Dr Jawad Ahmad is phenomenal! Of all the offices they work out of PISMO Beach is by far the most upbeat front office staff ever. Demi has a contagious smile and laugh and her professionalism is top notch! Thank you for the outstanding care and dedication to get my right eye normal again! read more

Excellent customer service, very friendly at front desk , and in general a good experience

Pacific Eye Surgeons has the best Ophthalmologists and Optometrists in the Central Coast of California! I was recently refracted (Glasses Prescription was updated) by Dr. Oh at OPTICAL CONCEPTS, and she got me to see 20/20! Dr. Oh also informed me that my previous glasses prescription (from another state) was too strong, so she reduced the strength to limit eye strain! I love the friendly staff at all the offices! At OPTICAL CONCEPTS, Tasha, Charlene, Denise, and Nick are all amazing Opticians! Mayra at the Front Desk is always so warm and welcoming! If you're looking for an Eye Doctor's office that prioritizes compassion and care, look no further! read more

From check in to appointment with Dr. Oh and choosing new frames my experience was exceptional! Jasiel and Demi at the front desk were both very pleasant! My appointment was at 1:30. Cheri brought me back and checked me from my eye pressures. I met with Dr. Stephanie Oh,O.D. I found her very pleasant and thorough with my eye exam. First time meeting her. Lucy Gonzalez was also very helpful with helping me with my new prescription for glasses. I also had and old pair of glasses that she help with the new Rx for a second set. I have been coming to Pacific Eye for quite a while now and have always had a nice experience with this office! Keep up the wonderful work and the for always being so helpful! Barbara Washington read more

This is the second year I see Dr. Class for my annual eye exam, he did a great job both times. My prescription is on point. He also had the patience with my daughter to find her the right prescription for hard contacts. We are both very happy with our visits here. The office staff is also great! From the receptionist in the front to the Dr's. Assistants and their selection of frames. Overall I recommend scheduling your next eye exam with Pacific Eye. read more

I have been a patient of Dr. Craig Merrill for more than a decade, and have always been treated with care & dignity. The reception staff has always been courteous, helpful and pleasant. Dimi has always gone above & beyond, helping me when I had a problem, and always has a smile for everyone she encounters. She makes everyone feel special and is never too busy to help any way she can. And Dr. Merrill is one of the most brilliant people I have ever met. I was referred to him over 10 years ago, and he has since proved to be a blessing to this 78 year old woman! Thank you, Dr. Merrill, Demi and all the others who have made each visit pleasant. You are the BEST. read more

Although this is not my first time visiting pacific, I, it was my first time as a regular patient after my optometrist.Retired. Please forgive the errors.I'm speaking into my phone. There is not much I can add to all this positive comments about pacific eyes care. Everyone was extremely kind and helpful.Doctor o is amazing. Lucy is the best at helping you find just the right glasses for your face.And for your personal preferences. She was patient about trying on many pairs of glasses and extremely sweet. I could say you won't regret choosing pacific.Eyes for your optical needs. read more

It is always difficult for receptionists to manage all the tasks and personalities that come their way. Many time this results in an unpleasant receptionist. But at Pacific Eye's Pismo office they have Demi. She takes whatever comes at her as an opportunity to provide a helpful , pleasant, problem-free experience. Demi was a breath of fresh air. ( and competency); she made my visit so pleasant. Thank you Demi. read more

Office Experience.. I've been needing some information for my own records and Demi was able to research and provide me with the additional information I had ask for in a timely manner. I'd been called out of town on a family emergency and I was delighted when she offered to mail to me. She's a gem and a pleasure to talk to each and every time. Thanks again .. read more

Dr. Oh is an amazing optometrist! She is kind and took the time needed to explain all my questions patiently. Her medical assistant, Darren, made me feel comfortable even though I often feel very awkward at any medical appointments. My glasses came out great and the opticians, Lucy and Alexis, are the best in town! read more

