Kraff Eye Institute

Appts all running behind, front desk struggled to explain pricing. Person who took appt told me they took my insurance. I waited 3 weeks for an appointment and when I arrived it turned out they did not take my insurance. All of their paperwork indicates they have trouble getting paid by any insurer. Red flags — I left. Huge waste of time during workday. Unimpressed. If you are happy to pay out of pocket for eye care and never in a rush, then this office may be fine for you.

Very great staff and doctors.
However, I wish they would inform ahead of time for an extra 50 $ fee for some test, you only are told at the check out when they give you the bill you didn’t expect :/​and be prepared to wait.

Worth every penny!!! Why trust your sight with just anyone! Had better than perfect vision when I awoke from my after surgery nap

Pricey procedure but the cost of perfect vision is priceless.
I’ve always considered LASIK and it was always one of those things in the back of my mind. It wasn’t until a friend of mine who wore glasses daily went to Dr Kraff and got LASIK did I really start considering it. She described waking up and seeing the clock no problem, and even how much her night routine changed not having to take or contacts. She convinced me to go in for consultation, and I’m so glad I did.
The prep– there are maybe 6000 employees here (all female I noted…) that take turns walking you room to room and conducting all sorts of tests. Nothing painful or intrusive, some just kind of weird. Some of the drops make your eyes just feel heavy or itchy. I asked a bunch of questions and Dr Kraff came in at the end to answer them and say hi. He’s clearly done 1000s of these so it appeared very routine to him but was very patient and good at calming nerves if you’re nervous about the procedure.
So I booked it. Only part I didn’t like was the pre opp appointment– they diluted my eyes so much that I couldn’t function for five hours after, looked like Bambi, and was SUPER sensitive to light. Pain wearing glasses and not being able to focus, but it was temporary. I really appreciated the guy at the front desk, I think his name was Larry, who was super chill and funny. I asked him tons of probably annoying questions (prob just out of nerves) and he had a sense of humor about everything that put me at ease. When I asked him what’s the best advice you can give me for the day of survey, he said «take the drugs the nice man gives you.» Lol
The day of the surgery everything went really smoothly. Only waited for like 30 min before I went in. They give you a Valium to relax you (it really did) and the procedure was done way way quicker than I thought it would be. You just look at a target and hear noises and it’s over in seconds. There’s no smell there’s no pain.
Only uncomfortable part was the recovery day-​of (eyes were super itchy and painful for a few hours). But Dr Kraff and the staff prepared me for all of it and made sure I was aware of everything to expect.
I have had several post opp check ins and it’s always a pleasure working with these people. I have PERFECT vision now. Words can’t describe how life changing this procedure is. Yes it’s expensive but honestly my quality of life now w being able to fall asleep without taking out contacts or worry about crushing glasses or buying solution or scuba diving without eye worries is just amazing.
Stop thinking about it and just do it.

After having worn glasses/​contacts with a very high prescription for 23 years, having my vision corrected in minutes by Dr. Kraff was an amazing experience. I had two appointments before the actual surgery and was able to have everything done within a week. The office was caring and made sure I was comfortable at every step. I had dry eyes for a week or so but nothing unbearable. I booked through QualSight which made the process easy and affordable.
I had consultations at other places and this is the only one that felt like a legitimate medical experience and not a sales pitch.

I am 100% satisfied with my experience. Dr. Kraff and his staff are the best. Don’t risk you sight by going to a discount surgeon. Seriously, you want to best vision possible and don’t want to be blind. Dr. Kraff does Lasik for professional athletes who could lose millions of dollars if something went wrong. They trust Dr. Kraff and so should you.
Hint: You can save a ton of money by booking your appointment through QualSight Lasik. I cannot stress this enough. Use QualSight and your HSA and you can get the best Lasik for the same price or cheaper than other places.

