Here again for my yearly eye exam for diabetes. My appointment was for 2 o'clock. I arrived at 1:33. It is now 254 and I have yet to be seen. The office is empty and I'm assuming I'll be here for another two hours this is horrible. This is the normal experience that we have and nowhere else to go read more

Virginia Ophthalmology Associates - Emptiness - Ophthalmologists Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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From my eye doctor, Dr. Rahmon, eye surgeon Dr. Fernandez, his scheduling assistant Jessica, and the entire staff, this practice sets the bar for outstanding eye care, They have been my trusted providers since 2006, they are very knowledgeable, kind and compassionate. You couldn't be in better hands. The optical shop on premises is also outstanding with associates having decades of experience. read more

This review is regarding the optical shop. The older woman behind the counter was grumpy and dismissive. She was mad about everything. She was mad when I called to inquire about the glasses being ready. It had been more than 2 weeks and other vision appointments were having to be pushed because he still didn't have his glasses to make a proper assessment. Apparently they are short-handed, but she acted as if I should have known that. After two calls, I finally was told to come pick them up "anytime between 9-5." The nicer, younger lady handled every person waiting while the older lady didn't complete one transaction in the 45 min we were waiting. I was told to come by "any time" to pick up my son's glasses, which were nearly $300 dollars. I had to wait for them to do multiple fittings with other patients, instead of them just giving me the glasses that I've already paid for. This place has a sad, boring vibe. It feels like the waiting room from the movie Beetlejuice. I recommend getting glasses elsewhere unless you have lots of time on your hands. Perhaps one person can do fittings and one person can do pickups? Perhaps make appointments for both? If your system doesn't work, change the system. Don't blame people who come in expecting to be helped. This must be the norm for them because one man brought a book to read even though he was just picking something up! For reference, picking up glasses elsewhere took a total of 10 minutes. read more

Virginia Ophthalmology Associates is located on the first floor of the Amelia Building at 855 Kempsville Road in Norfolk. They are in suite 101 which is immediately to your right as you enter through the front entrance of the building. The large private parking lot is more than adequate for the variety of offices and businesses operating out of this building. The lot is kept in good repair and is always clear of trash and debris. The larger part of the lot is in the rear of the building but I prefer to park in the front or on the sides and use the front entrance. If you choose to use the rear entrance you may have to contend with one or more employees or guests smoking cigarettes right in front of the door. I have been coming here for many years and have found all the doctors and their staffs to be of top quality. They are knowledgeable and friendly and efficient. They do everything from routine eye exams to treating and managing eye diseases to complex ophthalmic surgeries. You can also get your spectacles or contact lenses here. They serve all ages from infants to children to adults. The suite is spacious and comfortable enough with plenty of chairs and benches. There are a variety of magazines to peruse while you wait but no televisions to watch. Sadly, there is no available guest Wi-Fi and even more sadly, there is no complimentary coffee, tea or other beverages. In today's day and age these seem like oversights. On my last visit I asked a staff member why they didn't have a coffee station like so many similar businesses. They told me they considered it but feared they may get a bunch of children running around hopped up on caffeine. I just had to shake my head at that response. The front office staff is generally professional and efficient though there is the occasional employee that isn't up to par. I was a little miffed on my last visit when the person on the other side of the check in window didn't look up from her smartphone for a full two minutes. As incredible as it sounds, she was so rapt with her phone screen she didn't know I was standing three feet in front of her. When another check in window cleared I moved there and was taken care of promptly. Overall, I am very pleased with the quality of care I receive at Virginia Ophthalmology Associates. I have confidence in the doctors and staff and that makes all the difference. I greatly appreciate that when I call the business on the phone a real person actually answers. No voicemail, no "leave a message and we'll call you back." Real human contact and help. I will continue my yearly visits for the foreseeable future. read more

