Danielson Gary L

I love Dr. Danielson! Well, as much as you can love any eye doctor, I suppose. I’ve been going to him since I started high school (about 20 years ago!), and all my other eye doctors before him pale in comparison. Dr. Danielson takes the time to get to know you, and what your eyes are about. I have been to other eye doctors since leaving the Vancouver area, but he’s still the best. I find that he really takes his time during the exam, and is super thorough. He also goes over health history questions, and once you establish a history with him, he knows all the nooks and crannies of your peculiarities. Take for example the one (and only time) where I went back to see him because the prescription I got that year was a little strong. He re-​examined me, and cautioned me about getting glasses at a place that won’t charge for changes in prescriptions. From then on, with every visit, he remembered that one time where he gave me an overly strong prescription, and tempered all my subsequent prescriptions. And actually, I find that since that time, my prescriptions have stabilized, and I think it’s because Dr. Danielson knows my «real» prescription, and helped to keep them from getting worse.
Additionally, I got fitted for contacts at his office, too! I remember having to go in for training sessions, and then getting «tested» by Dr. Danielson before he wrote me a prescription for contacts. I feel like I’m gushing too much, but really, being as near-​sighted as I am, finding an eye doctor that I can be comfortable with and that I can trust is very important. Take another example: retinal scans are all the rage these days, and a couple of yeas ago when the technology first came out, the receptionist at the front desk was pushing it, and it sounded like something perfect for me since I’m severely near-​sighted. Well, I got it done, and boy, did I ever get a talking-​to from Dr. Danielson! He said that I was so young (I was in my early mid-​20s then), and though I had familiar diabetes, I had no familial history of any other eye related diseases, and PLUS, my eyes have always been very healthy. He cautioned me about doing this scan again until I got much older, and he also added that he only recommended that his senior patients or those with diagnosed eye diseases get the scan. It was a bit conflicting given the push by the receptionist, but I really appreciated that he was honest with me. I also think that if there is a problem, any «good» eye doctor will pick it up with a thorough eye exam, and then recommend the scan.
All in all, I totally recommend Dr. Danielson. HOWEVER… it seems like Dr. Danielson has retired, and a Dr. Gandham has taken over. My husband and I are currently living in the States, and he’s had recurring problems with his eyes that THREE separate eye doctors have not been able to help with. Since we were going home for a visit, I immediately thought of Dr. Danielson, and calling the office, I made sure that we had an appointment with him. Imagine my surprise then, when we were informed by the receptionist that Dr. Danielson had retired. Again, I made sure when making the appointment that we were seeing Dr. Danielson, when we checked in, I said, «we have an appointment to see Dr. Danielson», and only when the receptionist said, «Dr. Gandham will see you in 10 minutes» was I informed that Dr. Danielson was no longer there!
Dr. Gandham is not Dr. Danielson, but he is using his good name and reputation! When you call the office, they answer with «Dr. Danielson’s office…», not true! Dr. Gandham barely wanted to spend any time with my husband, and when my husband (who’s a computer scientist) told him that his pain was especially bad whilst at the computer, Gandham said «well, stop working with computers!» Dr. Danielson would have never said something like that! He would have offered solutions, and given recommendations, and he wouldn’t have appeared unhappy to be there and anxious to leave the room. And Dr. Gandham’s parting words? «I’m not a magician, unless you decrease your exposure to computers, there’s nothing I can do.» Ok, thanks, pal. I probably would have had no real gripes with this guy if not for the misleading way the office makes you think that you’re seeing a trusted professional, and instead get someone who seems intent on making a quick buck.

I am one of those people with an odd fear of anything touching my eye. To say the least, a trip to the optometrist is scary for me.
Luckily, even the puff of air thing wasn’t so bad, I got to decline drops (yep, you really can’t get anywhere near my eye). Some sales pressure for some crazy retinal scanning, I waived that. The employee who did the puff of air and «focus on the barn» tests was lovely to me, commended me on my bravery of the air puff test and even demonstrated on my hand how it’s not as aggressive as it feels in your eye.
Dr. Danielson clearly takes good notes. I saw him for my first eye exam 2 years ago, and he had even noted it was my first pair of glasses, and brought that up. He made some friendly chitchat, told my eyes have hardly declined and my vision itself is still good (yay!) and yes, I get to keep them indeed and I am still not to wear glasses full time. And although I believe he conducts it, he told me not to consider laser eye surgery as my vision was not that bad.
He calibrated my new eyeglass prescription, was patient with my «oh no, too far, try again,» «Umm, what was the first one again?» and «Uh, what was my number options, I think I like the last one, but I’m not sure can I see them again?»
So I walk out with my sparkly new prescription, and he even left me with the perscpective: «Here’s your new lenses, here’s your old lenses, and here are not lenses» while clicking through the three on the lens contraption. So fun.
So what not five stars? Well, I did still have to have the puff of air. And the cost has gone up. It used to be cheaper when you declined drops (which I do not based on money but fear), I guess they have to stay with the times.