What more can I say? My experience was top notch all the way through! From my first consultation appointment to the surgery itself, everything was seamless. Their offices were professional, clean and warmly sterile. The receptionists were helpful and friendly. Dr. Mandel was direct, respectful, and thorough. The entire procedure functioned like a well-oiled machine. I was so nervous, but their team put me at ease immediately. The surgery itself was so fast that in the blink of an eye, it was complete. Yes, pun intended. It was truly the best decision I've made for myself and the results have been fantastic. Would highly recommend! read more

DF Mandel performed Cataract Surgery on my eyes 12/21/23 and 1/4/23. I cannot express how satisfied I am with the outcome. My right eye healed so fast that the very next day my vision in that eye was near perfection at 20/25. My left eye took a few more days to catch up but as I write this my vision is wonderful. The Staff is great and took such great care of me. I highly recommend Dr Mandel. read more

I had an awful experience with the Castro Valley office, just with a consultation, not even a procedure itself. Usually you go to a doctor for some type of advice or benefit, but the office "consultant" who talked to me was anything but pleasant or beneficial in any way. I waited 3 months for a consultation with Dr. Mandel, and he never even bothered speaking with me. Instead he sent a consultant to tell me I wasn't a candidate for "his services". Then the consultant proceeded to have an attitude with me because the office wouldn't be making money off of me. Instead of offering "alternatives" for my situation she offered... BAD ATTITUDE. She then proceeded to give me a "fuck off" and suggested I go to one of their competitors who does the exact same thing Dr. Mandel does, even after claiming beforehand the procedures wouldn't work for me. Truly despicable human being. Dr. Mandel may actually be a great surgeon, I will never know, but his consultant is despicable in attitude, and the fact that Dr. Mandel never even stepped out to meet me after I waited 3 months to see him, is certainly questionable. read more

Dr. Mandel did my laser surgery and my cataract surgery, he is phenomenal to trust your eyes too. In the beginning, I had extremely dry eye and he gave me the info on how to fix it before he did any surgery. He is safe and conscientious. Well done, Dr. Mandel! read more

I really appreciate the way Dr.Mandel and the staff or nurses and front dest has taken care of me. The ICL surgery isn't a simple procedure and does require skills and patience especially with scared patients. I have anxiety and it flares up when in stressful situations, they did give me some medications before surgery which I've taken before , but even then I knew I was in good hands and had no worries about the operation. I've shared my journey on my instagram https://instagram.com/hairxcathy?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== I have my last appointment today Post of Day 4 and I already see even better than when I had my glasses Super exciting !! read more

Makes the lasik procedure as comfortable and staff was also very helpful with any questions.very quit recovery and my sight now is 100 finally!! Thank you for the good work read more

Great surgeon, top notch staff and perfect results. The two office thing is a little bit of a pain. But for a one time procedure a little extra driving was a small inconvenience for a successful outcome. read more

Dr. Mandel and his team were super detailed and thorough in explaining the exact pre-op and post-op duties to prepare for this surgery. I was pretty nervous leading up to the surgery, but there was no need. The surgery went very smoothly - lasted around 5-7 minutes max, and I didn't feel a thing. Any questions I had during the process were answered quickly and thoroughly. Glad to say that I can see a perfect 20/20 now! The only inconvenience was that their payment system didn't accept my FSA card the day of, so I had to pay the full cost up-front, rather than splitting between my FSA debit card and my personal credit card. I ended up filing a reimbursement claim afterwards with my FSA provider, and am currently awaiting the reimbursement. Just be aware that this could happen to you as well, as it happened to another individual who came to the office 10 minutes after me. I believe they need to update their payment system, as when I checked my benefits in my FSA portal, LASIK is fully covered. read more

Procedure was nice and smooth. No hiccups during the process and staff were kind and courteous. The entire lasik process only took 1.5 hours. read more

