Spiro Constance Od

Upside: he has a cinematic personality- unique, charming and unusual. If I didn't do any research, I would have been enthralled with him as an optometrist, like some of the other reviewers. more

Upside: he has a cinematic personality- unique, charming and unusual. If I didn't do any research, I would have been enthralled with him as an optometrist, like some of the other reviewers.\r \r Downside:\r \r 1) He insisted I buy the contacts from him as well as getting the prescription. He refused to give me a copy of the prescription right away. Anther patient also reported difficulty getting a prescription copy from him if they don't fill their prescription with him. According to the California Board of Optometry, Federal Trade Commission regulations require that the patient may choose to ""purchase contact lenses from a third party"", and also that ""Eyeglass prescriptions must be released immediately following the eye exam. Contact lens prescriptions must be released immediately upon completion of the eye exam or the contact lens fitting (if a fitting is necessary)"", ""whether requested or not.""\r \r If this is true Dr. Constance is violating federal law and abusing patient's legal rights.\r \r But that isn't the worst thing!\r \r 2) Checking on lens(dot)com, allowing a standard fee for the eye exam, he charged me well nearly 4x the online retail price for the contacts. Caveat emptor!\r \r But that isn't the worst thing!\r \r 3) The prescription for one eye never seemed right, the vision is a little blurry through the contacts, and I never had that problem before. Another reviewer reported getting an incorrect prescription. He did have a lot of trouble, and many tries, to get a final prescription.\r \r But that isn't the worst thing!\r \r 4) He claimed to be prescribing me an expensive brand of contacts. Checking the manufacturers website, they were in fact the least expensive,low end of the brand, with a low oxygen permeability.\r \r Oxygen permeability affects eye health, and doctors are saying the newer second and third generation, extremely high permeability silicon hydrogel lenses are much healthier. But I was prescribed old style, very low permeability, inexpensive lenses which cause undesirable changes in the eye.\r \r Check out, for example, the third generation silicon hydrogel Comfilcon A. It's eye opening. There are other second and third generation materials. The permeability of the old material lenses he prescribed is many times less than the newer materials.\r \r That's the worst thing. My eye health is the priority here. I don't want to compromise it for anyone's profit.\r \r 5) He didn't allow me to have a preference for brand or type of contacts, (which would not have allowed him to sell me inexpensive contacts at an inflated price.)\r \r 6) He also told me that, for getting my glasses prescription filled, other optical shops did very poor work, and I should buy them from him.\r \r Much better way to go on all counts for prescriptions, contacts and glasses: lenscrafters dot com, lens dot com, firmoo dot com. To order glasses online, make sure to get the left and right PD on your written prescription, and use an old pair of glasses that fit well for size measurements.) more

upside:\r \r 1) He is a very likable guy who likes animals. A unique character.\r \r 2) He is able to speak super-persuasively about his unique ability as an optometrist. He convinced me he was the best.\r \r 3) He has an efficient and friendly receptionist.\r \r 4) He has a convenient location.\r \r downside:\r \r 1) He didn't allow me to have a preference for brand or type of contacts.\r \r 2) He insisted I buy the contacts from him as well as getting the prescription (which may be illegal).\r \r 3) He claimed to be prescribing me an expensive brand of contacts. Checking the manufacturers website, they were in fact the least expensive,low end of the brand.\r \r 4) Checking on lens(dot)com, allowing a standard fee for the eye exam, he charged me well over 3x the online retail price for the contacts. Caveat emptor.\r \r 5) Oxygen permeability affects eye health, and doctors are saying the newer second and third generation, extremely high permeability silicon hydrogel lenses are much healthier.\r But I was prescribed old style, very low permeability, inexpensive lenses which cause undesirable changes in the eye.\r Check out, for example, the third generation silicon hydrogel Comfilcon A. It's eye opening.\r The permeability of the old material lenses he prescribed is many times less than the newer materials.\r \r 6) The prescription for one eye never seemed right, the vision is a little blurry through the contacts, but although I never had that problem before, I cannot be sure that is due to his giving me an incorrect prescription.\r \r 7) He also told me that, for getting my glasses prescription filled, other optical shops did very poor work, and I should buy them from him.\r \r I am willing to pay more buying locally, but charging about four times as much, and misrepresenting an inexpensive lens as an expensive one, is not fair business practice.\r \r If I didn't do the research, I would have had as good an opinion of him as the other reviewers. Do your research. If the same person is prescribing and selling to you, the profit motive is not on your side.\r \r It's also likely that patients with insurance coverage are treated more fairly.\r \r Lenscrafters has many convenient locations, has a low price for an exam, will consider your preference in contact lens types and materials, and will let you fill your prescription online.\r \r Also, I have had great results with filling my eyeglass prescriptions very inexpensively online, for example firmoo; the lenses are better than any I ever bought locally at fraction of the price. (Make sure to get the left and right PD on your written prescription.) more