Going to Kraff ranks as one of the best decisions I have made! I have always had a very high prescription for nearsightedness and went in for a consultation to another company about 7 years ago. I am now convinced they read the wrong chart when they told me I wasn’t a candidate, they also informed me that I had tons of issues including a hole in my cornea. Surprisingly after that visit no doctor has been able to find these issues they said I had. Fast forward to now, I decided to go in and see what Kraff had to say. Custom Eyes (my optometrists) recommended them as one of the best. After my consultation, Dr. Kraff didn’t see any reason for me not to be a candidate. I was ecstatic, he scheduled me for PRK but said he would evaluate the day of the surgery to see if LASIK would be an option. I scheduled my surgery for this last Monday. I received in the mail on Saturday all my prescriptions I needed to fill and went in on Monday for the surgery. They switched the surgery days due to the Holidays, someone told me typically surgery days are at the end of the week.
Everyone in this office was extremely friendly and professional. They explain every test and what it means. I agree with other reviewers it is a little bit like an assembly line, but I prefer that to chaos. I was nervous the day of the surgery, but everyone put me at ease. You schedule two hours from start to finish, but the first hour is tests that are similar to what you did at the consultation. Dr. Kraff came in and reviewed everything, he then told me I would be a candidate for LASIK, I had read blogs and prepared myself for PRK so this was great news. I was then given a Valium and soon enough my name was called.
There are two rooms, the first is where they do the metal ring and suction with your eye. Everyone in the room put me at ease and constantly talked to me to let me know I wasn’t alone. I then was led to the laser room where another technician took over talking to me and keeping me at ease. Dr. Kraff came in and told me everything that was happening the entire time. After a couple minutes it was over and I was led to discuss post-​op procedures.
The pain did start to set in as my husband led me down State street with all the tourists looking at the Macy lights! Not the best place to be when you can’t see and have a burning pain in your eyes. The next day at my post-​op appointment I was treated with the same professionalism. I have no regrets about going to Kraff and will recommend them to everyone. I know this is a procedure that people don’t think is a big deal since it’s so common, however it’s still surgery and made me nervous. Kraff’s office realizes this and treats each person with respect and takes the time to make you feel comfortable.

I received PRK from Dr. Kraff 4 – 5 years ago (in 2010 I believe). I was scheduled to get LASIK, and when I arrived the day of my surgery; Kraff determined that I would be actually getting PRK.
I understand this sometimes happens, and if it was for the best for my vision and eye health I am so very glad he made this last-​minute decision.
Over the past 2 – 2.5 years, I have had significant vision chances. My right eye had been getting blurrier starting in 2012, to the point that I went to an eye doctor who gave me glasses with the right side script of –1.75 and glass on the left.
The eye has continued to become more and more blurry over time, and my left eye has joined my right in a blurry, squinty party. I called the office and got an appointment with Kraff on the 30^th, he will be giving me an eye exam and we will see where to go from there.
He has given LASIK to both my brother and my ex-​boyfriend, both with great success, so I hope that I can eventually join them!

I was referred to Dr. Kraff from my regular Optometrist @Wear Eyewear in River North for cataract surgery. Everything from my first interaction to the follow up care was extremely professional. The institute definitely has a well-​orchestrated process — you can tell they have this down to a science, with very nice and well-​trained employees doing the initial work, and Dr. Kraff coming in for the final consultation and the actual surgery procedure. Dr. Kraff recommended a monovision approach (one eye for close-​up and one eye corrected for distance vision) and I’m very thankful I went with his suggestion! Couldn’t be happier with the whole process and my (finally) corrected vision. Would recommend Kraff Eye Institute to anyone looking at cataract surgery.

Everything about the experience was great. I had PRK done to correct me –6 vision. I now see ²⁰⁄₂₀. I went to Kraff because I’ve heard for years that if your surgery gets messed up at another eye center, Kraff is where you go to have it fixed. So, why not just start there. I used to Qualsight to book the appointment which was very easy and knocked the price way down. I also use Care Credit to pay for the procedure. It’s a 12 months financing option with no interest if paid in full within 12 months. PRK is different than Lasik. I was a little leary of it at first because the recovery is a couple days longer. I had the procedure end of day Thurs and by Sunday I was totally fine. Slept a lot Friday and Saturday to let my eyes heal. By Sunday I was seeing great and felt great. Would highly recommend. Wish I would have done this years ago.

