Mark R Mandel, MD

Had appointment cancelled last week and rescheduled to today. Doctor is running a full hour behind. Nobody in the drab, depressing waiting room was told unless they asked. Seriously question medical expertise when there is no clarity around process or timing.

I had Wavefront LASIK performed by Dr. Mandel in late 2015 and could not be happier with the results. Dr. Mandel and his staff are caring, attentive, and responsive. Every question I placed to their office before and after the procedure was promptly and effectively answered. Dr. Mandel is a true expert and has a calming way about him that helps with any nerves that might flare up during the procedure. While the thought of eye surgery is understandably a little scary, it is not bad in the moment because you are surrounded by these experts who calmly and skillfully take you through the process.
The surgery itself is painless, with only some minor pressure/​discomfort. The recovery was fast and easy, and I could drive and work the next day. While I have a little bit of dryness/​light sensitivity, these are minor (and I understand common) issues that continue to improve and are certainly better than being back in contacts. In terms of the cost, I cannot think of a better value considering the great service, advanced technology, and fantastic results.

I am 43 years old and I live in the Bay Area. I have suffered from nearsightedness all of my life. I wore contacts and glasses so that I could see. When I wake up in the morning my nightstand is only 2 feet away from my face and yet I still couldn’t read the 1 inch high glowing red numbers. There is absolutely no way without glasses or contacts that I could drive. I live a very active life. I ride horses, I love to swim, which I haven’t been able to do without problems in the past, and do a variety of other outdoor activities. I can tell you firsthand getting dirt or hair under a contact lens sucks to say the least! I have been contemplating LASIK surgery for several years. I have known that I have been a candidate for a long time but fear kept me from actually going through with it. I only have two eyes. The idea of the excruciating pain I could possibly be in after the surgery kept me from actually having it done. I work in a retail store that caters to horse people and I ask a lot of questions when I would hear of somebody that had LASIK done. On a whole everybody seems to be totally thrilled and I would always ask them who the doctor was. Compiling a list in my head, Dr. Mandel came highly recommended most often. So in December I decided to bite the bullet. I didn’t go anywhere else I just went to Dr. Mandel. My first eye appointment was to thoroughly check my eyes and to make sure that I was a candidate for the LASIK surgery. I was informed that my eyes were a little dry and that I would have to spend a month putting eyedrops in and taking a supplement so that my eyes would be in the best condition possible. My appointment was set for January 5, 2016. I was skeptically excited. The day of the surgery I was extremely nervous but still wanted to go on with it. My name was called, I was given a small pill. It was 5 mg of Valium just to calm my nerves. It worked well :) i’m not gonna lie! After around of several eyedrops and numbing drops to make my eyes ready to go into the room I was calm and could understand clearly all the directions I was given by the outstanding staff. When it was my turn to go into the room I was calmly placed on the table, handed a stuffed teddy bear and given directions on what to do, which I followed. In a matter of minutes I was done. I can say that there was some discomfort, not the excruciating pain I was prepared for. The discomfort was more of a pressure not so much pain. When I was done I was taken to another room where I was given instructions on my aftercare again to make sure that I was completely understanding what I needed to do when I get home and to put a protective dressing over my eyes. I remember every part of the procedure, and was able to understand and follow directions perfectly fine. I was instructed that I would not be able to open my eyes until the next morning unless it was to use the restroom or to eat. On my way home I realized that my eyes felt like they had a sunburn type of feeling. My procedure appointment time was about 11am. I think I arrived home at around or a little before 1 PM. I kept them closed and when I got home I took a sleeping pill. I woke up four hours later and realized I was in absolutely no pain my eyes did not hurt at all! I listened to music for a couple of hours. I went back to sleep and woke up the following morning, took the dressing off my eyes open them up and put the drops in as I was directed to do and jumped in the shower. I realized that my vision was pretty darn good! I could actually read the shampoo bottles! Being really careful not to get any water soap in my eyes I finished up and got out. Looked around a bit everything looked crisp and I can see perfectly without my contacts or glasses. I was not expecting this I thought that it would probably take at least a week for me to see the benefits of having it done, but it was immediate! Still in absolutely no pain I looked out my sliding glass door and I realized I could count the leaves on the trees, across the road on my neighbors property. LOL I went in that morning for my next day check up appointment. They ran a very small battery of tests and look at my eyes under the microscope and I was informed that my vision at this moment in time is ²⁰⁄₂₀. And I am here to say that if you’ve been contemplating this do yourself a favor and don’t wait. My biggest disappointment about the whole deal was that I didn’t do it years ago when I first decided I wanted it. I just want to say that I didn’t know Dr. Mandel from Adam. He has not given me any incentives whatsoever to write this. I was very impressed with his skill and knowledge his attitude and the wonderful staff I dealt with the whole time I was there. I have already told several people that are interested that he’s the man. Have also read a few unsavory things about the time it takes in the waiting room waiting for your appointment. And seriously this is a life-​changing event. I’m sure you can be patient.

