University Center for Vision Care

Today's office visit was like an assembly line visit, something we should have expected considering the wall-to-wall waiting room filled to capacity with mostly Medicaid and Medicare patients. "Dr." Samuel Alpert's level of contempt for patient health, questions, and concerns is appalling. That he is arrogant while still in-rank / not fully promoted after 21+ years as an Associate MD makes it even worse. "Dr." Alpert did not deliver what we came for. My 96-year old mother was there for a definitive diagnosis of whether a skin infection had spread to her eye. Instead, we got a 'can't really tell because we can't get a good look at the back of the eye' from the respectful and otherwise capable resident, who then asked if we wanted to reschedule a two-week follow-up. "Dr." Alpert had popped in to offer nothing at that point. When I stated to the resident that we would not return for another visit, since this visit did not offer a definitive diagnosis. "Dr." Alpert then grabbed a scope and a light, without saying a word, then proceeded to peer for all of 30-seconds into my mother's eye. With this, he dismissively and disdainfully declared: "I agree with him." He walked out of the room, visibly angry and stated something like: "Have a nice day." It was nasty enough that other patients waiting nearby still had their eyebrows raised as my mother and I left the room. Residents do the heavy lifting, more than in most teaching institutions. This "doctor" was in the office all of maybe two minutes and left us with the worst sense of care there. Residents also build the clientele by steering referrals from the ER, the VA, and elsewhere to this clinic. Hence, the assembly-line like care. I've asked to speak with the department chair, in hopes that "Dr." Alpert's minimalist / assembly line /nasty attitude approach to care can be addressed. To be honest, I don't know that a nasty attitude and utter indifference to patient care and concerns are fixable.

Vision care has a fantastic job.today 03.07.2025 Friday I was there for Fellow -up Appointment vision care give me free parking ticket but. Syracuse Parking authority @ parking both did not accept free pass and charged me for Parking . I was not able due to medication in the eyes waiting time is longer. But parking booth lady did not listen and Charged me . This is very bad service parking Authority. They have to fix it.

The rest of this place is great except front desk employees.. they seem "unfriendly" or lack empathy. Some people are really rude and no respect to clients especially who is disability related issues.

Dr Swan and his team were awesome! I understood what he was saying and what was being done, and if I had I question, I felt 100% comfortabe asking. They were fun and very real people, very personable!! Every person that works there, I had a pleasant experience with. Thank you!

Called 10/14 with a referral was told I couldn't make an appointment bc they didn't have the referral in their hands, they'd call back when they got it. They received it 10/24 but never called me. It's 11/13 and I finally called to follow up, they told me 2/22 for a schedule date. Which is insane bc my daughter is suffering. So I said "is that the soonest you can get her in" the young rude lady replied " well that's not the soonest...can you do 10/12?" Like why did you tell me February if you had an opening in December. Called back to speak to management and still waiting on a return call for that. Updating my review to 3 instead of 1 stars after my appointment to state that we only waited 20 minutes to be seen. The nurses and Dr Heath Stewart were phenomenal and made my daughter feel so comfortable and welcome. Only downfall is the rude younger woman at the front desk and the fact that they accidentally dilated my daughter's pupils with the wrong drops so they had to do it a second time.

Had an appointment for my 3 year old. Wait times were insane, appointment was at 10:30, we got called back the first time at just past 11, then were sent back to the waiting room to wait for the doctor until a little after 12, then sat in the exam room until 12:40 waiting for the doctor. When the doctor finally arrived, she was completely rude, unprofessional, and acted like she had never interacted with a child before. She walked into the room and didn't say a word to my daughter, just said "I didn't get a chance to read your chart", then turned off the lights and sat down while reviewing our file. My daughter was instantly put off, asking why the light was off, and the doctor ignored her. The doc looked at my daughter's eyes for about a minute, never saying one word to my daughter, but using her hand to manipulate my daughter's head without ever explaining or asking permission. When she finished the exam, she just said to me, "no change to the prescription." Then got up and started walking to the door and said with one hand literally on the doorknob, "Do you have questions?" I asked one question, which was answered condescendingly and rudely. As she was answering, my daughter had climbed down from the chair and I said "get back in the chair we're not done yet", and the doctor said "no you're done" and walked out.

Unreal how kind the people were. The waiting room was like Grand Central station. No chairs left. But it was organized & flowed easily. Dr.Christian I had was incredible, very professional. He made me fell comfortable & I was nervous. Thank you Dr. Christian. Thank God I didn't have to go back. I went by transport & the gentleman that drove me to the eye center was quite the gentleman. Peggy Garvey-Miner

Honestly the care wasn't bad. It was bringing my newborn in for an appt to an overcrowded waiting room and having to wait 2+ hours. The paperwork they give you when you check in has a paper saying 2 hour wait time is to be expected.