Hecht Eye Institute - Marina Eye Center

Wonderful doctor, but unfortunately extremely rude and incompetent staff in the Lawndale office. I was referred to him after an ER discharge from Torrance Memorial. Dr. Hecht contacted me on the day after my discharge (a Sunday) to talk to me, but I finally spoke to him Tuesday, my appointment day. I paid $225 out of pocket because no one ran the visit through the insurance provider. I had to have a letter specifying limitations at work. The nurse wrote it with too much general information, so my employer gave me a bunch of forms to find out the limit of the weight I could carry. The nurse had just wriitten "light lifting." Had to go back with a form and wait a couple of days because they needed the doctor's signature. In the meantime, my employer, a delivery and fulfillment center, wasn't letting me go back to work. About four working days later it was ready, but they wanted to charge me $25 for it. Never heard of this before, and I guess a lot of doctors are now doing it if you have to go back and get a form signed that is not on your visit day, but I wasn't even told about it when I called in to find out if the form was signed and ready to be released to me. It was new to me and explained right then and there when I finally came in again. I had no cash nor my debit card on me. The office worker and I went back and forth on the fairness of it. The manager came out and I told her it wasn't even properly filled the first time. She said she would speak to the doctor. Whenever left I could hear her screaming on the phone (no kidding, she was in an office behind the receptionist desk, and hopefully it wasn't him) and then the nurse handed me my form with what I can only describe as ill will. I told her, "Right back at you," and left. I had to go back for a visit a month later, and I called a few days before to confirm the appointment. I also wanted to see if I could cancel it and re- schedule it for the Beverly Hills or Marina del Rey office. I was told over the phone that my appointment was not even in the book, even though my appointment card said otherwise. They also had not submitted to the insurance. The young lady told me she would put it to my insurance company. That was about three weeks ago,and I just called and was told that the primary care doctor had to do it. I told her I had an appointment in the Beverly Hills office that needed to be cancelled, but I was interrupted by Nancy. Out of all the doctors' offices I have gone to, this is by far the only bad experience I have had with anyone's office staff. Dr. Hecht is a fine doctor but the people who work for him are not all right.

Takes forever for the doctor to show up. Why open up a time slot you can't attend.

He's a great doctor and a super nice guy. I should've written this review long ago because I got Lasik in 2008, and only now has one eye begun to decrease in vision. It was a very easy procedure, and he made me feel comfortable the whole time. The follow ups were convenient, and I feel like he is always available if I need anything vision related. Thank you for helping me make one of the best decisions I've ever made.