This place shouldn’t even get a star because they sit you in a room and never get to you. Take other patients that just came in. SMH

It has been about 2 months since I had lens implant surgery done with Dr. Mark Mandel and his team at Optima Eye, and I have to say I am so happy that I did. Dr. Mandel and his team provide a very thorough consultation process to make sure that you make the best decision for your eyes. They also take every precaution (both pre-​op and post-​op) to do their best to ensure that you end up with the best possible results. Thanks to Dr. Mandel and his team at Optima Eye, I can now see without the help of glasses or contacts, and it is fantastic! I would highly recommend Dr. Mandel to anyone who is considering any type of vision correction surgery. He is the best! (Thank you Dr. Mandel!)

Well, it has now been a full year since cataract removal and dual focus lens implants. I must say that the results are wonderful. I was born nearsighted, lived with 20 – 400 vision corrected with glasses, except for a period of about ten years when I wore contact lenses. The contacts were great, I could see «normally», but then presbyopia set in, meaning I had to wear glasses again, so I gave up on contacts and started wearing progressive lenses. When told it would be necessary to remove a fast-​growing cataract from my right eye, the option for lens implants was explained. After weighing all options, I decided to go for it. The consultations with the folks at Optima, then the final consult with Dr. Mandel, were very thorough, and all risks and possibilities explained. The actual procedures, one eye at a time, were very quick and painless. Now, after a year during which my neural mechanisms of visual perception have reprogrammed themselves to adapt to the new lenses, I can see as good as with contacts! At first there was some glare and halos at night, but my brain has learned to filter these out.
For those contemplating this procedure, I would say don’t wait. Being able to see clearly from nearby to far away is great, particularly when approaching 70 years old! And, in my estimation, Dr. Mandel and the team at Optima are as good as any you will find in the USA.

What a great Doctor and organization… Friendly & welcoming staff with great knowledge and tenure. Simply the best of the best when it comes to Lasik surgery. My wife and I have both used their services and could not be happier. When it comes to cars or houses or almost any purchase I shop it, when it it comes to Lasik you want the best in the business and NOT the cheapest. :0) Do not hesitate. It is life changing…

My eye doctor recommended Dr. Mandel. The website was very convincing: Dr. Mandel is Doctors’ doctor. Powerful advertisement. What else do I need to hear? I went to his Hayward location. Extremely depressing facility and outdated. I felt bad that I was so juddgement and so shallow, but come on. this is a doctor’s office. I expect things to be clean and pleasant. Is it too much to ask? I would have turned back as soon as I walked in if I didn’t keep reminding myself that he is doctors’ doctor. Dr. Mandel may be the brightest and best in the field, but not the best and the most patient communicator. I understand that he must have heard my questions 1,000 times before, and my questions based on limited reading about the topic can sound so dumb to him. When I asked him questions, he continued to review the paperwork and didn’t even look at me. He said, I am listening… keep talking. He can’t hide his impatience and frustration toward questions I asked. His answers to some of my questions were inconsistent with what was on the handouts. When I pointed that out, he dismissed them and he seemed annoyed. I read some people’s negative comments about his behaviors and manners on Unilocal,and was hoping that I may not experience what people experienced. He may not mean to be rude or he may not even be aware of it. Also I received some information from the reception that was totally wrong that I am puzzled by their lack of organization. Unfortunately, despite all my effort, the experience here wasn’t good. This is when I realized that sometimes our gut feeling is not bad after all.

The most horrible experience I have ever had at a doctors office! I was in the waiting room for 3 hours and 15 minutes. I saw Dr. Mandel for 5 minutes! It is the most disorganised operation — I will never go back. My limited interaction with Dr. Mandel was fine but the chaos of the office was insane!

I was referred to Dr Mandel Mark for a swollen eye lid and growth in my eye. My appointment was booked three weeks in advance.
I showed up 10 minutes early to my 130pm appointment. After 40 minutes, I asked the front desk how much longer I needed to wait as I had to get back to work. They told me to ask the group of assistants standing in the hallway. When I asked them, they told me that the doctor was busy and I just need to wait. I explained that I needed to return to work and its been 1.5 hours.
They said that there’s nothing they can do and I just need to wait.
No one offered an apology or tried to assess the situation to give me a new ETA.

