Reviews
The team at Kirk Eye Center is dedicated to providing a wide range of eye care services to meet your unique vision needs. We are a family-owned practice founded more than 50 years ago, currently spanning three generations of doctors. Over the years, many patients have trusted us to provide high-quality ophthalmology care in a safe and attentive environment. We invite you to take a look at our patient feedback to learn more about what you can expect when you visit us in River Forest or Gurnee, IL.
"Could not have asked for a more wonderful experience. Have been in great care at Kirk eye center for many years and finally took the leap to have LASIK.Dr. Kirk and his team were helpful and caring during the pre-op steps and answered any/all questions. The recovery was a breeze and would 100% recommend to all friends and family."
"Dr. Kirk Kent and his entire staff were friendly, thorough, and extremely kind. I will definitely be recommending them to everyone looking for lasik."
"I was referred here by my eye doctor when I mentioned interest in LASIK. The consultation alone sold me - Dr. Kirk and all of his staff were SO kind, the surgical coordinator Joyce was wonderful and talked me through all my options, so LASIK was a no brainer after that. The actual procedure was quick, the nurses and medical assistants were awesome, Dr Kirk walked me through everything and I knew how to get ahold of him in case something went wrong. I really appreciate that he gives patients a call the night after LASIK to check on them. Overall, I would highly recommend Kirk Eye for anything, but especially LASIK!"
"Just had LASIK surgery on both eyes. Dr. Kent Kirk and his entire staff were amazing! True angels. Joyce the LASIK coordinator is awesome. She talked me through everything from financing to post op instructions. Dr. Kent talked me thru the whole procedure and even gave his cell number in case of any concerns. Chad along with the other nurses were incredible. The only staff I had a terrible encounter with was Susana at the surgical center on the phone and in person. She can’t handle working with clients. Other than Susana. Kirk Eye Center is the place to go for all optical needs, especially LASIK surgery."
"My opinion on lasik surgery at Dr. Kirks Office: 1. Customer service 2. pain 3. recovery & vision...1. I had lasik surgery at this office and appreciated the medical staff very much. Once you pass the customer service desk the nurse aids and all staff in back are very welcoming and sweet. Made me feel very comfortable compared to a major lasik company I visited months prior and opted out of doing service with. I will say that the front desk team could come across a bit rushed and too busy to really focus on me and truly make me feel "special".... after all I’m forking over a lot of money for lasik right? If you ask me, this is an expensive investment I’m making on my sight so I would expect nothing less then top notch service from the greeters. But they didn’t perform the surgery so let’s move on. Dr. KIRK was pleasant and well experienced. My first visit with him was short but efficient. I only wish I would have shared more about my eyes so that I could feel like he knew more about my health before surgery. I’m sure he had all he needed with his experience through the exams and all... but I guess just to make me feel more at ease with this ...maybe just a few more questions about my eye history. 2. The pain was excruciating. No one could have EVER prepared me for the pain I felt. Was it the numbing drops? Did they not wait long enough for it to take effect? Was I just not tolerant enough? Were my eyes just too sensisitive from sleeping with contacts over the years? (Something I never shared) am I not good with anesthesia? I had so many questions as to why I felt SO MUCH pain during the surgery process. On my first eye, I felt the cornea lifted up and it burned, but I didn’t on the second eye. The pressure on my eyes was unbearable. I was referred here and it was due to several great experiences so I truly don’t question the Drs ability and have no negative feedback after my recovery because my results speak for themself ...I CAN SEE!!:) but just the mere fact that I was expecting "a painless" surgery, and maybe just uncomfortable at most is why I give this a 4 star rating. I will say that most people if not all say its painless so now I just question Everyone’s honesty on this! 3. Recovery.... I could see on DAY 1 after surgery... very sensitive eyes of course. But I was pleasantly surprised that my vision was good! Normally -5/-4 ....now 20/20? I do have to say that when you wear contacts vision is so sharp its not the same with lasik. Its almost like a spark of clarity is missing. Wish I would have been prepared for that. Because you expect perfection ... but its more of natural perfection vs modern perfection if that makes sense? Its almost like you do settle for a tiny bit less ."
"I went to Kirk Eye Center for my Lasik consultation and was able to get my appointment for the surgery just a week later. Dr. Kent Kirk was extremely nice and made me feel very comfortable. The surgery was a breeze and recovery was as well. If i had any questions there was always someone to ask. I would definitely recommend to anyone wanting to get Lasik to go to Kirk Eye Center."