upside:\r \r 1) He is a very likable guy who likes animals. A unique character.\r \r 2) He is able to speak super-persuasively about his unique ability as an optometrist. He convinced me he was the best.\r \r 3) He has an efficient and friendly receptionist.\r \r 4) He has a convenient location.\r \r downside:\r \r 1) He didn't allow me to have a preference for brand or type of contacts.\r \r 2) He insisted I buy the contacts from him as well as getting the prescription (which may be illegal).\r \r 3) He claimed to be prescribing me an expensive brand of contacts. Checking the manufacturers website, they were in fact the least expensive,low end of the brand.\r \r 4) Checking on lens(dot)com, allowing a standard fee for the eye exam, he charged me well over 3x the online retail price for the contacts. Caveat emptor.\r \r 5) Oxygen permeability affects eye health, and doctors are saying the newer second and third generation, extremely high permeability silicon hydrogel lenses are much healthier.\r But I was prescribed old style, very low permeability, inexpensive lenses which cause undesirable changes in the eye.\r Check out, for example, the third generation silicon hydrogel Comfilcon A. It's eye opening.\r The permeability of the old material lenses he prescribed is many times less than the newer materials.\r \r 6) The prescription for one eye never seemed right, the vision is a little blurry through the contacts, but although I never had that problem before, I cannot be sure that is due to his giving me an incorrect prescription.\r \r 7) He also told me that, for getting my glasses prescription filled, other optical shops did very poor work, and I should buy them from him.\r \r I am willing to pay more buying locally, but charging about four times as much, and misrepresenting an inexpensive lens as an expensive one, is not fair business practice.\r \r If I didn't do the research, I would have had as good an opinion of him as the other reviewers. Do your research. If the same person is prescribing and selling to you, the profit motive is not on your side.\r \r It's also likely that patients with insurance coverage are treated more fairly.\r \r Lenscrafters has many convenient locations, has a low price for an exam, will consider your preference in contact lens types and materials, and will let you fill your prescription online.\r \r Also, I have had great results with filling my eyeglass prescriptions very inexpensively online, for example firmoo; the lenses are better than any I ever bought locally at fraction of the price. (Make sure to get the left and right PD on your written prescription.) more

Dr Constance is top notch! So refreshing to get the personal service he gives. He is an old shool dude not PC at all but the best eye doc I ever had He fixed me up perfect and was very fair about his fee. more

Dr Constance is top notch! So refreshing to get the personal service he gives. He is an old shool dude not PC at all but the best eye doc I ever had He fixed me up perfect and was very fair about his fee. more