I just got LASIK a week ago AND I AM SO HAPPY I DID IT!!! I had been thinking of getting LASIK for a while but am a nervous person so was scared; when I mustered my courage and asked my optometrist for a recommendation they pointed me in the direction of Dr. Mandel and I am so happy with the results! Go in for a consultation and you will be put at ease immediately and the all-laser LASIK procedure itself only took about 15-20 minutes tops including all the drops and moving from the first laser to the next. As promised, there was some slight discomfort for a moment or two but it was painless and Dr. Mandel reassured me throughout the whole thing (the Valium helped calm my nerves the rest of the way). You are instructed to close your eyes for the rest of the day after the procedure (you can open them for using the bathroom and for meals), but as you are moved to the evaluation room you have your eyes open and can immediately tell the procedure was successful, even if still a little blurry. I am so happy, and as everyone else I have spoken with also reiterates, I wish I had done it sooner! Thank you Dr. Mandel and the wonderful staff at the Optima Eye center, YOU ARE THE BEST!!!! read more

I experienced excellent care and service with my ICL surgery. From consultation, pre-op and post-op. Thank you Dr Mandel and staff!!

This is a review written on behalf of my mom, who doesn't have a Yelp account haha. I am also an optometrist (but not affiliated with Dr. Mandel). It's been about 3 weeks since she's had cataract surgery and everyday she has the same amazement in her voice about her eyesight as the first day she came back from surgery. She can see everything far away and up close without glasses, and let me tell you - consider monovision. It's visual freedom! Everytime she brings up her vision, she brings up Dr. Mandel and his staff, who have been nothing short of amazing! She just raves at the attentive and caring staff. They answer all questions and are very responsive to requests. She also loves that Dr. Mandel is a know-it-all without acting like one. He's so down-to-earth! He and his staff also get along like a healthy family, so that was an extra bonus! Mom felt very, very safe in their hands. Absolute, full confidence is all I can say. The procedures went smoothly. Staff were proactive pre- and post- surgery, so nothing unpleasant or surprising popped up. The only surprise was how life changing that surgery was!!! Mom can read all the small things, so I can't get away with anything. She's going to look 30 years younger without the fine lines from squinting through glasses. She is de-wrinkling as we speak. Anyway, the biggest thank you to Dr. Mandel and his staff. Truly phenomenal to work with them, and of course I'd recommend them to everyone! The whole big, wide world! read more

I was really nervous to get LASIK but I would recommend Dr. Mandel to ANYONE and EVERYONE. The entire process was straightforward and I appreciated the detailed step by step pre and post surgery instructions. The rest of the staff were super friendly and helped me feel supported as they asked multiple times if I had any questions about the process and they were able to provide all the answers. The surgery took less than 15 minutes and I was lucky to not feel any discomfort or pain after the surgery. In less than 24 hours, I woke up with clear vision and I am so happy I decided to go with Dr. Mandel and his staff! My total cost was $5,350 for both eyes. They took my VSP insurance. An added $50 for some prescription eye drops you need for before and after care. It was worth every penny and again, 10000% recommend Dr. Mandel to everyone!! read more

I was referred to Dr. Mandel for LASIK. I had my surgery yesterday and in just over 24 hours, I'm seeing in reported 20/15 vision. I am thrilled with the results and how painless and flawless the procedure was. I was extremely emotional going in and actually had to leave the table and come back in after more sedation, which I'm glad the team could provide after my request. I didn't spend much time with Dr. Mandel, but another doctor thoughtfully addressed all my concerns in the exam room beforehand. She was truly wonderful and made me feel more calm about potential risks. Thanks to Dr. Mandel's depth of experience, I spent far fewer than 15 min under both machines. The Horizon staff were all very quick in handling me both on the phone and in person, but courteous. During the 2nd attempt at beginning the surgery (due to my nerves), Dr. Mandel was more communicative and slightly slower with me which I appreciated. I experienced no pain whatsoever during or after surgery by following their instructions. I did not catch the detail that your initial surgery time is approximate, so mine was moved up 1 hour several days before, and I adjusted accordingly. The pre-op packet delivered to my house was very helpful; I would've liked to receive it even earlier to make necessary purchases without a time crunch. Time is of the essence with prep but all instructions were there. I would HIGHLY recommend this center to anyone as they handled my life-changing surgery very professionally, and I see and feel great next day. read more

Had lasik two weeks ago and it was the best decision I made. The procedure and the downtime was quick. I can see 20/20 the next day! Wearing eyeglasses for a long period of time gives me headache/migraine and I always find contact lenses uncomfortable. Now I can explore and see the world hassle free. Thanks to Dr Mandel! read more