"My family has known the Kirks for many years and Dr. Kent Kirk has been my ophthalmologist for a while now as well and we are very fond of them all. Dr. Kirk recently did my Lasik and it was completely painless and I see like a hawk now. He checked in with me personally at home after I went home the day of the procedure. The Kirk Eye Center is great and it's just around the corner from my house and we will keep following up there indefinitely."
"My family has known the Kirks for many years and Dr. Kent Kirk has been my ophthalmologist for a while now as well and we are very fond of them all. Dr. Kirk recently did my Lasik and it was completely painless and I see like a hawk now. He checked in with me personally at home after I went home the day of the procedure. The Kirk Eye Center is great and it’s just around the corner from my house and we will keep following up there indefinitely."
"I am glad to have chosen Kirk Eye Center to get my Lasik surgery done. From start to finish the experience could not have gone better. I went in for my free consultation where my eyes were thoroughly examined and I was told I was a candidate. Dr. Kent Kirk thoroughly explained the procedure to me and what I could expect afterward as well as the timeline of how my vision would progress. He took the time to answer all of my questions, and I did not feel rushed at all, which I have experienced quite a bit with other doctors and what I gleaned from other people’s reviews of some of the "cattle call" Lasik centers in the area. The day of the procedure, I was at the surgery center for less than an hour and a half. I didn’t have to wait at all, and the process was streamlined but again, I did not feel rushed. The staff was so nice and seemed genuinely concerned that everything went well. Dr. Kirk explained the process and it went exactly as he said it would go. It was about 30 seconds of total time under the lasers for each eye and the process was nowhere near as uncomfortable as I had imagined. Dr. Kirk gives you his cell phone number to call if you need anything or have any issues. I went home and took a nap, and Dr. Kirk called me that night to make sure everything was okay which is a nice touch. By the next day my vision was restored to a level it hasn’t been since I was 20 years old! It has been 4 days and so far so good. Just like you always hear, my only regret is that I didn’t do this sooner! Great experience, great staff, great doctor, I highly recommend Kirk Eye Center."
"Highly recommend Dr. Kirk and his team. Very nice, very professional, and I'm ecstatic I finally made the decision to get LASIK. The procedure is quick and painless. Dr. Kirk and his team walked me through every step so there were no surprises. Dr. Kirk also called me the night of my surgery to personally check in on me to see how I was doing and if there were any questions he could answer for me."
"Highly recommend Dr. Kirk and his team. Very nice, very professional, and I’m ecstatic I finally made the decision to get LASIK.The procedure is quick and painless. Dr. Kirk and his team walked me through every step so there were no surprises. Dr. Kirk also called me the night of my surgery to personally check in on me to see how I was doing and if there were any questions he could answer for me."
"Dr. Kirk and his team were amazing! I had LASIK done and the experience was life changing. Everyone explained every last detail about the procedure to make sure I understood what was happening. The procedure was very quick and easy. I was able to go home and rest after without any pain. Dr. Kirk called me after the procedure to follow-up and make sure I was still feeling okay. He really cares about the well-being of his patients. I would recommend getting LASIK done by Dr. Kirk to everyone. Dr. Kirk and his team are top-notch!"
"Dr. Kirk and his team were amazing! I had LASIK done and the experience was life changing. Everyone explained every last detail about the procedure to make sure I understood what was happening. The procedure was very quick and easy. I was able to go home and rest after without any pain.Dr. Kirk called me after the procedure to follow-up and make sure I was still feeling okay. He really cares about the well-being of his patients. I would recommend getting LASIK done by Dr. Kirk to everyone. Dr. Kirk and his team are top-notch!"
"I had LASIK at Kirk Eye Center last week and couldn't have had a better experience. Dr. Kent Kirk was awesome and I felt like he really cared about my eye health. I had previously gone for a consultation at LasikPlus and felt a little uneasy there. It felt like they were trying to get me scheduled for the procedure as fast as possible and spent more time talking about payment than looking at my eyes. I made the appointment at Kirk just to see if it was any different. Dr. Kirk had some concerns about a few things, scheduled me for some extra tests, and I felt so much more taken care of there. It felt like he actually cared about my long term wellness vs just wanting to schedule me for an expensive procedure and get me out the door. Everyone at Kirk was professional, accommodating, and friendly. The LASIK itself was so incredibly fast and painless that I could hardly believe it. Dr. Kirk and the nurses there all prepared me really well for the whole procedure and what would happen after. I'm normally very nervous for medical procedures, but I found the LASIK to be no big deal. It was certainly uncomfortable in the few hours following, but I knew it was normal and got through it with no problems. The next day, I was seeing 20/20 and I have had zero issues in the week since. I keep thinking that I'll try to take my contacts out before I go to sleep because my vision is so good. I would highly recommend going to Kirk to anyone who has been thinking about LASIK. It will change your life!"
