Looking for a specialist...

Has anyone here actually dealt with the dental and oral surgery clinic
run by Komadine and Volf over on the coast near San Diego? (feel free to shoot me a DM if you'd rather stay private)
😕

Alright, I’m bumping this thread because I could really use some advice.

Here’s a quick copy/paste of what I posted earlier today over in the "Ophthalmologists and Pricing" thread—though it doesn't seem to be getting much traction there:

***Does it actually matter if you have a minor distance prescription combined with astigmatism, but you don't wear glasses because you feel like your vision is basically fine?
Could skipping those distance glasses actually cause my near-vision prescription (reading glasses) to increase faster? I think I heard somewhere that was a thing, but I honestly have no clue... Does anyone know the deal with that?

My distance prescription is -0.50 plus some astigmatism; I don't wear glasses for it since it doesn't feel necessary. I do use +1.25 reading glasses... I feel like I heard somewhere that if you neglect the distance correction (especially with astigmatism), your near-vision starts failing faster and that reading prescription creeps up quicker. ***

Side note: I’ve had a few exams with Dr. Miller at the downtown medical center... A few people here have mentioned her before. I can't say for sure if her prescriptions are spot on or not—mostly because I haven't seen anyone else besides her since I was a kid—but her optical boutique in that medical center is gorgeous. They have an incredible selection of frames and the staff is super friendly, but man, they are outrageously expensive. They always try to upsell you on these insanely pricey lenses by telling you these elaborate stories about how great they are. Has anyone else dealt with them? What’s the verdict? Please share your experiences with other ophthalmologists or optical shops around town... When I checked prices for lenses at some other very decent shops in the city, I almost fainted at how much cheaper they were compared to Miller's place.

One more thing—I’ve got this astigmatism issue. My distance prescription is actually pretty mild, just -0.50... but I can't bring myself to wear the glasses I picked up at the mall near downtown. Everything feels "off" when I put them on—my perception gets weird, things look blurry, and I honestly feel a bit nauseous. A lot of people say you just need time to adjust, but I've seen some folks on here arguing that isn't true at all—that if the prescription is right, they should feel fine immediately (and my prescription is identical for both eyes).

Can anyone weigh in on this? Also, does anyone have recommendations for solid ophthalmologists—someone you can actually trust to get the prescription right? I need to be certain whether I actually have astigmatism or if it was misdiagnosed... because I know plenty of people on these forums who dealt with the exact same thing!

And while we're at it, could someone explain astigmatism to me in plain English? I know the textbook definition and I've googled it, but how does it actually *feel* or manifest for those of us living with it? Like, what exactly is distorted? How does the world look different to me compared to someone without it? What's the actual core of the problem?

Does anyone know a good dentist in Chicago who won't charge an absolute fortune?
A traveler needs it by July 5th, or July 6th at the absolute latest.
It turned out to be a total disaster.
You're welcome.

Amanda Morgan said:Does anyone know a solid dentist in NYC who won't absolutely fleece you?
A traveler needs an appointment by July 5th or 6th at the absolute latest.
They ended up with a massive blood clot.
Thanks!

private message 👋

Thank you for the prompt response.
I will have to wait until tomorrow to get in touch with Dr. Z. Trampuz.
http://www.drstomatolog.com/hr/ordinacija.htm
I have also sent an email.🙂

Just wanted to mention that all these reviews and critiques are actually what prompted me to sign up for this forum!

Basically,
the staff over at LensCrafters are absolutely useless!
It’s my first time getting glasses, and honestly, I really didn't want to drop a small fortune on something when I wasn't even sure how I'd feel about them.
So, I walk into the LensCrafters in downtown Chicago, and they show me frames in the display case that are $1200, $980, $333, basically nothing under $167! When I asked if they had anything cheaper—maybe some budget brands or something—the clerk told me they don't carry any discount lines?! (Excuse me? I am standing inside a LensCrafters!!!). After a lot of pushing and being visibly annoyed, she finally managed to dig out two pairs of house-brand frames from the very bottom drawer, which, by the way, cost about $200-$100, and claimed that was "as good as it gets." It was the exact same ridiculous story at the LensCrafters over in the shopping district.

Later that same day, I stumbled upon Look-Look Optics on Main Street, just to see what kind of selection they had. I told the woman there (who, unlike those people at LensCrafters, was actually polite and helpful) that I was visually challenged and broke. She actually laughed—unlike the previous crew—and pointed out a selection of frames that were 50% off if you get your lenses made there (and the lenses here are way cheaper than at LensCrafters). So, I picked out some "cool" frames right away and ordered lenses with an anti-scratch coating and an anti-reflective layer for computer use. The whole thing ended up costing me $183.