My PRK Experience
Since I was 9 years old, I have required the use of glasses to see anything at a distance. By the time I was 30 years old, I had a –4.50 prescription for both eyes. I chose to get corrective eye surgery at the shortly after my 30^th birthday.
My sister and a few close friends happen to be optometrists, so I pummeled them for advice. They unanimously said that I should find a place that is not a franchise (like LasikPlus or others), and do my research for the area. I happen to live in Chicago, and the two places that kept popping up were the Kraff Eye Institute and another place. Both came highly recommended, so I decided to go to the next step, which was a free consultation. My three visits would include LasikPlus (since my insurance offered a discount), Kraff Eye Institute, and one other location.
For all visits, I was told to remain out of my contacts for 1 – 2 weeks since contacts alter the shape of your eye, slightly. In order to get accurate measurements, I had to wear glasses for a few weeks. First, LasikPlus told me that I was a candidate for Lasik, and gave me a lot of material to lookover. The visit was a good introduction to Lasik and the world of corrective surgery. I felt like I had a good primer for my other consultations.
When I went to see Dr. Kraff, his staff performed the analysis and took the readings. When he analyzed the results, he told me something surprising. While, he said, I WAS a candidate for Lasik, he would not perform it. He said that I had a risk of developing some side-​effects after the surgery. He COULD perform the surgery, but he would not because in his professional experience, he believed that I would benefit more from PRK. It was a blow to my ego, and I felt like there was something «wrong» with my eyes. (During the day of the surgery, when I was beginning to show signs that I may be a candidate for Lasik, Dr. Kraff made the call to perform PRK. It was a very powerful moment. He looked me in the eyes, and said that we should go ahead with PRK. In his experience, I would have better results and lower risks of side-​effects. Furthermore, he said that if this was one of his family members, he would recommend it to them. I put my trust in him, and agreed to PRK.)
While he was the more expensive of the three, he also seemed the most experienced. And heck, these are MY EYES. I took the advice of my optometrist friends and spent the money. In short, my experience with Dr. Kraff and his staff was great. Professional, courteous, informative — all can be used to describe Dr. Kraff and the staff.
Note: Dr. Kraff is a busy doctor, and he is constantly bustling around from patient to patient. Do not go here if you want to chitchat with your doctor. Dr. Kraff is direct and to-​the-​point. He offers kind smiles, but he’s all business. Some people may be put off by this. I was at first, but in the end I appreciated it.
–MY ACTUAL PRK EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE WONDERING ABOUT PRK–
After the surgery, about a month later, I had ²⁰⁄₁₅ vision! I now see better than my wife!
The results have been totally worth it. I am completely happy with my results.

Last fall I started researching LASIK options. I went to the big chain for a consultation… which was ok, not spectacular but not bad. After talking to optician friends, and hearing horror stories of some of their patients that went to the big chain, I took their recommendation to at least research Kraff. I read many folks on here recommend calling QualSight, which I proceeded to do… told them I’d like a referral to Kraff. They set up my consultation and gave me the referral pricing… which surprisingly was competitive with what the big chain was offering! Unlike the big chain, I got to meet Dr Kraff himself the day of the consultation.
I went ahead with scheduling my LASIK appointment with Dr Kraff in Jan 2015. As of June 2015, everything is still great! My eyes still fluctuate a bit between ²⁰⁄₁₅ and 20/​20, which is just fine with me. All of my follow ups were done by the staff and ended with a quick check by Dr Kraff.
As for the actual procedure… overall it went smooth and as expected. Afterwards I thought I would have time to make a quick trip across the street to the Macys food court, but I was sadly mistaken as the numbing drops started wearing off while standing in line. So quickly headed home and laid in bed a few hours. The amazing part is opening your eyes a few hours later, no glasses, and being able to see!
Summary…go to Kraff! Call QualSight beforehand to get a great deal. And if you have the option, do FSA!

I chose Dr Kraff to do my custom IOL surgery to correct cataracts, farsightedness, astigmatism and complications of the radial keratotomy surgery done in the 80’s by a different surgeon. My corneas were scarred, irregular and thin, with blood vessels growing into the old RK incisions. Truly a surgeon’s nightmare I’m sure.
I could not wear glasses because of the irregular irregularity and my contacts were causing the blood vessels to grow more each year, eventually they would have obscured my vision I was told. Dilemma.
Now I can see well enough to read and drive without correction after the cataracts were removed and a custom lens implanted to correct the astigmatism and farsightedness. MAGIC!
Staff at Dr Kraff’s office, esp Monica, are experienced, efficient and cordial. Wait times were minimal.
Surgery at the 25 E Washington SurgiCenter went smoothly (from my end of the experience) and I healed without problems. Definitely a group of professionals in both places.
Would recommend with no reservations.