The staff at Pacific Eye is fantastic . Everyone from reception, technicians and doctors are friendly and caring. Specifically I would like to shout out to the receptionist, Demi, who was handling the duties of two people in a friendly and efficient manner. Would also like to acknowledge Dr. Merrill for his skill and professionalism. Thank you all for the great care for my eyes. read more

1- Had to make 3 trips to get my Glasses ordered then they were not supplied as ordered. *Will be returning on trip #4. 2- Girls in the office need "Professionalism" training. Extremely loud, discussing personal experiences (Partying etc) in a very small office space while patients experience long wait times. Privacy doesn't seem like a priority either. read more

Everyone was wonderful from checking in, to the tech who did the initial testing and eye drops, to Dr. Higgenbothom, and to checking out. Dr. Higgenbothom was thorough and explained everything really well regarding my eyes. I was a bit nervous as I had not had a full eye exam in over 20 years. Everyone put me at ease and I feel much better about my eyes and moving forward with the best care. Thank you to Dr. Higgenbothom and the entire staff at Pacific Eye. read more

pacific Eye is the BEST. Dr. Higgenbothom is wonderful, thorough and caring. I have complete trust in him. The staff at the Pismo Beach office are professional, courteous and skillful. Demi is just amazing on the front desk, even when she is alone and lots of patients are lined up. Her good humor never wavers! read more

The care of my first visit I received from Dr. Robert Higginbothan was exceptional. He listened attentively to my concerns, after searching for a good ophthalmology the last 25 years, I finally found excellent care, in this area , I have to thanks the entire team, clinic location at 931 Oak Park Blvd Suite 201 Pismo Beach , Ca 93449 I encountered a high level of professionalism and made me feel comfortable throughout my first visit. I can't thank him and his crew enough for the special care you have provided me and for the unique gift you are to your patients Doc, not only that but Dr. Higginbotham made it easy to me since he speaks Spanish and German languages. See you on my next visit.- read more

Demi has to be one of most friendly and efficient medical person's I have seen. She's the same great personality every time I come in. Thanks. Joe Richards read more

Unprofessional as it gets and terrible customer service! Made my appointment 4 weeks in advance, responded to three reminders that " yes I will be there" Set my alarm, arrived early to complete new patient paperwork, all as a courtesy to the office. Then put in a room and was told " The Dr. will be right in you are here first appointment" after 15 minutes I walked into the hallway and asked a tech where was my Dr? and was told " she will be right in". 15 minutes later after waiting for 30 minutes with NO conact from anybody is the office, I walked out again and asked another Tech when was I going to be seen as I had been waiting for 30 min. Two techs looked for the Dr. and could not find her, then was told by the front receptionist she had not even arrived yet. Such disrespect for a new customer, or any patients time! I walked out and will never recommend this place to anyone. read more

Dr. Amir performed my Lasix surgery in 2001. Office staff was great. My eyes are still 20/20, pretty good considering my vision was 20/400 pre-op. You know the big E on the eye chart, I couldn't see it read more

I wish I had looked at Dr. Merrill's reviews before making an appointment. He entered the room and started arguing with staff members about information they had entered into the computer. He then ordered the ophthalmic tech to re-refract me. The also ill-tempered tech argued back that he had a pre-op patient to attend to. When I shared with Dr. Merrill my fears about getting transportation to and from surgery he looked at me coldly and said, "It can be done. It can be done." End of conversation. One reviewer said Dr. Merrill responded defensively to everything the patient asked or said. Another reviewer wrote, "Dr. Merrill is arrogant and impersonal. After keeping me waiting for almost an hour past my appt time, he rushed into the exam room, never introduced himself, did a cursory exam of my eyes and concluded there was nothing he would do to correct my vision problem resulting from cataract surgery. Why, I asked. Because he didn't feel we had a good rapport." I don't think Dr. Merrill respects women or senior citizens and their concerns, needs, and opinions. Maybe it is time for Dr. Merrill to retire and his staff to move on to jobs at which they can thrive and be happy. read more