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Don't go see Dr. Fernandez unless your prepared to wait 2.5 hrs. It is ridiculous the amount of time and people in this office. this office definitely not being COVID Compliant. I will never go back to this place. Also, I don't really see any better then before the surgery. I paid thousands of dollars to just see okay. My surgery time was less then, my office visit. I'm really unhappy with this place. F - 0 stars read more

This review is for my son Ryan who is under the care of a pediatric specialist due to a common eye disorder. However, they welcome all pediatric patients as well as adults. The practice is located off of Kempsville Rd., not directly across from Sentara Leigh, but close and just West. For those not familiar with the area this is very close to the Virginia Beach/Norfolk line, but it is Norfolk. The building is an attractive professional structure with a mirrored glass exterior. There are plenty of parking spaces and I have never found both the lot and landscaping to not be in top notch condition. When walking in the office you will find that it is a warm and welcoming environment. The optical department is immediately as you enter with displays on your left and the fitting area to your right. The check in area has around four windows and is a little further down on your right. The staffers have never failed to not give a kind smile and provide terrific service when dealing with completing the forms etc. These area also the folks who call to confirm your appt. On my son's last visit they did contact us, but it was the week before he was to arrive which seemed early to me. The waiting room is spacious and there is no feeling of being crowded. It's also clean and neat with reading material on the table. There is also a special room devoted to small children, the kids will love it! There is a really cool display in the center of the waiting room with NFL items, featuring Kelly's Redskins of course. However, there are also Cowboys and Steeler fans looming in the optical department too! Virginia Ophthalmology is a full service practiced devoted to both adult and children and is located on the first floor. On the children's side I believe Dr. Joel Lall-Trail is the only ophthalmologist in the practice, at least he is the only one we dealt with. His staff conducts the initial exam and does a really awesome job with kids, even ones who don't necessarily cooperate that well. If your a new patient of Dr. Lall-Trail's the waits to get on his list can be months unfortunately. However, one thing that you can expect is that an appointment time is kept very close to the actual time. This cannot be always said of others and is something that we truly appreciate. Let me tell you from experience that not all pediatric ophthalmologist are on the same playing field. We have made the mistake and will never do it again. Dr. Lall-Traill is highly respected in the Hampton Roads area and will do a first class examination on your child. This thorough exam could provide an early diagnosis to an underlying problem. Or, more than likely the exam will reveal a run of the mill diminished sight that can be fixed with corrective lens. His bed side manner is really great too and my son has always enjoyed his interaction with him. On our most recent my son had issues with his current prescription, which resulted in a lot of issues at school reading. A great exam was conducted and found that he needed stronger lens. The doctor felt confident that this would remedy my sons issues and I felt extremely relieved. So now onto checking out glasses in the optical area. They have all the major brands including Oakley, Guess Niki and more. So you have seen a kid in a candy store, this is the way my son was when looking for new frames. He loved trying them on and jumped from one case to the next. My son had the honor of being waited on by the optical manager Kelly. She never panicked as he rifled through one frame after another. However, what she did do was got him to quickly focus on the area for his size of face and identified the best colors too. It only took around fifteen minutes to pick out some great looking Niki frames that he loved. A call was placed on the pick up of Ryan's glasses approximately a week after his exam. It was the time frame promised which is also important. A great fitting was again conducted by Kelly who ran through the care and cleaning instructions. My son said "it's like a new world" Yep, they nailed it. Kelly also discussed the warranty and replacement terms on the frames. Everything was very smooth and we were out the door in 15-20 minutes. If your looking for an awesome ophthalmology practice, especially when dealing with children look no further than VO. Bottom line...staff from check-in to check out are friendly and professional. The care my son has received has been nothing short of extraordinary and we will continue to come back for my son's optical needs. read more