Totally agree with Maria! He has a very bad attitude and demeanor... he had come highly recommended by my optometrist but clearly had mostly Medicare patients waiting during my appt. They were waiting for hours. After I complained about the wait to him he just walked out of the room.... I got up and walked out after him shouting "don't you dare walk away from me".....he came back and we resolved things and he did my surgery! But would not recommend due to his attitude issues. This was about ten years ago! read more

Dr. Mandel and his staff are the safest hands you could be in for your LASIK experience. Safety is their highest priority, not milling as many people through as possible to maximize profits. As a case in point, I had TWO pre-op consultations just to make sure I would be a good candidate and to get the proper numbers because I was a former orthokeratology patient (if you don't know what that is, don't worry about it, but it basically meant that my corneas were still potentially changing, so instead of scheduling right away, we decided to hold off and check again just to be safe). No extra charge for an extra visit. Everyone is super genuinely nice and friendly too! The LASIK experience itself was very quick and painless, and Dr. Mandel talks through every single step of the process in a gentle and soothing voice. I'm an optometrist so I knew basically how it worked and I've watched many LASIK surgeries both in-person and on videos before, but I still really appreciated the step by step details, even down to the part where he said, "you may see sparkles in the darkness" (during the flap creation) because the videos definitely didn't say that and that is exactly what I saw. Many eye doctors have their surgeries with Dr. Mandel because we trust him. He also gives back his time to the professional community by giving lectures and teaching new generations of doctors (including myself when I was in school). I am so grateful to Dr. Mandel and his staff for taking the utmost care of me and it all went by so fast! P.S. LASIK was super easy and I was 20/25 right eye and 20/20 left eye the next morning I woke up (the day of the surgery you need to keep your eyes closed all day and all night and wear plastic shields over your eyes - you still need to wear those at night so you don't accidentally hit or rub your eyes). It will continue to settle over the next couple weeks. read more

I have undergone three eye surgeries with Dr. Mendel. I have no words, he is truly a dream come true doctor. I don't think any other doctor could achieve what he did, as I now have perfect vision. Additionally, he has a great team. No wonder I had to wait for half a year for the last surgery, he s got to have a long waiting list. read more

I'm sorry, I really liked Dr. Mandel and all of his staff, despite they moved their office three times when I was going to him. it has been quite awhile since I have seen him because he says there is nothing more he can do for me. Because I signed an arbitration agreement, I was unable to sue for the damage done to one of my eyes. Perhaps when I was seeing him it was all about money, because I have since been told I should never have had a Laser procedure done due to my extremely poor eyesight and astigmatism. I was not treated prior to the surgery for dry eye, even though I did mention I had that condition. I was given a type of procedure where one eye sees close up and the other eye for distance. Everything seemed fine at first, except the dry eyes. After a few months I started to loose the correction in both eyes and at night I saw stars instead of lights. Dr. Mandel did a second procedure, to touch up the first. It went fine with my left eye, but has since deteriorated again. The dry eye is terrible. The touch up on my right eye, the distance eye, was an epic failure. Dr. Mandel cut too deep and the pain was excruciating. He quickly stopped the procedure, reattached the retina, I think. He said there was nothing he would ever be able to do to fix the damage to my right eye. I can hardly us it. I have to wear glasses all the time again. even then, I still cannot see properly. I have to remove my glasses and close my right eye in order to read anything close up, I then have to replace my glasses in order to see farther away. I am in constant pain in my right eye and both eyes are so dry, I can't wear makeup because I need to apply eye drops constantly, and they are expensive. I have tried to go back to him a few times, to see if there is any possible way to fix or replace the damage done. I know he feels bad and I can tell he hates to see me coming, because he knows I will never be able to see through my right eye again. My moral? Be very thorough in making the decision to get a laser procedure done. You will have dry eye, if not right away, eventually. Your eyes will never be able to focus like a camera lens, which they could before the procedure I had done. You will see stars instead of lights at night and it can be difficult to drive. You will never be able to focus on our beautiful moon again, it will look like a bunch of different circles, none of them the complete moon. Glasses will not make any of these issues better. With glasses you will just be able to focus a bit better. You will not be able to stand contacts in your eyes, after the procedure. Your vision will continue to get worse. You will not be able to stand reading much because you will get a headache. Movies will never be the same, even at the IMAX. I am a worst nightmare situation. This could, but not necessarily will happen to you. Just be wise. I think Dr. Mandel and his staff are wonderful. Thatis what makes this so difficult to write. I would feel horrible not warning others what might happen. I did not get the original laser surgery that first came out. Mine was done in or around 2005-2006. I pray for all those getting it done today, that the lab rats like me, have gotten the procedure down better. Again, great Doctor, wonderful staff. I'm just the unlucky one. read more