I just moved to LA and went to one eye doctor and didn't care for him. On a whim, I sent my other half to Dr. Constance, wondering if it was such a good idea to patronize someone with a store front on such a busy street. Lo and behold, Dr. Constance turned out to no only know what he's talking about, but he's a pretty nice, and sometimes hilarious fellow, too. Yes, he makes jokes, but he doesn't do it at the expense of anyone. I owe a special thanks to him because my previous eye doctor used the old puff test to obtain interocular pressures, and Dr. Contance uses a tonometer that is much more accurate. Imagine my alarm when I found out that my pressures were extraordinarily high, only a couple of months after being at the other doctor. I was stunned, but also very thankful. Dr. Constance's device was quite accurate (and the latest in tonometers, I might add). I was eventually treated by an opthalmologist, which is the normal course to take, and I am forever grateful to Dr. Constance for perhaps saving my eyesight. Dr. Constance also doesn't BS about eye glass frames: he knows what looks right and what works. I would send anyone to Dr. Constance who is discriminating and who wants someone to tell them what they need to do. Dr. Constance has been doing eyeglassess and contact lenses for decades, and you can trust that you'll not only get good care, but he doesn't gouge like some other doctors for minor favors. Dr. Constance is also, in my opinion, very entertaining; he doesn't BS and he gives you exactly what you need. We'll definitely recommend him to all who ask. Now, we have to find a internist, a decent dentist, and a decent grocery store! Pros: Knowledgeable, patient, cost conscious, very helpful, and thorough Cons: The office is in need of a bit of a re-do, but you don't go there for interior design... more

I just moved to LA and went to one eye doctor and didn't care for him. On a whim, I sent my other half to Dr. Constance, wondering if it was such a good idea to patronize someone with a store front on such a busy street. Lo and behold, Dr. Constance turned out to no only know what he's talking about, but he's a pretty nice, and sometimes hilarious fellow, too. Yes, he makes jokes, but he doesn't do it at the expense of anyone. I owe a special thanks to him because my previous eye doctor used the old puff test to obtain interocular pressures, and Dr. Contance uses a tonometer that is much more accurate. Imagine my alarm when I found out that my pressures were extraordinarily high, only a couple of months after being at the other doctor. I was stunned, but also very thankful. Dr. Constance's device was quite accurate (and the latest in tonometers, I might add). I was eventually treated by an opthalmologist, which is the normal course to take, and I am forever grateful to Dr. Constance for perhaps saving my eyesight. Dr. Constance also doesn't BS about eye glass frames: he knows what looks right and what works. I would send anyone to Dr. Constance who is discriminating and who wants someone to tell them what they need to do. Dr. Constance has been doing eyeglassess and contact lenses for decades, and you can trust that you'll not only get good care, but he doesn't gouge like some other doctors for minor favors. Dr. Constance is also, in my opinion, very entertaining; he doesn't BS and he gives you exactly what you need. We'll definitely recommend him to all who ask. Now, we have to find a internist, a decent dentist, and a decent grocery store! Pros: Knowledgeable, patient, cost conscious, very helpful, and thorough Cons: The office is in need of a bit of a re-do, but you don't go there for interior design... more

Hours are pretty good and the receptionist is friendly, but everything else leaves much to be desired. The facilities are filthy and reeks of cigarette smoke. Insects crawling around the back of the office (behind the sink area). The exam equipment is old and archaic-looking. The optometrist makes sexist remarks and I overheard him on several occasions making lewd comments about women and calling them ""broads"". Pros: Pretty good hours Cons: Unprofessional demeanor; unclean facilities (e.g., smells like cigarette smoke); inaccurate diagnoses more

Hours are pretty good and the receptionist is friendly, but everything else leaves much to be desired. The facilities are filthy and reeks of cigarette smoke. Insects crawling around the back of the office (behind the sink area). The exam equipment is old and archaic-looking. The optometrist makes sexist remarks and I overheard him on several occasions making lewd comments about women and calling them ""broads"".\r \r Worst of all, I went in for an eye exam and my prescription had changed radically from my old prescription (which previously did not change for many years). Went elsewhere for a second opinion and discovered that my prescription really did not change after all. For these reasons I will not be returning to Spiro Constance again. Avoid at all costs! Pros: Pretty good hours Cons: Unprofessional demeanor; unclean facilities (e.g., smells like cigarette smoke); inaccurate diagnoses more