Just wanted to share that I had a really positive experience here. I was referred here by my optometrist to get laser eye correction by Dr. Mandel. He is very personable and did a wonderful job and will make the best recommendation for they type of surgery to best suit your eyes. I went in expecting to get perfect results but he told me not to expect perfection as it might not always turn out that way. It was a little disheartening to hear as I have high expectations and would not want to need any further work done later on. However, after the surgery I was told I was a bit farsighted to overcompensate when my vision adjusts. It is now over five years later and my vision is still perfect from when I first got it. ²⁰⁄₁₅ for the record! Which is so amazing coming from what I used to be.
Anyways, after a year or so, my dry eyes and other small symptoms slowly got back to normal. I’m still quite light sensitive and my night vision isn’t the same as before the surgery but it’s nothing that can’t be adjusted to. I got the custom wavefront LASIK and the cost of the procedure was on the pricier side. With only one set of eyes, I’m glad I got one of the best doctors to make the whole procedure go incredibly smooth.

I had my LASIK surgery in 2006. I was shocked that dr Mandell didn’t even say Hello to me. It did not make me feel comfortable and safe in his care. One year later I needed reading glasses and it has slowly got worse every visit since. At my last eye exam with my optometrist he told me my eye sight is so poor that the LASIK just did not work on me. I am now back to square one! So disappointed after spending big bucks on this!

I had my eye surgery with Dr. Mandel in January 2012, in the Concord office. My only regret is that I didn’t do it years earlier. All of my pre– and post-​op appointments were with my eye doc, so I didn’t spend very much time with Dr. Mandel, but my doctor and Dr. Mandel’s staff provided all the information I needed to be completely confident that I had chosen the right doctor for my procedure. Two years later, ²⁰⁄₁₅ in my right eye and ²⁰⁄₂₅ in my left. No glasses and no contacts!

I got my Lasik procedure done in the beginning of January 2013. It has been 11 months and I’m so happy I had it done and have absolutely no regrets. In fact, I wish I had done it so much sooner!
When I first got the procedure, I saw «halos» around bright lights when I was driving at night. That gradually lessened as my eyes healed. I think a really important part of the healing process is very closely following the post-​op instructions and just using common sense and taking extra care of your eyes. I think people get these amazing results right away and think they are «healed» and don’t take care of their eyes after their surgery… But don’t be stupid! Your eyes need time to recover just like any other surgical procedure. Give them the best chance possible to heal as best as they can be providing them with the prime environment to heal in.
For example, I never slept face down for at least 6 months after the surgery. I was really careful not to put pressure on my eyes in anyway. I also used rewetting drops regularly throughout the day every day for 6 months. My favorite was Refresh Plus for sensitive eyes. Make sure you buy the preservative-​free individual ones. They aren’t super cheap, but you just spent ~$ 5k on a surgical procedure… now really isn’t the time to be stingy. Also, once you buy your first box, each box comes with a coupon for your next box. I went through quite a few boxes so I started buying the bulk size.
Almost a year after my procedure, my vision is ²⁰⁄₁₅ and I don’t have any issues with dry eyes or seeing halos at night.

Had an appointment today, earlier read reviews that they kept patients waiting like cattle in the cattle car. I sat in the office for over an hour and was finally seen by a very nice nurse or ?? who did some initial work but said that the doctor was still in surgery for an unknown period of time. Waited another 30 – 45 minutes, total about 1:45 and finally left.
I stopped putting up with this from my primary care physician long ago and switched to a (very good) doctor that sees patients roughly on time. Nothing wrong with doctors who get unexpectedly held up. Everything wrong with those that always run their business for maximum dollars by packing their patients into the waiting rooms hoping to be seen some time in the future.