I received excellent care during my lasik experience with Dr. Mandel and his team of doctors and entire office staff. His practice is top notch in every way. My questions were thoroughly answered during the initial appointment where he took the time to assess concerns and review the procedure in detail. The day of the lasik surgery was extremely smooth and the procedure was quick and fearless. The aftercare and follow-up from the medical team was very much appreciated. I will definitely recommend Dr. Mandel to my family and friends in the future. Thank you to his entire team!!! read more

Dr.Mandel and the whole staff work together to assure that everything goes smoothly. They were all so friendly and professional. The expertise and compassion of everyone on the care team made me feel safe in their hands. read more

I'm so grateful for Dr. Mandel and his team! They truly worked like a well-oiled machine. If you're nervous about getting LASIK, don't be because you'll be in amazing hands. The actual procedure took less than 5 minutes per eye. I had no pain, only some pressure that he had mentioned. I kept telling everyone that the time he actually worked on my eyes went by so fast I didn't have time to freak out or think about having a laser in my eye. I chose to work the next day and I was driving without any corrective lenses. I'll be two week post op tomorrow and my vision is near perfect. I couldn't have picked a more skilled surgeon to trust my vision in. I'm beyond happy with the care I received with Dr. Mandel and his team! read more

I went in for Lasik Surgery 2 weeks ago and it was the easiest procedure ever. The wait was a little longer than you think because of the exams they have to do before but that's because they want to make sure your eyes are ready to go and your prescription is confirmed so there are no mistakes. I wasn't really nervous but I'm sure the Valum helped relax me even more. The procedure itself was a piece of cake (I think the numbing eye drops before we're the worst part and the pressure of the machine dreading the eye for the eye flap is a bit uncomfortable). I experienced no pain, burning or itching afterwards, I kept my eyes closed the whole day after and then the next day I could see! It has been a smooth recovery and I'm am fortunate enough to have had no side effects with the healing process. I couldn't be happier! Thank you the the amazing team at the San Jose office, they are so friendly and welcoming! I felt extremely comfortable and relaxed with them. Thank you to everyone! read more

I had eye surgery to remove cataract and lens implants on both eyes. Dr. Mandel was thorough in explaining the procedure was very reassuring during my surgery. His medical staff always introduced themselves and were very experienced, efficient and thorough with describing the procedure. My anesthesiologists took the time to describe what to expect. My overall surgical experience was very positive. I highly recommend Dr. Mandel for the outstanding care he provided during my surgery. read more

Dr Mandel performed my cataract surgery and I am still having problems with my eyes. I have been back to see him several times and things aren't any better. I told him that the glare from headlights at night affect my eyes and asked him what can be done about it. He said he didn't know. HE DIDN'T KNOW???? What kind of doctor gives that answer? The whole time I was in the room with him he kept his back to me while I was talking to him. The only time he looked at me was when he looked into both eyes only once and said everything is ok, which it is NOT. He is only interested in chasing the money and is not concerned one bit about his patients. I will NEVER recommend him to anyone. Do your research and find a Dr who cares and is concerned. read more

You may be a good Dr but you run the equivalent of a stockyard taking too many patients and being totally disrespectful of your patients and care givers time. "Appointments" (4 so far) each run over 2 hours. All involve hours of waiting and a few minutes of care. I've never had to wait for any Dr as long as your office. Clearly your practice is more about $$. No problem with the medicine but I want your patients to know they are signing up for extreme frustration and hours of waiting. Take a few less patients and show some more caring. read more

I was very pleased with the hospitality I received on my date of surgery.. The surgery went as planned and I am very pleased with the results. I am looking forward to the full recovery and the ability to see without needing Contacts or glasses which I have had for the past 30 years.. thank you Dr. Mandel and staff for making my experience very pleasant. Thanks J.Odom read more

