Stuart R Winthrop, MD

I am extremely grateful to Dr. Stuart and the whole team at his office! I have been wearing glasses/​contacts since 3^rd grade, and would not be able to see clearly past 6 inches in front of my face without them. Needless to say, my eyes were TERRIBLE.
What impressed me the most about Dr. Stuart and his team was the care that I felt throughout the entire process — booking my appointment, final measurements, explanations of how the procedure would go — Claudia, Jeff, Dr. Stuart — they are all WONDERFUL.
During the actual procedure, Dr. Stuart verbalized everything for me as I was going through it, even checking in to see how I was doing/​feeling and to take deep breaths. I honestly felt so calm during the process because of his attention to my well-​being.
He called that evening to check in to see how I was doing, and my one day check up was a success at ²⁰⁄₂₀ vision!
Seriously. I can’t believe these are my eyes that are seeing this good — better than I did with glasses or contacts! I am recommending everyone I know that suffers from poor vision to go see Dr. Stuart and consider LASIK. I’m 29, and have a whole life ahead of me to ‘look’ forward to (pun intended) because of this surgery.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I have been a patient of Dr. Winthrop’s since I was a kid and I recently got Lasik surgery with him. I was a bit nervous going into it, but his whole team made the process super easy and seamless from start to finish. A week after the procedure I went back to check my progress and I officially have ²⁰⁄₂₀ vision! This coming from someone who could only read the top row on the eye chart before the surgery. If you are considering Lasik or just need an eye doctor Stuart is really great.

My husband has been a patient of Dr. Winthrop for 12 years and is very happy with his lasik results. So when it came time for me to have it done he insisted that I see Dr. Winthrop. From my initial consultation to today, one day after the procedure, my experience with Dr. Winthrop and his staff has been outstanding. Dr. Winthrop made sure all of my questions were answered before the procedure and talked me through the entire process while he was performing my lasik procedure. He called me at home that evening to make sure all was well and gave me his cell number in case we had any issues over the weekend. He saw me this morning and reassured me that everything was exactly as it should be. I am amazed that the results are immediate. I can see details I was never able to see before. This has been life changing. Dr. Winthrop is the best, I wouldn’t trust me eyes to anyone else. Thank you Dr. Winthrop!

I had the best experience. Dr Winthrop was very informative, very detailed, nothing was a surprise. I can’t say enough about his professionalism and his ability to perform my Lysiak. His office staff was wonderful with a special shout to Claudia, what a wonderful person. I traveled from southern California because he was the only doctor with the latest and powerful machine. My eyes were considered really bad and yet I could read the lake on a box 30 minutes after my procedure. I am so impressed and grateful to have found him.

Dear Dr. Winthrop,
I would like to thank you for the Lasik procedure I received last Friday. I am ecstatic with the results. I was initially very concerned about the procedure, potential complications and pain/​discomfort. I experienced no pain or discomfort during or after the procedure.
This quick and painless procedure has literally given me a new outlook on life. I had no idea what I was missing. I can now see the true beauty of everything around me. I have never been able to see this well even with glasses.
I own a Audio/​Visual design and installation company here in Santa Barbara. My vision was greatly restricting me from calibrating Televisions and Displays. This procedure is increasing my performance and ability to make precise changes and making sure everything looks great for my customers.
I would once again like to thank you for making the procedure very comfortable for me. For anyone else reading this, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. No pain, no discomfort and it’s SO FAST!
Lasik has changed my life and I would highly recommend it to anyone with impaired vision.
Regards,
Wyatt Olsen
CEO, Technology Consultants of Santa Barbara

