Burlington Eye Care Center

The took my money for glasses. Never received. Said they'd mail me a check. Update 5/24 I received a check today. Months after the order placed in March. Thank you for following up with this matter.

I was referred to Dr. Raymond A. Powell by a longtime patient in 2017. Because English is a second language for me, I was assisted by my adult daughter. Following an eye exam in late 2022, I prepaid in full for new glasses. When I went to pick them up in January 2023, there seemed to be a problem. When I called my daughter to translate the nature of the problem, longtime office manager JOEN M. WILKINS picked up my phone and said to my daughter "ARE YOU GOING TO GIVE US A CREDIT CARD SO WE CAN RELEASE THESE FRAMES?" The office manager shortly thereafter realized that the frames were already paid for, and then "released" them to me without apology. In the very same day, I received a bill for the Medicaid paid for exam with a handwritten note "WRONG INSURANCE INFORMATION PROVIDED TO US. WE ARE UNABLE TO BILL YOUR INSURANCE. THIS BILL IS THEREFORE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY". JOEN M. WILKINS later admitted to writing this note, which appeared to be rooted only in assumption. My insurance had been billed successfully for years, and had not changed and remained valid at the time of this encounter. A call to the Washington State Healthcare Authority confirmed my insurance had not changed and was active and valid. Upon hearing this, JOEN M. WILKINS said the State of Washington was wrong, without being able to provide any factual basis for her opinion. She appeared to be unable to own the mistake, and her reaction implied she's been conducting herself this way for a very, very long time. The State of Washington Healthcare Authority Official asked my daughter to take her phone into the office on speakerphone for JOEN M. WILKINS to hear the information from the State official directly. JOEN M. WILKENS locked her office door and refused to speak with the State Healthcare Authority Official on speakerphone, but her work husband (Doctor RAYMOND A. POWELL) did take the call and, after finally realizing that JOEN M. WILKENS had made a mistake, the Doctor promised to have the invoice re-billed. That never happened, and I was never refunded my cash payment that should have been re-billed to insurance. I sent a letter to the Doctor weeks later (translated to English) stating my concern that was never answered. I switched eye care providers after this experience and felt bad for other vulnerable elderly Medicaid patients who don't have a knowledgeable English speaking advocate to inquire on their behalf. During my years as a Burlington Eye Care patient, I observed the office staff turnover was excessive, and saw many capable and talented office staff leave (thank you to Melissa, Letty and Erin!, among many others). We encountered one former receptionist in the nearby Hagen parking lot in tears, who affirmed that JOEN M. WILKINS was the source of the perpetual staff turnover, and confirmed that JOEN M. WILKINS' relationship with the Doctor was like a marriage, wherein the Doctor protected her as if she was his spouse, and as long as one of them was working, the other wouldn't retire. That particular receptionist resigned sometime around 2018. I see a number of reviews here highlighting unpleasant patient encounters with staff, and I think spotlighting the decades-long relationship between JOEN M. WILKINS and RAYMOND A. POWELL will bring some closure to patients who had an unpleasant experience with the administrative side of the clinic, and were left wondering what kind of toxic dynamic allowed the dysfunction on the administrative side to continue. I see that the clinic is now closed, and wish the kind and knowledgeable Doctor good health and a peaceful and pleasant retirement.

Ive been seeing Dr. Powell for 5 years since 2020. Great doctor and the staff were always friendly. The reason for my rating is that I was supposed to have an appointment in October only to find out via the Skagit Moms group on FB that it closed in MAY?! No notice, no letter nothing and im desperate for new glasses and not many optomotrists take Medicaid. I can scheduale with the VA but they take months and already I am having trouble seeing amd likely need a new prescription sooner rather than later. What a bummer.

I'll start the review by saying that Dr Powell is an excellent eye doctor and I wouldn't hesitate to go to him. He was also excellent with my 7 year old daughter. With that being said his front receptionist is a nightmare to work with. In fact, she is the reason I left. She is always rude, clueless, and my appointments were always messed up. I was also billed for the same $3 multiple times, and she kept mixing up my account with another family members. She also denied the release of my past prescription to my new eye doctor, which left them flabbergasted. Again, Dr. Powell is 5 stars hands down, but I can't give this office that rating because of the front desk worker.

Worst service ever. The dr was great but the reception staff is terrible. I went in for my eye exam on 11/8 using VSP vision care which covers a years worth of contacts or glasses. I choose contacts. I left there thinking they were ordered. About three weeks later I called asking where they were and the receptionist stated they can't order them and I'd need to pick up my prescription and order online or go to Costco. I attempted to order online but VSP will not pay for them unless Burlington Eye Care finishes ordering them. This place is a joke and now I have no contacts and no way of seeing anything for the next year as they used all my benefits. Avaid this place like the plague.

My husband and I were both seen here yesterday; we were glad they were able to open back up with appropriate precautions for the safety of staff and patients. Dr. Powell was great, super friendly and comfortable to work with. I told him directly that we might order glasses online instead of purchasing there, and could we get our prescriptions. He was happy to oblige - and afterward Tasha helped us go through our glasses choices and select what we wanted. She was happy to give us our pupil distances for online ordering as well (even though we did end up buying glasses there). No fuss at all, everybody was really friendly and perfectly comfortable with the idea of us buying glasses online.

I had setup a visit with this clinic and wanted tot get my eyes check been having a lot of trouble seeing at night with light having a stary look was 2 weeks out was fine ..but because the doctor wanted to leave early they wanted to push me out another 2 weeks. I can't stand the unprofessionalism I live in Marysville/Arlington area and only got a call 30 min before my appointment and drove up to Burlington early not to be late. I get it we are all human . But don't schedule someone 2 weeks out just to cancel because you want to go home early. At least let the receptionist give a better excuse.

I can't believe any one would find Dr. Powell or any of his main staff as rude. All I can think is that the reviewer who had a poor experience was a bit confused. My main criteria for any doctor (after being qualified) is that they treat me as if I were their son/brother, etc. I.e. They give me the same care and attention and effort they would give their dearest loved ones. Dr. Powell and his assistant certainly gave me this type of care; for which I am very grateful.