After my corneal transplant two years ago, my surgeon sent me to Dr Sam Pesner for contact lenses. I was told that if anyone could fit my eyes(Keratoconus), it was Dr Pesner. He chose scleral lenses for my eyes, and I could not believe how comfortable they were(are!) right from the start. He is very intelligent and kind, with exceptional skills at fitting odd shaped eyes. Great staff too! HIGHLYRECOMMENDHIM!
K F.
Place rating: 5 Mountain View, CA
I’ve been going to this practice for years and I’m always impressed at how detailed and attentive Dr. Pesner is. I wear contact lenses and, for special uses(such night driving), I have glasses as well. Dr. Pesner focused on the determining the best combination of contacts and glasses to meet my needs. He is patient and thorough, and I always leave with the confidence that I’ve gotten a thorough consideration of my vision issues.
G F.
Place rating: 5 Los Altos, CA
Dr. Pesner is the best optometrist ever. Having seen him since the 1980s and always very satisfied, I can give him a top notch review. He is willing to listen and take my questions and requests very seriously. Highly recommended. The staff adjusted my glasses and replaced the plastic nose bridge on my metal frames more than a few times, always for free.
Michael C.
Place rating: 5 San Francisco, CA
I’ve been a patient of Dr. Pesner’s for the past 20 years. He’s very clear, detailed, and cares a lot for his patients. He’s also made himself accessible out of office hours for me, to make sure that my eye infection was taken care of properly. I’ve always felt confident that my family has been well taken care of and there has never been a reason for anybody in my family to see another optometrist… even though a few of us have moved out of the Los Altos area. I trust Dr. Pesner so much that in the past when my vision plan did not cover Dr. Pesner, I made a decision to pay out of pocket without insurance coverage to see him. I figured that even if another doctor found something wrong, I’d probably still want to see Dr. Pesner to get the real story.
Doodle S.
Place rating: 5 Los Altos, CA
I really don’t understand some of the negative reviews posted here. I went to Dr. Pesner today for a checkup and he was wonderful. He gave me a lot of detailed information about my eyesight, reviewed the pictures with me and explained exactly what he was seeing. He reviewed my options for glasses, and what my best choices were. He was extremely patient and helpful. I couldn’t have had a better experience. The front desk staff and the person who helped me choose my glasses were also wonderful, polite and patient. I admit that when I submit reviews on Unilocal it’s usually because I had a bad experience. But this time I only have positive things to say. I have no idea what happened with the others who had negative reviews. Dr. Pesner does have a dry sense of humor, so maybe that was misunderstood? In any case, I thought he did a great job with my checkup and will definitely go back. I highly recommend Dr. Pesner and this office.
Gaby P.
Place rating: 1 Los Altos, CA
(This is a little late) A year ago I went to see Dr Pesner for an exam, I was new to the area and didnt want to commute to my old doctor for an exam. Upon entering the quaint little practice I was met by a warm and friendly staff in a well furnished office. When I went in to the room and met Dr Pesner I felt uneasy, he belittled me when I forgot the list of the medications Im on — sorry that I take so much and that I had a momentary memory loss, but after my spidy senses went off, I figured he didnt need to know since I dont plan to come back. He also pressured me into getting the picture thing instead of getting dialated, he said: «I dont like to give the drug to do it.» I dont care if YOU dont like it, when I go to the eye doctor I expect them to give me the drops!!! He said it would cost me an additional $ 70 which insurance doesnt cover and I didnt have. He finally agreed to give me the atropine but told me he had a lunch to go to and to come back — I should have told him to jump off a cliff, but I really needed this exam due to my health issues. So I agreed, came back, the assistant gave me the drops and I had to wait until he got back to look at me. The front staff is great and I loved them, Im sure the other doctors are good, I dont know. But I never felt comfortable with him and will never go back
Kendra G.
Place rating: 5 Los Altos, CA
Dr. Pesner is my eye doctor, and he’s a delight to visit every year. The staff is really personal, and the selection of eye wear is diverse. I was able to find some great designer lenses. And! they take my insurance.
Greg L.
Place rating: 5 San Jose, CA
I have had a number of well recommended and fairly good ophthalmologists take care of my eyes over the years, but most lag on technology adoption. I noticed a decline at my previous doctor’s office so I looked for kicking it up a notch, and found Dr. Pesner. He gave me the most thorough and up to date eye exam *ever*, using recently arrived retinal imaging technology that eliminates for many(me included) the need to dialate the eyes, plus it provides a tangible patient viewable baseline to compare to the next exam results, which as an SQA Engineer, I see as a key diagnostic step forward in medicine. He also did the best job narrowing down my prescription closer than any prior doctor. Add fantastic people skills, rare for doctors these days, and you have a winner. I recommend Dr. Pesner highly.
M P.
Place rating: 5 San Jose, CA
Been going to Sam Pesner since 1989. Great guy, great optical shop with everything from lowish-end utility frames to the latest designer ones. Offers lots of different lens types, with all sorts of coatings and such. I’ve had pairs that lasted for years, even with the way I(mis)treat them. He’s always up on the latest diagnostic technology — sometimes pushes it a bit aggressively — and always a great experience.
Dee B.
Place rating: 5 Mountain View, CA
I’d recently had my yearly eye exam with Dr. Ladan Mohtadi. I’d found her from my VSP provider list. It was a completely blind first visit and I must admit that I had only fair expectations. I’m happy to say that she was EXCELLENT and the exam was AMAZING! Dr. Mohtadi spent a great deal of time examining my eyes and talking with me about them. Her office is equipped with lots of hi-tech machines that exam your eyes in staggering detail. In fact, I can’t say that I’ve ever had such a thorough and enlightening(no pun!) exam in my life. The office and the staff are also friendly, efficient(I didn’t wait more than 5 min) and knowledgeable. Dr. Mohtadi has almost managed to create a *fun* eye exam. Wowsa.
BarkingDO G.
Place rating: 5 Berkeley, CA
Visits are prompt and efficient. The staff is friendly. The lab technician fixed my previous glasses, at no charge. Enough glasses for me to choose from without being overwhelmed. Convenient parking.
Lara P.
Place rating: 5 Los Altos, CA
Whether you schedule an appointment with Dr. Sam Pesner or Dr. Steve Anderson, you’re in for a treat. Both doctors are kind, gentle, knowledgable and very down to earth. Their office staff is great too. Lou Pesner(Mrs.) and Cathy Anderson(Mrs.) are fabulous to deal with and make everyone feel as if they’re part of their family. Don’t be afraid to get your eyes checked. And please don’t go to anyone else!
Jack C.
Place rating: 5 San Francisco, CA
I’ve been going to Dr. Pesner since I was 9 years old and, in 16 years I’ve had no reason to go to a different optometrist. He’s a great guy and really cares about his patients. A few years ago he quickly spotted a tear in my retina in a regular checkup. He set me up with a great specialist to fix the issue and even gave me his personal number so that I could call him with any questions. I can’t imagine an optometrist being better.