Dr. Winthrop is a very strange man. He is known for having bursts of strange behavior and being very unpleasant, and then at other times being perfectly cordial. Honestly I am unable to even guess what the explanation for this is. I am looking at all these high ratings and am just astounded. My mother went to Dr. Winthrop for years and found him perfectly fine. She was so worried about my eyes because of two progressive diseases that I have that finally she offered to buy me new glasses if I went to Dr. Winthrop for a consultation. So even though I had my own doctor, I went.
He came into the room and literally spent about four minutes with me. He looked at my eyes, did not comment on how badly the glaucoma had deteriorated since I had seen him years before, and thrust a prescription at me for new glasses. Meanwhile I had noticed his (bad mood?) and had been trying to get him to be nice by telling him how highly my mother thought of him, etc. It did not work and he really was cold and I have to say, frankly, rude. He left the room (for good) and I realized that he had not even commented on the glaucoma and what the tension level of my eyes were. I had to run down the hall and stop him and politely ask him what it was. He was completely disinterested, did not want to discuss treatment, and I was really astounded. I had been really really polite to him. Afterwards my mother, who really worries about me going blind, said, «What did he say???» I was very very puzzled, and I said…“Well, nothing…”. I told her about how he had acted and she was very sad and sorry and said she was sorry. The REALLY WEIRD thing is that some time after the visit I received a certified letter from his office. I thought it was a bill and was wondering why I had to sign for it, why he sent it certified. I opened it up and it was a letter stating that he did not want to be my doctor and I was never to come back to his office again. I could not have been more shocked; there was no argument, nothing, no reason I could think of for this behavior. I really felt very bad. When I went back to my usual doctor, who is a very nice guy and excellent doctor, I told him what had happened and he immediately said, without any kind of malice, «Oh, Stuart can do strange things like that. DEFINITELY do not take it personally; he is just like that». That made me feel a lot better but I still remember it with curiosity and hurt feelings.
Now that I have written this, and it has been a number of years, I do recall getting on here and seeing a lot of very negative reviews about Dr. Winthrop. THEY ARE ALL GONE NOW… I know that there are ways to get bad reviews removed and his office must have done this. The purpose of me writing this is to let other people know that if he acts this way to you, don’t take it personally! But really I would not ever send anyone to him; there are other excellent opthalmologists in Santa Barbara. My mother never went back to him after this. One star for a very strange man…

Dr Winthrop and his team were great. They answered all of my questions and made me feel very comfortable about getting LASIK. The procedure went smoothly and with no trouble. Everything was professional and friendly. I definitely recommend him. Now I see ²⁰⁄₂₀!

I had a «touch up» to my left eye after 11 years from my original Lasik procedure. Dr. Winthrop and staff were professional and thorough from beginning to end. I’m seeing perfectly again. THANKS DR. WINTHROP!

I had such a wonderful experience with Dr. Winthrop and his whole team! They are knowledgeable, efficient, and welcoming throughout the whole process. The procedure itself was so fast and Dr. Winthrop talked me through every step. There was a nurse by my side making me feel relaxed and comforted and it was all over before I knew it. Yesterday I couldn’t read the giant E at the top of the chart and today I can see clearly and drive myself around town. After 19 years with glasses and contacts I have such a sense of freedom and couldn’t be happier with the results! Thank you Dr. Winthrop (and Jeff and Claudia too)!!

I recently had Lasik with Dr Winthrop and I was very impressed! His knowledge, professionalism and great personal rapport made the process very smooth and comfortable. Although the process is painless itself, I was very nervous. He and his staff were so supportive. An assistant even held my hand when I was nervous! My vision was ²⁰⁄₂₀ that evening and I was even able to go out to eat with the family that same night. Thank you Doc!!!

This was the best experience I’ve ever had with a doctor. Dr. Winthrop and his team were thoughtful and treated me like family through out the entire process. He’s done Lasik eye surgery for a lot of my friends and is clearly the top in his field. On the day of my surgery they walked me through each step and made me feel very comfortable and confident.
I highly recommend Dr. Winthrop for all of your eye care needs. He’s a great guy!

This is a super late review but I just referred someone else to Dr Winthrop and thought maybe I better come on and leave a post anyway.
I moved to SB in 2006 and never really established any doctors until recently. I saw Dr Winthrop for the first time Dec last year (2013) for an eye exam and prescription for glasses. He was fairly booked out but they got me in pretty fast. The staff as well as Dr Winthrop are professional and courteous.
My husband, his parents, and 2 siblings have all had the Lasik surgery done by Dr Winthrop and have been seeing him for years. They all love him. I am confused by Eileen B’s review because it doesnt seem like she’s even had a personal experience with Dr Winthrop? All her complaints are from other people who supposedly had issues.
Anyway, I just had my followup appt this month and still really like him and his staff. I’d highly recommend.