This review is more reflective of the front office staff than of the doctors or exams. I arrived for my 1:00 pm appointment approximately 5 minutes early. I was instructed to sign in on the clipboard to which I did. I waited approximately 20 minutes and then went back up to the counter. I wanted to confirm if everything was okay with my appointment and that I did not miss my name being called. She said people were just coming back from lunch but wasn't sure why there was a delay. At 1:40 I went back to the counter this time to a different person. I asked if I should reschedule my appointment since it had been 40 minutes of waiting. I was then told that I had not come back to the counter to check in therefore I was not checked in correctly. I attempted to explain that I had been back but was met with an extreme level of sarcasm that I decided it was best for me to just leave. I was really amazed at how unprofessional the front counter people were. Sad experience for sure. read more

I had cataract surgery in both eyes at Pacific Eye. The first surgery was a horrible experience: expensive tests that were unnecessary and not covered by Medicare, expensive lens that was not covered by Medicare and introduced astigmatism that wasn't there before surgery, arrogant and uncaring surgeon and support staff, and long waits for each office visit. Decided to try a different PacEye surgeon for the second eye, but the end result was even worse. Now I'm stuck with bad vision that a third PacEye surgeon says cannot be repaired. I feel Pacific Eye is more interested in maximizing the money made on each patient than providing quality eye care. read more

My 97-year-old mother had an alarming reaction in and around her eye; we had no clue what it was. Urgent Care got us referred in to Pacific Eye on an emergency appointment, where my mother was cared for by Dr. Merrill. It turned out that the reaction was shingles, which can be quite dangerous to her eyesight and overall well-being. Dr. Merrill's treatment arrested the advance of the infection and helped my mother recover. We had a follow-up appointment 5 days later. His care was spot-on. His enthusiasm about my mother's recovery was heartfelt. At the end, he took my mother's hands in his and impressed upon her how well she was doing and could continue to do with a really personal chat between the two of them. It was quite lovely. So the eye care was critical, the medical attention was spot-on, and the personal attention was really quite unique and treasured. read more

I have seen dr chowins, dr Mitchell and today dr Merrill ! Never had a bad experience here! Dr Merrill is awesome especially for someone who doesn't like their eyes touched !! Girls up front are nice and friendly as well as Wyatt Earp lol in the back ! This place us great! read more

I went for an appointment at the Pismo facility and I was very dissatisfied with my exam. First I waited too long and second, the worst thing was when I finally had my exam, the Dr. that gave me my exam smelt like an ASHTRAY, I wanted to tell him to go use some mouthwash and cologne and come back.... NASTY and nauseating smell for anyone, especially a former smoker, this needs to be addressed with all Dr.'s, it's very important, I never have and never will return, it's close to my residence and I would go to San Luis Obispo for an appointment instead !!!! read more

The staff and doctor is friendly and personable. I truly feel I was getting the best care and service. Very clean and I felt safe with all the worry with Covid. read more

I've seen Dr Amir since 2003, great bedside manor and through when it comes to eye health. I've had cataract surgery and after minor laser correction. He's helped with dry eyes, and eye infections. read more

After seeing a doctor at CHC on an emergency visit, my husband was referred to Sheppard Eye Center. Unfortunately they were not able to see him in a timely manner, so I called to see if Pacific Eye could get him in. They were able to get him right in at the Pismo Beach location. The front and back office staff was friendly and courteous. Dr. Higginbotham is amazing! Dr. Higginbotham is friendly and knowledgeable, he put us both at ease during a stressful situation. He was able to remove a piece of metal from my husband's eye. We were seen in a timely manner. read more

This has to be the worse practice I have encountered in my life I have been a patient for years and I have seen pretty much every smart ass doctor here and my own personal experience has just Been unsatisfactory from. The phone system they have to the bad service they provide I just had enough of their incompetence read more