I am giving 5 stars for my first experience at optima and 1 star for the second.
First off, the doctor himself is competent and capable… for all of the 5 minutes you will interact with him. When you go for consultation, he seems very tired, or perhaps bored. I don’t blame him. He has heard and answered your question/​concern a million times over. He is also honest and a good surgeon.
When you go in for surgery, you’ll check-​in, pay over $ 2k, take your valium, and sit around with the dozen other patients while the staff puts all sorts of drops in your eye at intervals. An optometrist will give you a brief exam to make sure everything is doing okay. Once you get to the surgery ante-​room, it gets pretty obvious that they are cycling patients through here like cattle for slaughter. At 2k a pop, they’re making some serious bank.
I will not go into detail about the operation. It is not fun. It is not comfortable. You will smell something burning. Don’t think about what it is! BUT it is BRIEF. The payoff is huge. You get to see an optometrist again after the procedure is over. They put on a bandage contact lens and go over your post-​surgical care.
Now for my complaints:
When I had PRK on my left eye, the experience was great. There was little to no pain right afterward and I saw an optometrist immediately after surgery.
The right eye was terrible. The place is just too crowded. After surgery, they sat me in a chair and told me to wait for an optometrist. I’m pretty sure PRK patients need the contact lens bandage immediately after the procedure or its like walking around with an open sore… in your eye!!!
I sat there for 20 – 30 minutes and it was incredibly painful to open my eye. I kept it closed. Within 5 minutes, the irritation was causing a river of tears to run down the right side of my face. One staff person came by, looked at me, and scolded, «Either both eyes open or both eyes closed!» Rude. One of the two optometrists came by, looked at me, and announced she was going to lunch. Rude.
I stopped two staff people, looked at them one-​eyed, and asked, «You know, I don’t remember the contact lens being put in…»
They said, «Oh they always put it in. Its normal.»
They are either liars or ignorant. I think they say whatever they need to to get you to sit down and be quiet. In any case, they don’t put the bandage in until you see the optometrist.
All in all, I’m glad I had it done, though not necessarily at Optima. I think Dr. Mandel is one of the best at what he does. He’s certainly had the practice. The optometrists seemed competent, though overworked. I just wish his staff was better trained. I’m pretty sure their main purpose is to quiet patients’ inevitable freakouts and they’ll say and do whatever they need to to do it.

Hands down, Dr Mandel is the best!
My vision was –6.75 in both eyes, I wanted to do Lasik but he recommended Lasek due to my high prescription. That means one eye at a time and 1 month rest in between for the second. I did this in April and May of this year. Remember you will be doing a lot of drops before, during, and after. It took 2 weeks for the eye to heal after the procedure. It was a little blurry but it was normal for lasek. After a month, I could see clearly. Now it’s July and I have ²⁰⁄₂₀ vision. I threw my glasses and contacts away, good riddance. My night vision is great and I have no halos or starburst.

Dr. Mandel is awesome. The staff is awesome. I’m a huge sissy about this kind of thing, but it was a breeze. It was so easy! The actual procedure only takes a couple of minutes. It doesn’t hurt at all, and I went from coke bottle glasses to better than ²⁰⁄₂₀ in a couple of minutes. I can’t believe I waited so long to do this.
Dr. Mandel is an actual eye surgeon. He teaches other doctors how to perform the procedure. He’s also the guy that they send people to when a cheaper doctor doesn’t do the job right the first time. Pay the extra money and get the very best. It’s worth every penny. Thanks, Dr. Mandel!

Can’t believe I waited so many years to undergo the LASIK procedure. I was referred by my optometrist who said Dr. Mandel was where she had referred her husband. It’s been nearly 3 months, and my vision is slightly better than 20/​20, so it will hopefully settle perfectly by the time it is fully healed.
The procedure was easy, and the only discomfort was actually with the attachment of the corneal slicer do-​hicky. Other than that, I went in blind as a bat, laid down, and they attached stuff and adjusted things. They performed the procedure in both eyes, and less than 5 minutes later I walked out of the surgical room and into the exam room next door and could see just fine without my glasses. The only part that was a little weird was the smell (lasers and tissue — it is what it is).
I would have given Dr. Mandel a 5-​star rating, except for the following two issues, and they may be related to one another:
— Dr. Mandel was running late getting to the office, so the staff had a line of patients prepped and queued, awaiting his arrival, and we got started about an hour late;
— He didn’t take the time to talk to me, comfort me, reassure me, etc. I actually made him pause and asked him how his day was, just to get him to take a breath and not be rushing with my procedure. But rushing may be his MO — he claims to have down over 45,000 procedures. 10/​day, 18 days/​month, 12 months/​year, 20 years… 43,200? I could buy it.

My wife had gone to Dr. Mandel to get LASIK, and a few years later, I figured I’d give it a go. Pre-​op, there’s a ton of info to consume, and he encourages you to ask all kinds of questions. They’re *very* clear about what you should expect, the risks involved, and the potential complications.
When I went in for LASIK, I was a bit nervous, simply because while the probability of something going wrong was small, it wasn’t zero. I’d been told to expect a certain level of post-​op discomfort, potential artefacts in my vision, etc. — the usual stuff that people warn about LASIK.
In my experience, I had none of those things. My vision was crystal clear the day following the procedure, there was no discomfort, and everything was astonishingly simple. That’s obviously not to say that everyone’s case will be the same — but Dr. Mandel & his staff did a fantastic job, and I couldn’t be happier with the result.