Dear Dr. Mark Mandel and Staff, It's been a month since my procedure. I didn't want to give a review sooner because I was worried this feeling of "too good to be true" would go away. Ha! I just had my month after post-op check-up, and everything looks and feels great! A few highlights - The unknown can be really nerve-racking, so the days leading up to the surgery were probably the most difficult - but your team was there to answer all my questions promptly, patiently, and kindly. Their confidence in you and the process gave me the comfort and confidence I needed. The surgery went so smooth, it's hard to even really fathom the amount of effort that goes on behind the scenes as well as the insane amount of technology that has gone into making this procedure even possible. But what really struck me and has stood out, was that you personally were right behind me the entire time (although it was really only a 5 minute procedure), you were talking me through the process, encouraging me, and letting me know that everything was going according to plan. This detail... I mean.. it's hard to really even find words to tell you how grateful I am. It meant a lot to have you there. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. The same day, after surgery, and into the following post-op day - I was patiently waiting for my eyes to feel sore, or rough, or to experience some sort of pain. I kept thinking that perhaps the anesthetics hadn't worn off, and surely into the evening things would turn worse. Yet, my eyes felt fine. The following morning, when I took off the protective screens, I could see clearly! It honestly feels like a miracle. It can't be true. But it is. Reading things that I previously couldn't without glasses has now become my favorite game! Ha. I just want to say, THANK YOU! The entire experience has been a real blessing, from pre-screening, through the procedure, and now in post-op care, your team has been fantastic. Thank you so much again for the extremely awesome service and care. God bless, read more

Dr. Mandel completely botched my eye surgery. I can barely see with one eye. He didn't even do any direct follow-up on me post eye surgery and left that to the optometrist. He has barely taken any measures to fix my eye. He acts like it's just a matter of fact that I can no longer see properly with my right eye and it is what it is. read more

I had my Lasiks (custom) done back in 2006. My eyes were -9, legally blind. They warned me that with that eyesight, I probably will not get the full 20/20 vision. I, also, had dry eyes, which he treated before I had the procedure done. If they couldn't get my dry eyes under control, he would not have done the procedure, I totally respect that. I had astigmatism, as well. Well... I ended up having 20/20 vision doing the custom lasiks (I do not remember the proper terminology they used). I, actually, initially didn't want to do the procedure but my husband convinced me to because if I lost my glasses or a contace, I wouldn't be able to drive. I am super happy with the results. It has been 17+ years and, due to age, I am only needing glasses when I drive at night, but even then, I could still drive, just need to be more attentive. My husband watched the procedure back then and he said Dr. Mandel had the most steadiest hands he'd ever seen and it was a quick procedure. read more

I left three messages to make an appointment and never heard back from them. I could never get through to a person. Started to think they aren't real. How can you do business like that? read more

I am in my 50s and had cataract surgery for both of my eyes recently. After the surgery, my vision is 20/20. After failing the DMV vision test before the surgery, I'm like a newborn again. I am glad that I chose to pay extra money to have multifocal lenses, so now I don't have to wear glasses or contact lenses. I strongly recommend Dr. Mark Mandel to do the surgery. read more

Dr. Mandel's team and office were great, and provided a lot of care and support for my lasik surgery. They provided a lot of resources and paid attention to a lot of details regarding the surgery, and pre/post op steps, concerns, and everything in between. I went into the office nervous and unsure about the surgery, and felt 100% more reassured with my choice to have lasik after being informed of everything, and I have 0 regrets with my choice after the surgery. read more

What a amazing facility the whole staff was just wonderful they make you so calm and relax would recommend anybody considering the procedure to go to them amazing experience an amazing results dr. talks to you the whole time through the procedure which is very quick walking into the doctors office is almost walking in to a family's house that is how good they treat you there excellent staff read more