If your looking for the worst customer service, then the Pismo office is the place for you. Trying to get a hold of anyone on the phone is impossible. read more

I have simply been abandoned as a post-op cataract patient. The light adjustable lens I paid an EXTRA $3500 for (LAL) is generally adjusted 2-3 weeks post-op. After one month of no contact I started to call the office myself. On the first call I had to leave a message. After two days of no response I called and someone answered and assured me I would get a call back from a "scheduler" and that never happened. This week, fully five weeks post-op, I called again and left a message. Eventually, someone called to say the scheduler would get right back to me...again, no return call. Today, I called again and had to leave a message. The information I managed to acquire in the one, brief conversation indicated there were (LAL) patients who had had the same surgery as I did more than 2 weeks after me were already going through multiple rounds of adjustments. The surgery on my second eye, which was tentatively set for 5 days from today is simply been forgotten or not followed up on. Honestly, I have ZERO confidence in their entire program and staff. The single star was earned because I tolerated the procedure well and had no post-operative complications read more

Appointment was at 3pm. We waited over an hour for a room. It seems this office is nothing but greedy by over booking!!!!! read more

went here for eye exam and they dilated my pupils with some eye drops. What they didn't say was that my eyes would be super sensitive to white light for about the next 5 hours. It was 1130am when I left...which meant mid-day and super bright. They didn't give me any special sunglasses to block this when I left. I had to drive home with every white light and reflection burning into my eyes. Very unsafe. Not only was it sloppy it was dangerous. read more

I have relied on Pacific Eye for my vision checkups and eyeglass prescriptions going way back. My occupation (now retired) was in diagnostic imaging (X-ray, CT, MRI and Nuclear Medicine). My side occupation was and still is photography. Visual acuity is essential in both of these and was never an issue for me because of annual eye exams and prescription adjustments normal to the aging process. I was told that I was in the early stages of developing cataracts a couple of years ago. In the past year this progressed rapidly to the point of needing cataract surgery. Now 1 month post-surgery my vision is 20/20 without glasses for distances greater than about 3 feet for the 1rst time in 40 years. The staff at Pacific Eye was always friendly and efficient during the planning process, the procedure was quicker and easier than most dental procedures. Dr. Merrill was always pleasant and concise in explaining the procedure and the rare but possible complications of this most common procedure in the US. I give Pacific Eye and Dr. Merrill 5 stars for my experience with them. read more

I had cataract surgery on March 15th in right eye which was needed. My husband said I will see the difference and will be delighted that I made that decision. Even my brother-in-law sang the song "You can see clearly now". My reaction was not that gleeful. Saw my Doctor who said everything looks great. I was very meticulous to follow instructions given to you about drops, eye shield, no water in eye, etc. One week after the surgery I felt like I had sand in the eye, glass shrapnel in the eye, or a contact lens that needed lubricating. Still used by drops and lubricating drops. Nothing was alleviating the misery. Called the help desk 2 days after seeing the Doctor who did surgery to tell the help desk Doctor my dilemma; eyelids were swollen and tearing a lot (in misery). He said quit the drops, use drop lubrication, cold compress. Monday no relief, eyelids worsen. Called for an appointment but if you call their call service you realize it is not useful. Never got back to me on Monday, so called on Tuesday (was desperate as I am one who does not complain about pain but this with the eye I could not endure). Midmorning call center got back to me to let me know I could have an appointment on Wednesday; asked if I could have one sooner they said no. So went to office in Pismo to seek help, they sent me to San Luis office which I was delighted thinking I would get relief. No I had to go back to the Pismo Office to see a Medical Doctor. I saw Dr. Higginbotham and it was a miracle. After explaining my situation he was articulate, thorough in the examine, his assistants fantastic. He knew the cause immediately. It was an abrasion on the upper eyelid that happen during cataract surgery. Put a band aide on the eyelid, said continue with the drops and I will see him again this week for follow-up. Dr. Higginbotham intellect, knowledge and mannerism is superb. I would recommend him to anyone who needs a knowledgeable surgeon. Thank you again Dr. Higginbotham. read more