I started out by going to a national chain — I’m sure they were fine, but I felt like I was at a used car lot w/​the pitches they were throwing at me — not really answering questions so much as selling me. i never even actually met or saw a doctor, nor was that offered during the consultation. They asked me when I wanted to schedule — I asked if i could talk to the doctor — they said «the day of the surgery». I left.
I talked to my eye doc who said, «go to Kraff.» Totally different experience there.
At Kraff, they really took their time answering all of my neurotic questions, explaining the procedures/​process, and going through comprehensive tests to see what would work best for me. Dr. Kraff came in during the consultation and again went through the same questions and talked to me about what procedure would work best.
The day of the surgery — the only issue I had were my nerves. Which, they really put to rest. The entire staff is incredibly knowledgeable, professional, and great with their patients.
Post surgery and two months later, i’m ²⁰⁄₁₀ and really glad I went through the process. True, I probably could have saved money at the national chain or doing an online coupon — but frankly, I only have two eyes and you want the best when you’re dealing with something like this. Dr. Kraff and his staff really met that expectation.

Kraff Eye Institute is A+ top notch! I can’t say enough positive things about the operation, their staff, or Dr. Kraff. I just had my LASIK procedure and it was such an easy experience thanks to everyone who runs their office.
If you want the best of the best — which when having your eyes lasered, hopefully you do — this is the place to go. Their prices might be higher than others, but call QualSight and see if they partner with your insurance, it saved me almost half.
I have had zero pain throughout the procedure or recovery. The staff made sure all my questions were answered and that I had a comfortable experience, because I was naturally nervous, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
Again, Dr. Kraff and his team were professional, timely, accomodating, and most of all the surgery was a breeze. Thank you so much!

I had researched LASIK surgeons for several months before selecting Kraff Eye Institute. I wanted the most experienced doctor to perform my surgery because, well. it’s your eyes. You shouldn’t settle for less than the best, most qualified surgeons. I live a very active lifestyle, and glasses were getting in the way, so the surgery was something I always wanted to do.
Going through the QualSight referral service was easy and it saved a lot of money for the procedure. After the QualSight pricing was confirmed, I used the whole of my FSA account for the year and only paid an additional $ 500 out of pocket for my LASIK.
Dr. Colman Kraff did my LASIK surgery on 23 January 2015. I am ecstatic over having ²⁰⁄₂₀ vision! I’ve had terrible nearsightedness, and severe astigmatism, since I was 10 years old. Now, I can see clearly, corrective-​lenses free, for the first time in forty years. (Side note: Since I’m 51 years old, I may use drug store reading glasses on very rare occasions, for example, to read that ultra small print on medicine bottles or legal contracts, but all of us need reading glasses, as we age.)
The staff at the Kraff Eye Institue are wonderful. Larry, Ashley, and the rest of the crew are helpful, knowledgable, professional, and very caring. They took care of me through each step of the process from the initial evaluation through the follow-​up, and even clearing up a billing issue that was totally my fault, and not theirs. They even recommended a local opthalmalogist in the suburbs, where I live, so I wouldn’t have to travel back into the city for the one week and one month follow ups. Everything was explained to me, throughoughly, up front.
The day of the surgery went like clock work. Even though they’re a busy practice, I didn’t wait very long in the waiting room. The staff was great in prepping me and Dr. Kraff was great. They walked me through every part of the surgery. The valium helped relax me, and there was only slight pressure on my eyes during the surgery.
After the surgery, I had a couple of uncomfortable hours, but only because I couldn’t fall asleep right away when I got home. After I finally did get some sleep, when I woke up, the discomfort was pretty much gone except for some eye dryness.
My vision still fluctuates, a bit, but that’s normal for the next few months. I’ve had no problems with night vision or halos. My healing has been great (follow the eye drop directions religiously, as well as using the artificial tears a lot).
Thank you, Kraff Eye Institute, for my new vision!