I feel sorry for anyone who has the misfortune of picking Dr. Winthrop to go anywhere near their eyes. The only reason he has patients is his marketing effort. People think because his face is everywhere that he must be good. NOT TRUE. He should lose his license because of his treatment and lack of concern with any developing problems. His attitude towards patients borders on evil. If a patient needs his help after a procedure, good luck — he wont’ get it. Call after call is ignored. When someone does answer your call, it’s the nurse telling the patient to put in more eyedrops regardless of the problem.
The doctor rarely deigns to pick up the phone himself. Use more eye drops is his answer even if they’ve caused a serious reaction. You’re being a pain he infers through his nurse. Stop call. Dr. Winthrop refuses to return calls himself — he’s too busy messing up other eyes. I’ve been told that a man lost his eyesight because of Winthrop and is poor treatment. I know of another man who developed a staph infection which was ignored by Winthrop and took weeks to heal without any help from Winthrop. Another patient developed Herpes on her top palette from the mds he prescribed. Another patient developed a severe case of photo sensitivity and must remain in her home, wearing an eye patch, She cannot watch TV, go out during the day. Forget about reading, She’s become an «eye» invalid. If you value your eyes, don’t go anywhere near this «doctor».
Why he hasn’t had his license revoked is beyond me and beyond many normal, intelligent people in Santa Barbara. He’s just a money machine. If the operation works, then no problem. But if it doesn’t and there’s a problem, he doesn’t want to know about it. Don’t expect any decent follow through. Once you’ve paid, you’re on your own. You have been warned. This is not a joke — it is very serious. AVOID THIS DOCTOR AT ANY COST. Eileen B.
PS _​I can’t believe any of the other Unilocal listed– they must be family, friends or people he or his nurse has paid off. Don’t think you’ll be treated differently because you won’t. Heed this warning.

I had lasik with Dr. Winthrop a couple of weeks ago. Everyone was super nice through out the entire process. Dr. Winthrop even gave me a call that night of the surgery!
I’m also very happy with the results! If you’re thinking about getting lasik, you should at least stop by an check them out.

I never thought to review dr Winthrop because I simply assumed he’d already have a zillion glowing reviews. But only 11?!
He’s a fantastic eye surgeon. He did lasik on one eye for me (monovision was my choice because my other eye is barely nearsighted). 3 years later it is a stable and excellent result. I no longer need glasses. I paid for my brother to have lasik w Winthrop for both eyes and he went from glasses to. ²⁰⁄₁₀ vision! Remarkable for a 10 minute procedure.

Dr. Winthrop and his staff were excellent throughout the entire process! I can’t say enough.
As someone who hasn’t had much eye work and doesn’t use contacts or anything, I definitely was a bit nervous about eye surgery (Lasik). Beginning with the first evaluation and through, now, 1 month post-​op, I was extremely comfortable and informed about the whole process. The office staff is professional and they clearly scheduled and explained all appointments.
I highly recommend Dr. Winthrop!

I had my reservations about getting LASIK treatment done but once I went in for the consultation I felt very confident with Dr. Winthrop and his team. The day of surgery I was provided an optional Valium (I recommend it) and then post surgically a pain killer to help me through the next four hours of keeping my eyes shut. Although I did take a few peeks right away and was amazed that I could see no problem.
The only part of the procedure that was a bit eerie was the initial device that is presses on your eye for the corneal slicing, other than that the surgical procedure was a breeze. Even post operatively I had little to no discomfort (which I was worried about).
I am looking forward to enjoying my life without the constraints of my contacts and or glasses.
Thanks Dr. W and Team

I received LASIK treatment from Dr. Winthrop about 3 months ago & I literally am seeing in ²⁰⁄₁₀! I purchased my own professional eye chart just to make sure I could get the same result on my own & it’s true! While most people get around a ²⁰⁄₁₅ result at Dr. Winthrop’s office from what I hear, that is still better than the standard of ²⁰⁄₂₀.
Anyway, how can I not give 5 Stars? I would give 6 if I could! The staff is really nice as well, just amazing overall!

I was beyond pleased with how great the entire experience was with Dr. Winthrop! I had LASIK done by him and went from being completely bling (rx 6.5 in my eyes) to perfect vision no longer needing contacts or glasses! He’s your guy if your looking for someone with experience. He is so calming thru the whole procedure and talks u they every step of the way constantly checkin in and reassuring u. I am still just overjoyed and forever grateful. Plus, had I been the extremely rare case whereby something went wrong– he’s the guy you want– a retina specialist. So if your considering LASIK, do it, and more so, get it done by Dr. Winthrop! You will be very pleased you did!

I just got LAZIK eye surgery (for astigmatism) with Dr. Winthrop yesterday and it was a wonderful experience. The procedure took place in a relaxed setting which was great for calming my nerves. There was an assistant in the procedure room whose sole purpose was to keep me calm by gently stroking my shoulder during the whole thing. The procedure was pretty much painless (about 10 seconds of discomfort on each eye) and took about a total of 15 minute. The recovery room was cozy and warm. Everyone is extremely nice and they accept Care Credit! What more can you ask for! Went in for my check up today and I now have ²⁰⁄₂₀ vision! Very happy client :)