The assistants do all the work and the doctors defer to them. You are made to feel like you are imposing on them if you are not satisfied with your prescription. The worst part of the experience is having to deal with the woman who issues the glasses to you once the office receives them. She is curt, condescending, and unable to explain the nuances of how lenses work, or in my case, don't work. I wonder if she has any medical training at all. In any case, this is a person who cannot think outside the box or solve problems. I will not return to Pacific Eye, which is really an optometry mill, the fast food equivalent of the more personal single-doctor office we all grew up with and loved, where the doctor begins and ends your treatment, not salespeople who prefer an easy transaction over getting things done right. read more

The staff is rude, incompetent and unsympathetic to your pocketbook. The billing department does not follow up and neither do the technicians!! We have had 3 different frustrating occasions to deal with them. If the doctors were not so well respected, we would never return!! read more

I have been going here for 6 years and the staff are extremely courteous and friendly . The doctors are also very nice and thorough. Today I went to pick out a pair of glasses and Albert was very helpful and with his expertise I picked out a pair of glasses. He also fixed my current pair . The lens popped out when I dropped them at the gym . Also while I was there a client came in to pay 100.00 towards his bill . He hadn't brought the bill with him and because it was on the old system Lisa had to call the billing dept. the client had no patience and just kept repeating and repeating everything at least 6-8 times . She was very professional and had the patience of a saint . She deserves kudos for putting up with this person . She is an asset to your business . read more

Lucky me. Soon after moving to the Central Coast I noticed symptoms of retina detachment in my left eye. I went through this experience a few years ago in my right eye. Suffice i5 to say, it is not a pleasant surgery. I went to Arroyo Grande emergency room on a Sunday morning. They were absolutely fantastic. The Dr. could not do a complete exam, but called Pacific Eye, which was closed. The Dr. arranged for Dr. Class from Pacific Eye to meet me at the office. He unlocked the place, and did a complete exam. He called Dr. Spiegel, the retina specialist, and arranged for us to meet her Monday morning. Dr. Spiegel completed her exam and confirmed I needed surgery. Understand that time is of the essence with a detached retina. The soone it is repaired, the less the damage. Nicky, the office manager spent at least an hour arranging a pre-op and surgery for that afternoon! Amazing. We ran around and got our stuff done, and Dr. Spiegel performed the surgery. She is an absolute angel. Caring, professional and knows her business. Dr. Spiegel is the best. I am now going to meet Dr. Higginbothom for a consultation on on cataract surgery. Cataracts are a side effect of vitrectomy surgery for detached retina. Will update review in the near future. read more

I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Higgenbotham because of blurry vision with my new glasses. Dr. Higgenbotham was knowledgeable and very patient when we discussed my options. Dr. Higgenbotham and his staff scheduled , explained and assisted in completing all the necessary paperwork( the paperwork requires more time then the actual surgery) My surgery was a complete success...I was able to see within hours without any side effects. I will be scheduling surgery for my other eye as soon as possible. Thank you so much Dr. Higgenbotham and staff. read more

Two days ago I had cataract surgery with a Restor lens implant. Dr Higginbotham was my surgeon. I worked in the field of Ophthalmology with both Lasik and Cataract surgeons for over 32 years and have had Lasik and Cataract removal with a lens implant. My results from previous surgeries were amazing and I couldn't have asked for better results, so I thought. One day post-op I was seeing 20/15 with no discomfort, glare or halos when I drove that night. Not only is he an excellent surgeon, he is also kind, explains the procedure perfectly and is very concerned for the well being of his patients. I can't express my gratitude enough and will definitely refer him to my family and friends. Thank you again Dr. from a very satisfied patient. Merry Ellison read more