Virginia Ophthalmology Associates - Front - Ophthalmologists Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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my daughter is 18 months old and this is where we go. for starters her eye doctor is absolutely amazing. he's super patient and understanding and does not seem to get irritated or annoyed with crying kids (and mine cried A LOt). he was super informative and made sure to ask if we had any questions. we also did not have a long wait time! they got us back quickly! all in all it was really well! only reason i didn't give 5 stars is because it takes anywhere from 3-6 months to get an appointment unfortunately. read more

Fantastic office. Dr. Lall-Trail has been wonderful for both our kids, including one successful surgery. Dr. Fernandez is also a great surgeon and kind man. Great place! read more

This place is churn and burn. They book appts every 10 mins hoping people won't show up and you sit with many others. You'd think this was a public health dept but prices are high and wait is long. And the staff doesn't care. read more

After everything I went through with my negative experience with Dr. Fernandez and Pam, surgery scheduler, they had the nerve to send me a bill for $10 that was supposedly more than 60 days past due. If I did not pay it by the beginning of October, they were going to send me to collections. This $10 is from my visit in June where when I was checking out the incompetent checkout person did not ask me for a co-pay. I would definitely find another practice who specializes in cataract surgery or even a regular eye exam as I wouldn't want these people to examine my dog. read more

eye mill. poor customer service. appointments chaotic. poor customer service. office staff unhelpful

Dr Mark Fernandez at Virginia Ophthalmology Associates has been my eye doctor for over 10 years and I have never been disappointed. He diagnosed an unusual condition in my eyes and successfully treated it. He never recommends anything I don't need. He has never been rushed and always explains things well to me. I also know VOA would never overcharge me for any procedure I might need. I can't recommend this practice highly enough. read more

Care is reasonable as long as you have tons of time to waste. After 10 years, I finally opted for another provider due to waiting, on average, over an hour after my scheduled appointment time for the doctor to show up. Never did the doctor offer an excuse or an apology. The patient's time is meaningless to them. read more

This is a great facility and excellent doctors. One of the only eye physicians that have a neuroopthamologist in the region. I used to have to go to John Hopkins for the same service. They staff is excellent and waiting area is very roomy. read more

Virginia Ophthalmology Associates - Ophthalmologists Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

I could not recommend Dr. Mark Fernandez more highly. He was the first physician I ever trusted to perform my vision correction. He is a Duke University Medical School graduate with incredible post graduate training. He is friendly and fun and treats the patient in an affable manner. Do not hesitate to see this eye surgeon for PRK surgery. I still cannot believe that I can see without eyeglasses anymore -- thanks to Dr. Fernandez. Very grateful! Joyce P. read more

Very professional and great staff! The Drs are some of the best! Will only be coming here for my eye exams.

I don't ever write reviews although I do think they are important. My daughter had to get glasses at 10-months old. She was born premature and has had numerous medical issues. We ordered her glasses through Virginia ophthalmology associates last year. We were told there would be a 1-year warranty for scratches. Well, apparently they don't tell you a kit their fine print for the warranty...because there isn't. How do you expect that a 20 month old would not get scratches. Well, my husband and I are both active duty military and have transferred out of state. I called today because my daughter needs new lenses. The only option they have is for me to send her glasses to them, with a $6 check of course for shipping and handling. It will take about a week and half for them to repair her glasses. My daughter's prescription is so severe that the doctors wouldn't be able to correct it with surgery. There's no way I am going to have her go around for almost 2 weeks without glasses. They told me I could go ahead and buy a 2nd pair. Really?! We have a warranty and you want me to go pay almost $300 to get new glasses. It makes no sense that there is no alternative. I asked if they would refund us the amount for her lenses so we could repair them here. No. I asked if we could repair them and mail the invoice along with her old lenses and get the refund. No. Out of all of the things we have to worry about with our daughter this should be the easy one, but it's not. Thanks a lot for your efforts in going the extra mile and not letting NO be your answer. It boggles my mind how quick businesses are to say no to everything without trying to help. Guaranteed there's another way this could be handled, but they don't care enough. They got their money already. read more