Mark R. Mandel, MD - Ophthalmologists Near Me - Hayward, California

This review is about my cataract consultation *only* with Dr. Mandel. He was highly recommended to me and I understand he is an excellent surgeon so this review is not a reflection of his skill as an eye surgeon, but his terrible attitude. I found his staff to be very good and the people who do the preparatory eye work were fine. Good onboarding process. Friendly and competent. His office sends you easy to understand information to review, an informative video to watch and follow up with an appt reminder. His staff is the ONLY reason for the two star review. Separately, I would rate them 4 stars. For Mandel himself, I am giving a 1 or ZERO if I could.   As for the consultation, I found it to be a big disappointment, which is the kindest word I can use. Maybe he was tired, having a bad day or just burned out, but I found him to be dismissive and condescending when I asked a question or maybe I should say *tried* to ask a question. He interrupted me more than once.   One of the first questions he asked me was about my insurance and why I wasn't seeing a doctor that took my insurance. I can pay out of pocket and was fully expecting to, so not sure why he was so concerned about it. Usually the front office deals with insurance issues and payment. I explained that any time I have *any* surgery I get 2-3 opinions and was fully prepared to pay out-of-pocket if I chose him as my surgeon. He didn't seem to like that answer, muttered something about "these people" and "can't afford it" and then he just turned off after that. He also had the tendency to talk with his back to us even when not taking notes so not exactly an open and engaging guy.   For example, I would start to ask a question and he would cut me off and gave me an answer to a question that he *thought* I was going to ask, not what I actually was *going* to ask. This happened a couple of times. Every time I expressed a concern or question he had an impatient and incomplete manner of answering--the vibe I got was, "My life would be so much better if I didn't have all these annoying patients to deal with!". The end of the consultation could be summed up like "Here's the two options you can have. Up to you! Whatever! Bye!" No pros and cons of each lens given or examples of other patient's experiences with my prescription or why or why not I might prefer one lens over the other. He seemed to think that the fact I would see my floaters more clearly after surgery was funny because he chuckled and made a joke about it. What is funny about a patient's diminishing eyesight?? My spouse was there too and got the same impression. After the consultation, I was like, "Am I crazy or was he a big jerk?" And he was like, "Nope! He was a jerk!"   The material said that I would be "guided" through the options but the final choice would be up to me. I definitely got the "up to me" part but received none of the "guidance" part.   It seems like a lot of the money has gone into their marketing. They have a good video to watch but I didn't feel I learned much more after the consultation than before it. I felt so deflated and discouraged walking out of the appt after hearing such wonderful things about him and getting my hopes up. For a $300 consulting fee I expected *way* more and certainly not to be insulted, cut off and dismissed. Talk about feeling ripped off!   I can't say don't go to him because I cannot fairly evaluate his surgical skills, but just be potentially prepared for a lack of compassion and empathy. If you're the type of person who says, "My Dr. doesn't have to be my buddy, he just has to do good surgery!", then this might be your guy, but I like to have at least a respectful rapport with my doctor and trust in him or her. Maybe he'll be less grumpy when you see him. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ He likes to bill himself as a "doctor's doctor" which might be right because due to what I experienced he certainly wasn't a patient's doctor. :(   However, if you are looking for a compassionate, respectful and skilled cataract surgeon, you might try either Dr. Patel from the Turner Eye Institute in San Leandro or if you have Kaiser insurance, Dr. Glantz out of Kaiser Pleasanton. I consulted with both and they gave EXCELLENT consultations, more what I expected from Mandel and was never to receive. It was like night and day seeing Drs Patel and Glantz. vs. Mandel. I felt hopeful that there was a good solution for my cataracts and I felt more knowledgeable about the various procedures and options leaving their offices. They were well worth their consultation fee. read more

I just had lasik by Dr Mandel. I was very nervous leading up to it but it happened so fast I didn't even have time to worry! It was amazing. The office staff was very very nice and talked me through everything happening. Cannot say enough good things about my experience! Highly recommend. And now I have 20/20 vision read more

I would like to add that at approximately 4 weeks after my left eye cataract surgery I had 20/20 except for missing one letter on the eyesight chart and today at 6 weeks my left eye vision is clear and sharp read more

I've had several procedures with Dr. Mandel and his staff and have always found them professional, efficient, and friendly. I have always been impressed with how much help and information they provide to make the process of pre and post surgery chores easier. I highly recommend Dr. Mandel and his entire team. read more

Got my LASIK done a few weeks ago at Dr.Mandel's center and I am very happy with the results! The staff were extremely professional and explained the process and what I should expect very clearly making the whole experience simple and stress-free. I would highly recommend Dr.Mandel! read more

Great experience, friendly, professional, amazing results. Highly recommend! Wish I would have done Lasik sooner!