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Frank Zisman, OD

An optometrist in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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Couldn't have asked for a better optometrist

Aug 2, 2011

by devora

Exclusive to the Lunch Network

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A couple of weeks ago, I randomly cut my eye. As in my eyeball. I woke up one day, put on a contact, it started stinging, and I've been in glasses since. Now before you cringe, you should know that I've been wearing contact lens for over a decade now. I think every long-term contact lens wearer can relate -- this is just something that happens, and for me, personally, this is about a once a year occurrence. Once a year, I'll cut my eye or get pink eye or something like that and be doomed to glasses for a week or so. The first few times, I went to the doc's. As it started happening over the years though, I just learned to self-treat. Well, not this time.

This time the cut seemed a bit worse than what I had previously experienced, so wanting to play it safe, I of course scheduled an appointment to see an eye doctor ASAP, and I went through Kaiser. I thought that a cut was something that I needed to see an ophthalmologist for and I thought that was who I was going to be seeing at Kaiser, but apparently, optometry is more broad than I thought it was and I was unknowingly assigned to a optometrist.

I haven't been to Kaiser for an eye doc in nearly a decade since I have my own optometrist in private practice, so I was randomly assigned a doc, which happened to be Frank Zisman. And let me tell you, this was probably one of these best and most positive Kaiser experiences that I've ever had. Dr. Zisman is kind, warm, friendly, knowledgeable and patient and most important of all, he has genuine care and concern for his patients and looks out for their best interest. He's also hilarious, so many jokes were cracked and many laughs were shared.

This is in stark contrast to the 95% of other Kaiser appointments that I've had over the years where I felt like I was on a conveyor belt going through a wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am experience with some jaded, exhausted, bored and overworked doctor who gave me a quick surface fix without really going to the root of the problem, and couldn't wait to get rid of me ASAP.

Dr. Zisman said that the cut on my eye wasn't actually that bad, told me to wear glasses for two more weeks, to start taking flaxseed supplements for my dry eyes, use rewetting drops and to use more oxygenated contact lens when I was ready to test drive them again. Prior to this appointment, I had no idea that I had a dry eye issue. Besides the cut, I also had a lot of questions about the health of my eyes in general, and about LASIK and he took the time to answer all of them in great detail.

My cut has healed completely thanks to Dr. Zisman's advice and I've actually continued to wear glasses since I have decided to get LASIK, once and for all cutting down my chances of getting eye cuts and pink eye annually. I further emailed Dr. Zisman for advice on LASIK, to which he responded promptly to. With a couple jokes thrown in, of course. Even at the appointment, he had given me quite a bit of information that was really helpful in narrowing the exact type of procedure I wanted.

I Googled Dr. Zisman because my experience with him was so positive that I wondered if he was in private practice so that I wouldn't have to go through the hassle of Kaiser the next time I wanted an appointment with him, only to find a bunch of glowing and nostalgic reviews from his former patients from the days when he had his own private practice. I think he's nearing retirement.

Though Dr. Zisman is no longer in private practice, former patients should know that he's still around, examining at eyeballs, except at Kaiser, either the Oakland or Richmond facilities and he still gives patients the private practice feel even though it's in a large hospital.

By the way, if you do see him, you should ask him how he came to choose between dental and optometry school. I'm sure he'd be happy you asked :)

Update: I ended up getting LASIK just a couple of weeks after this appointment and you can read all about it here.

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Sharrie September 28, 2011

Ouch! Those must be nasty experiences. Luckily for me, despite having worn for decades, yeah, go figure, lol... I haven't had major mishaps! But, at one point, I did have to switch from soft lens to gas permeable lenses. It's a no-choice decision has either that or glasses. It does seem that after a certain years of soft lens, one's eyes do become sensitive to the soft lens. As for Lasik, the last time I asked, my optometrist advises against it and I've asked more than once over the course of the last decade!

devora September 30, 2011

Yes, they were! And I've never heard of people having to change back to the hard lens. Interesting! And I actually had LASIK done right after I wrote this review with fantastic results. I'll have to write a review. Thanks for commenting! :)

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Scotman August 23, 2011

Excellent testimonial!

devora August 23, 2011

Thanks, Jim!

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rbuchanan August 07, 2011

Your opening paragraph prompted a familiar shudder that I've experienced during every viewing of Un Chien Andalou, but the review's remainder coaxed a smile as well. This is a very sweet account that bespeaks tremendous sincerity and gratitude; I chose wisely to bookmark this for a morning reading.

devora August 23, 2011

Thanks for checking out my review, Robert! And I'm hesitant to watch Un Chien Andalou... :P

rbuchanan August 24, 2011

Don't be; it's great! Here, I uploaded it to YouTube in January for fun.

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willw2 August 05, 2011

Glad you got taken care of...

devora August 05, 2011

Me, too!

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woopak_the_thrill August 02, 2011

from food....to restaurants....to shows and celebrities....to movies....to groceries....now doctors! You should have a site called "Ask Debbie" or "Debbie's List" ;P

devora August 03, 2011

You could say the same about yourself! From movies to fraps to binoculars.... ask Woo! :P

woopak_the_thrill August 03, 2011

btw, you'll like Lasik methinks.

devora August 04, 2011

I can't wait to get it!

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About the reviewer

devora (devora)
Ranked #5

When I'm not Lunching, I'm a jeweler, and an all around, self-proclaimed web geek. My passions include social media, the interweb, technology, writing, yoga, fitness, photography, jewelry, fashion, … more