- Report: #713888
Complaint Review: John Bannwarth OD - Westminster Colorado
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John Bannwarth OD
10445 Reed St Westminster, 80031 Colorado, United States of America
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303-410-8478
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John Bannwarth OD optometrist that doesn't know what he's doing Westminster, Colorado
A year ago, I had an eye exam at his office in the Target store in Westminster, Colorado. While in the exam chair, I complained twice about my vision still being blurry even with the correction he was prescribing. He told me that due to my age, 57, I couldn't expect to get clear vision. I was confused since 10 years ago, before Lasik surgey, my vison was muchh worse and I could still get corrective lenses to 20/20 or 20/30.
Once I got the new glasses - I paid for 2 pairs - neither pair worked. When I brought them back and complained a few days later, they calinmed the lab did not mess up - the glasses matched the prescription so they blew me off.
After spending over $200, I had to put the glasses in a drawer and forget them. My vision was worse with the glasses than without them!
I recently had an exam from another eye doctor and they managed to correct my vision to 20/20. I showed the new doctor the year old prescription from Target / John Banwarth and he was amazed. The old prescription was way off. He said there is no way my eyes changed so dramatically in a year. He said the prescription from John Bannwarth was totally wrong. Also the center point of the lenses on one pair was off center - probably the lab's fault. SO he wrote the prescription down wrong - and made gross errors in his exams!
I wrote and politely askled for a refund of the $200 plus I wasted on the useless glasses and for the 3rd time, was ignored. I think it's clear that he doesn't know how to do a proper exam and doesn't care about his patients. I'm extremely fed up with this kind of treatment!
Once I got the new glasses - I paid for 2 pairs - neither pair worked. When I brought them back and complained a few days later, they calinmed the lab did not mess up - the glasses matched the prescription so they blew me off.
After spending over $200, I had to put the glasses in a drawer and forget them. My vision was worse with the glasses than without them!
I recently had an exam from another eye doctor and they managed to correct my vision to 20/20. I showed the new doctor the year old prescription from Target / John Banwarth and he was amazed. The old prescription was way off. He said there is no way my eyes changed so dramatically in a year. He said the prescription from John Bannwarth was totally wrong. Also the center point of the lenses on one pair was off center - probably the lab's fault. SO he wrote the prescription down wrong - and made gross errors in his exams!
I wrote and politely askled for a refund of the $200 plus I wasted on the useless glasses and for the 3rd time, was ignored. I think it's clear that he doesn't know how to do a proper exam and doesn't care about his patients. I'm extremely fed up with this kind of treatment!
1 Updates & Rebuttals
caringprovider
United States of AmericaI kindly disagree!
#2General Comment
Tue, August 30, 2011
I happen to know Doctor John Bannwarth closely as I trained with him in Philadelphia and also currently refer him patients (I am in a different field of practice also in Colorado). He has also done my personal exam for years now. He is a kind, intelligent person who is also human, therefore open to possible mistakes. Im sorry that you feel that he may have made an error on your prescription but I would like to alert you to a few things you may be over looking.
I am not an expert in optometry but what I do know comes from my own person experience with Lasix surgery (which I had over 5 years ago and now wear contacts and have vision troubles) as well as knowledge from my own medical training (not in optometry). Lasix is not a fool proof solution; your vision can regress (especially after 10 years) and/or you can also become far sighted much more quickly (and younger than people that have not had the surgery). Add the fact that Lasix surgery inherently causes dry eye AND Colorado has a very dry climate, both of which will cause vision fluctuations. These are things that most Doctors will warn you of prior to having this surgery done. This could be a factor as to why your eyes "could still get corrective lenses to 20/20 or 20/30" prior to surgery, but are more difficult to refract after surgery. ALSO, prescriptions CAN change rapidly especially if you have other conditions developing like cataracts (which are part of the normal aging process. SORRY to bring up age, but statistically it is true, like it or not.)
As far as the opinion of the other practitioner; Im very sorry for the profession of medicine if the other Doctor did tell you "the prescription from John Bannwarth was totally wrong" because we (society as a whole) are in a world or trouble if people in the medical profession begin bashing each other over things that are as patient subjective as 'better one or better two'.
I truly doubt the other Doctor used those words, to be frank! (there is a code of ethics in medicine and most providers would not speak that way about another professional). Nonetheless, I am truly sorry Target blow you off! I understand how hurtful and aggravating that can be. I believe if you were to simply have written a letter in a timely fashion to Dr. Bannwarth himself (not to the huge NAMELESS corporation TARGET, because I am sure that got lost in the pile of hate mail they get every day!) Im sure he would have personally taken care of refunding what you paid for his services (as I know I would have). One thing you must understand is that most, if not all providers, are in this field of work in order to help people!! I KNOW Dr. Bannwarth would never have let this continue if he knew it was going on! (I would again call the manager of the optical center and explain exactly what happened and see if they are more receptive in refunding the cost of your lens.) They actually broke my frame and were very helpful in remedying the problem.
The one thing I do find offensive, as a provider myself, is the fact that you had a less than stellar experience (remember here, the corporation makes all of your decisions when you are not in private practice. Same thing as the hospital I work for) with a corporation and decided that instead of attacking the company, it was much easier to put an INTELLEGENT, CARING Doctors name in bold print all over the internet. CHEERS to you! Do you feel better? And by the way, was it really Dr. Bannwarth that you were even mad at in the first place? Imagine how he must feel. I know him. HE CARES. Satisfied yet? Target wouldnt give you your money back so you hurt someone who was trying to help you. Congratulations!
To everyone in cyberland please remember that there are ALWAYS two sides to a story, I applaud you for researching the TRUTH and for making your own decisions. You always see the stories gone wrong plastered on the internet, very rarely do people take the time out of their busy lives to recant a good story about a provider. Hopefully you will meet Doctor Bannwarth and formulate your own opinions instead of being told what to think by others!
~A concerned medical health care provider.