There you go. Maybe this counts as an advertisement (though that wasn't my intention), but it seriously gets under my skin when retail workers and service industry folks just refuse to do their jobs. As soon as they see you aren't about to drop two grand, they start tapping their fingers and rolling their eyes.

Anyway, I refuse to accept that walking into a store and getting a simple "hello" has become a luxury, or that I have to fight tooth and nail just to get a discount or a budget-friendly option!

Consider this a message to everyone reading these forums: I’ll keep posting this until these business owners realize that every single person who walks through their door is a potential "mystery shopper." All those TV ads and massive billboards in the world won't stop a bad review from a friend or advice found on a forum from sticking in someone's head.

Just this once!
YEAH!

So, look, I actually have a really great ophthalmologist I go to over in the West End area, at this clinic called Exacta...

Since it's a private practice, an exam will run you about $67, but (at least in my experience) you'll walk out feeling pretty satisfied with the service...

I guess it depends on whether you're the type who appreciates a bit of patience—first, they use a computer to get a rough estimate of your prescription, and then the doctor actually sits there trying out different lenses on you until they find that perfect combination... you can ask them absolutely anything, and if you've got any concerns at all, they'll give you a thorough answer and do a deep dive into your eye health and stuff...

To be honest, for years I used to go to Mount Sinai where the doctors are incredibly friendly and easy to talk to, and everything was just wonderful... except for the fact that they initially gave me a prescription that was a full point stronger than what I actually needed, and then they went and did the exact same thing again when my mom went in for her checkup a year later...

And then you end up blowing a ton of money on lenses or glasses, which doesn't just strain your eyes, but you eventually realize the whole thing was basically useless...

As for picking up actual frames, I’m planning to head out on my next trip and I'll definitely be looking once I get to Europe, because it seems like glasses might be quite a bit cheaper there... though, mind you, I'm talking about my own situation where I deal with astigmatism (which means thicker lenses) and a pretty high prescription... so a decent lens usually costs me around $333 just to keep them at a reasonable thickness... But I think you can find some really nice frames over there for maybe 170 EUR, with the same quality glass and everything...

Amanda Morgan said:Thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly..
I suppose I have to wait until tomorrow before I can actually get a hold of Dr. Z. Trampuz.
http://www.drstomatolog.com/en/office.htm
I went ahead and sent an email as well.🙂

So, did you ever manage to get in touch with them?
Are you happy with how everything turned out?

feralfalcon72 said:Can anyone recommend a good eye doctor in Chicago? I've decided I want to ditch the contact lenses and go back to wearing glasses. I used to get my contacts at the local Vision Express over on Michigan Avenue, but I'm looking to switch providers.
Thanks in advance!

I actually went in for a contact lens exam last month at the Bilić Vision clinic over on Cass Avenue. Dr. Grgić took care of me, and honestly, I couldn't be happier with the new lenses, the service, or the whole exam process. The exam cost me $133, but it was totally worth it because my high myopia required a specialized retinal scan. I think a standard exam for just glasses usually runs about $33. The staff there were super friendly, and they have a great website at

shadowbison said:Dr. Miller-Opačić
Ophthalmology clinic, downtown near Union Square (I think it's number 9)
She’s one of the top specialists for contact lenses in the US (though her eyewear selection is great too, obviously). I’ve been seeing her for over 8 years now for my soft contacts, and everything has been excellent... quite a change from that place on Broadway, which was a total disaster for my contact lens needs.

👍 highly recommend!

So, I finally made it to a private OB-GYN clinic yesterday. Honestly, trying to schedule anything with my regular doctor through my insurance provider has been a total nightmare—between her hectic schedule and the constant back-and-forth just to snag an appointment, I was tired of waiting hours in a crowded lobby. I ended up signing up for a basic supplemental insurance plan through a major provider like Blue Cross. I’m paying $35 a month, and in exchange for that $35, I get three specialist visits a year, plus free check-ups and lab work.
Just to put it in perspective, getting a Pap smear, an ultrasound, and swabs done privately would run me about $300, but with this coverage, I can basically do that twice a year at no extra cost. All in all, I am beyond thrilled. The office felt incredibly upscale—air conditioning, a complimentary coffee station, water, a stack of high-end fashion mags, and a Plasma TV playing Fashion TV. It’s got these really comfy chairs and actually feels like you're being treated like a human being. Even though they ran about 10 minutes behind, it didn't bother me. The doctor was calm, upbeat, and her equipment looked state-of-the-art. The exam room was even stocked with everything you might need: soap in the restroom 😍, paper towels 😍 🙏, toilet paper 👍, sanitary pads 😲, water cups 😁, and you can grab disposable shoe covers 🙏 if you want. Most importantly, she took her time answering all my questions and actually shared some insights that my usual "standard" doctor never bothered to mention.
Bottom line: it is worth every penny. If you can swing an extra hundred bucks a month, I’d highly recommend making the switch.

