very uncomfortable. Dr. Mandel came highly recommended from a co-worker of mine so I decided to go for a consultation. I thought he would tell me the same thing that I had heard before that Lasik could be done but I would still have to wear glasses. Much to my delight Dr. Mandel said I would be a perfect candidate for PRK. The process has a longer recovery time and one eye is done at a time. I had one done in July and one in August. I couldn't be happier! Dr. Mandel truly changed my life. I went from being virtually blind when I woke up in the morning before putting lenses in to having 20/20 vision. I still can't believe it. I was very scared to have the procedure done but the office staff were so nice and caring my anxiety was eased quite a bit before I actually went into the op room. I highly recommend Dr. Mandel. He was not pushy at all which is what I liked. As I said I had extreme dry eye so he concentrated on getting that fixed first and saw me every month until I was ready for surgery. read more

awesome experience with Dr Mandel and his team. everything was explained in great detail in his video and all of the paperwork that was mailed to me before the procedure. it was very out in the open what the possible problems could be and if you read and watch the video thoroughly they don't hide anything and nothing is always perfect. the office staff along with the rest of the procedure team were very friendly and everyone was very polite and in a good mood. all during the procedure i was being kept up on how things were going along and before you could blink an eye(pardon the pun) it was finished. i was told it would be a painless very quick procedure and pretty much immediately i was able to have my perfect vision restored. i did exactly everything they said to do,pre-op and post-op and im doing great. i am totally amazed at the results and thats why i am writing this review as i dont do many reviews unless i am totally satisfied and impressed read more

My eye doctor referred me to Dr. Mandel after I had seen three other eye specialists regarding my condition. The waiting room was busy, which made me feel good because other specialists that I had seen (who had not properly diagnosed me), had essentially empty waiting rooms (not a good sign)! I was at the office about 3 hours, while Dr. Mandel examined my eye, and performed a number of very advanced scans of both the outside of my eye and the back of my eye. None of the other doctors I had seen had this equipment in their offices. I was also impressed with the staff, who was extremely knowledgeable and very nice, and explained everything along the way. Unlike at the other doctor's offices, they really know what they are doing, and seemed very experienced and confident.Dr. Mandel not only diagnosed my condition properly, but spent a lot of time explaining what it was and how I could make it better. I was very impressed not only with Dr. Mandel, but his staff, and how well-equipped the office was.Since the initial visit, I have seen Dr. Mandel twice for follow-up examinations. My eyes are doing so much better than ever before. Each time I go to the office it is busy, but I realize it is busy for a reason....they are the best! I drive all the way from San Francisco to Hayward to see Dr. Mandel because none of the specialists in the city with empty offices were able to diagnose me. It is well worth every second I spend on the road and every second I spend in his office. I am so pleased with my care and how my eyes are doing now...I wish I had found him 18 months sooner! read more