I had my LASIK procedure done by Dr. Kraff last week and could not be happier that I did! I have needed strong vision correction as far back as I can remember (wore a –6.5 Rx and am currently 29 yrs old). My fear of elective eye surgery and the cost had always prohibited me from pursuing LASIK in the past, but I have finally known enough people that have raved about vision correction surgery and been ready to make the investment in my own vision too. I had my free consultation in December, where I did most of the pre-​op testing and measurements, and evaluated my candidacy and goals for the procedure. Dr. Kraff’s office and exam assisting staff were all pleasant, professional, well-​informed, and efficient each time I’ve interacted with them. I had all of my paperwork and instructions written clearly, and questions answered. I even qualified for a pricing discount as my spouse is a physician!
I had my LASIK procedure on a Friday morning, and the correction itself is fairly quick, thankfully. Dr. Kraff and his staff explained everything that would be happening so there would hopefully be no surprises, as being relaxed as possible is important. The discharge instructions were clear and packed up in my post-​op bag with the medicated eye drops. I had a couple of very uncomfortable hours immediately following surgery, but was able to weather through them with just Tylenol and a nap, none of the prescription pain meds needed. Dr. Kraff saw me again the morning following the procedure to check on the healing process, and released me to return to my regular eye doctor for my 1 week and subsequent post-​op appointments.
It’s amazing how well I can already see, and my vision is expected to continue to sharpen as it continues to heal over the next few weeks. I keep adjusting my phantom glasses; my brain hasn’t yet caught up to the idea that my eyes are really doing this on their own! Thank you Dr. Kraff for greatly enhancing my quality of life!

Dr. Kraff was referred to me from a gf that had eye surgery years ago. I was so scared of getting LASIK and I had no idea on where to begin. I made a free consultation to meet with Dr. Kraff and staff and fell in love immediately! Everyone was so nice and helpful. Process was very in and out. they see so many people and they know you have a busy day so they were very efficient. I had my eye surgery a week after my consultation.
Day of they have me a pill to help calm me for the surgery. The whole procedure was maybe 10 mins long. I didn’t feel a thing except like someone was tickling my eyeball. Dr. Kraff kept asking every minute how I was doing and if everything was ok. Honestly the most simple and easy procedure ever. made me wonder why I even was worried.
Recovery was even more simple. Went home took another pill. fell asleep.woke up and aside from a little dryness I was good to go! Fact that I could see without my contacts or glasses perfect vision made me want to cry! I am now few months after my procedure and beyond happy with the results. it was the best thing I ever did and I couldn’t imagine having it done anywhere else!

I had LASIK at Kraff Eye Institute a week ago and in that short time my life has already changed so drastically that I feel like it can barely be called surgical procedure but more like magic!
I’ve worn glasses and contacts since I was twelve and have never loved relying on either of them to see. I finally decided it was time to do something about it and Kraff Eye Institute came highly recommended.
Call me weird but I found the whole experience fun. Every staff member I encountered from the front desk to the various pre-​surgery testing stations were extremely friendly, communicated every step of every test and made me feel very comfortable throughout the entire process.
The results of the surgery were immediate, a little fogginess aside and there was no pain during the surgery. A little burning set in after the numbing drops started to wear off but that was nothing some chicken nuggets, a nap and some pain meds couldn’t fix. I woke up a few hours later and it was like a new world! I was even able to go for an evening stroll that night and test out my new eyes. Still reaching for my glasses every morning and heading to the bathroom to take my contacts out at night only to laugh at myself and send mental thank yous to the entire staff at Kraff!!!

I have done my Lasik correction about a month ago and want to say that I’m happy with all the experience I had with Kraff Eye Institute!
All the staff looks very qualified, confident and crafted. Even though I can tell they have these operations put on stream — they didn’t lose the personal touch and understand that this is a big step for each person that comes there. I was pleasantly surprised to meet Dr. Kraff himself on my pre-​screen exam! I’m pretty sure he is a busy person, but still takes time to meet everyone!
Everyone there was very nice and professional with me and patiently answered any question I had. I don’t think I’ve ever waited for my appointment for more than 5 mins. I also love that they didn’t only tell me what I had to do, but also wrote it down, so I wouldn’t forget. :) They also supplied me with everything I needed. They prepared me what to expect during and after the surgery, so no surprises were there. The only surprise was that it didn’t hurt at all!!! Ever. Not yet sure if I have ²⁰⁄₂₀ vision, cause it’s still getting better and better, but I threw away my glasses the day of surgery and haven’t felt like I needed any since then. Have already used to my awesome vision, but it is such a big miracle that I can’t stop smiling thinking about it! :)
I payed for the procedure through QualSight Lasik — this is kind of insurance company that co-​works with Dr. Kraff. And it saved me about $ 2000!
I definitely don’t want to joke around with my health and wanted to go to the best doctor available. I feel like I can trust my eyes to Dr. Kraff.
I would like to thank everyone for their great job! :)