Oh, and the Pap results should be ready in a week, and they have their own courier to whisk the swabs off to the lab immediately. 🙏 👍

Does anyone actually have a list of private practitioners that's covered by insurance?

Chloe Lewis81 said:Is there some kind of list of private providers covered by the insurance?

It’s right there on your insurance policy statement.

Hey, has anyone actually been to the old headquarters over on Broadway?

Angela Wright said:So, I finally made it to a private OB-GYN clinic yesterday. Honestly, between my schedule and the constant struggle to actually get an appointment—not to mention the hour-long waits at my regular doctor's office—trying to get seen through public insurance was becoming impossible. I ended up picking up a basic plan from one of the big insurance providers. I'm paying $35 a month, and for $35 a year, I get three specialist visits, routine checkups, and lab work included.

I've been thinking about doing the same thing for a while now.
A friend mentioned some supplemental plan where you also get three free specialist visits a year—and then everything else is just half off.
The catch, I guess, is that you have to use their specific network of doctors—and you never really know if they're any good.
That’s what holds me back... if I'm paying for it, I want the freedom to choose my own doctor—but, well, maybe not.

Mind sharing which supplemental plan you went with?

crimsonhound28 said:I've been mulling over getting that supplemental coverage for a while now.
A friend mentioned they have this extra plan where you get three specialist visits per year for free, and then everything else is half off.
The catch is you have to use their specific network of doctors—and honestly, you have no idea if they're actually any good.
That’s the dealbreaker for me. If I'm shelling out cash for a consultation, I want the freedom to pick my own doctor, not be stuck with whoever they assign me.

Mind if I ask which insurance provider you're looking at?

They actually have a massive roster of specialists, so you aren't really boxed in.
I was handed a list featuring 383 different providers; for instance, there are at least 20 different OB-GYNs to choose from.

I can't go around pitching insurance companies publicly, but I'll shoot you a DM with the details.

Angela Wright said:Just for comparison, a Pap smear, an ultrasound, and swabs will run you about $300 out-of-pocket

I actually paid for all of that through my own gynecologist $167... which means twice a year comes to roughly $333... I don't require any other specialist visits (and I certainly hope I won't need them anytime soon 🙂), so paying for extra supplemental insurance just to cover two visits to the OBGYN doesn't really make sense to me $100. I absolutely adore my doctor because she is incredibly patient and professional, yet she knows how to put you at ease; her lab results and Pap smears are always ready within a week, and she actually calls me personally at home to give me the news. Her office, waiting room, and restroom are equipped similarly to what you described, and I have never had to wait more than fifteen minutes
. I have nothing against having supplemental health insurance, but if you ask me, it isn't worth signing up for if your only goal is seeing a gynecologist
.

Melissa Scott said:I paid for all of that through my OBGYN$167... basically twice a year = $333... I don't need other specialist visits (and I hope I won't need them anytime soon 🙂), so paying $100 more per year just for two gynecologist appointments doesn't make sense to me. I absolutely adore my doctor because she’s patient and professional, but she also knows how to put you at ease. My swabs and Pap smears are always ready within a week, and she actually calls me personally at home to give me the results. Her office, waiting room, and restroom are set up pretty much like what you described, and I've never waited more than 15 minutes..
I have nothing against supplemental health insurance, but if you ask me, it isn't worth getting just to see a gynecologist..

Consider yourself lucky, because things are nothing like that at my local community health center. It is absolute chaos here, and looking at these forums, I see plenty of women are stuck in the exact same mess I am.
As for you saying you don't need other specialists and hoping you never will... look, hope is a great thing, but let me tell you, that extra coverage saved my dad's life when his thyroid suddenly went haywire. He initially tried going through standard public insurance, but it turned out he'd be waiting four months just to see a specialist. So, he called the private insurance line, and they had an appointment scheduled for him by the very next day. Within seven days, he was on medication that practically brought him back from the dead—medication he would have been waiting at least four months to get. His heart was under massive strain; there was a real question of whether he could even hold out that long.

Compared to your figure of $333, I pay for my supplemental insurance $418 via monthly installments, and that includes three specialist visits, checkups, and lab work.

This is precisely why I maintain my stance: if you require any additional specialist consultations, investing in private coverage is undoubtedly worthwhile. When dealing with Medicare or standard public health providers, one is expected to schedule gynecological appointments at least a month in advance; heaven forbid you encounter an urgent medical situation in the meantime. 👎 As for me, I abandoned that approach long ago.
And let me be clear—I am more than willing to pay $200 monthly premiums for my Social Security, my private pension, and even this... however, should I ever find myself facing a crisis similar to what your father experienced, I would pivot to a private policy immediately. A close friend of mine was able to secure a medical exam just two days after her policy was active. If things get desperate, one must have those options available. 🙂