"I had LASIK at Kirk Eye Center last week and couldn’t have had a better experience. Dr. Kent Kirk was awesome and I felt like he really cared about my eye health. I had previously gone for a consultation at LasikPlus and felt a little uneasy there. It felt like they were trying to get me scheduled for the procedure as fast as possible and spent more time talking about payment than looking at my eyes. I made the appointment at Kirk just to see if it was any different. Dr. Kirk had some concerns about a few things, scheduled me for some extra tests, and I felt so much more taken care of there. It felt like he actually cared about my long term wellness vs just wanting to schedule me for an expensive procedure and get me out the door. Everyone at Kirk was professional, accommodating, and friendly. The LASIK itself was so incredibly fast and painless that I could hardly believe it. Dr. Kirk and the nurses there all prepared me really well for the whole procedure and what would happen after. I’m normally very nervous for medical procedures, but I found the LASIK to be no big deal. It was certainly uncomfortable in the few hours following, but I knew it was normal and got through it with no problems. The next day, I was seeing 20/20 and I have had zero issues in the week since. I keep thinking that I’ll try to take my contacts out before I go to sleep because my vision is so good.I would highly recommend going to Kirk to anyone who has been thinking about LASIK. It will change your life!"
"I went to 4 different places for Lasik consults because I wanted to make sure that I found a doctor who genuinely cared about me as a patient. Kirk Eye Center and Dr. Kirk were a no brainer. I had my Lasik surgery 10 days ago and could not be happier! The day of the surgery after I went home and took my prescribed nap, I woke up to a voicemail from Dr. Kirk checking in. I was so impressed that he took the time to call after the procedure. The entire office staff has been amazing too!"
"I had Lasik last week, and I'm so happy. Dr. Kirk was awesome. Friendly, explained everything to me. The procedure was so quick. I was in the office for only about an hour. I had soreness in my eyes that day, but it was gone by the next day and now I can see!!!! So glad I finally did it!"
"I had Lasik last week, and I’m so happy. Dr. Kirk was awesome. Friendly, explained everything to me. The procedure was so quick. I was in the office for only about an hour. I had soreness in my eyes that day, but it was gone by the next day and now I can see!!!! So glad I finally did it!"
"Dr. Carter Kirk did an amazing job performing my LASIK surgery. From the pre-op appointment, surgery, to follow-up visits, he gave thorough, exceptional care not only for outstanding surgical results but for my overall eye health. I am very pleased with the outcome."
"I went to the Kirk eye center for a LASIK consultation and was blown away by the service of the staff and Dr. Kent Kirk. I decided to go through with the procedure and have never been happier!!! They make sure everything went perfect with the follow up appointments. I now have better then 20/20 vision! Amazing!"
"I have been wearing glasses/contacts since 2nd grade, and decided that my 30th birthday present to myself would be LASIK surgery. As a physician, my eyes are extremely important to my future ability to work, so I wanted the best care I could find. After talking with several local residents who have received LASIK, it seemed evident that Kirk Eye Center provided the best care in the area. With something as important as my vision, I wanted to be in the best hands.My experience did not disappoint. My initial appointment to determine if I was to be a good candidate for LASIK surgery was handled extremely professionally, and the explanation that Dr. Kent Kirk provided me with how the surgery worked, side effects, and what to expect afterwards was superb. I was able to schedule my surgery at the NovaMed surgery center three months later (he performs the surgery once a month). Katie, the surgery coordinator, was extremely helpful and cooperative in setting up all the details.The day of the surgery, I felt well cared for by the surgery staff and coordinators. Dr. Kirk again explained what he would be doing, what to expect, and how long everything would take. The whole procedure took less than an hour, I went home to take a 4 hour nap (thank you, valium) with some mild burning relieved by an anti-inflammatory eye drop, and besides some increased tear production initially, today have better than 20/20 vision. I could not be happier. Dr. Kirk even called that evening to personally check in to see how things were going.Again, I am a fairly new physician who interacts with many patients every day. It can sometimes get busy which can manifest itself in staff becoming agitated. However, as busy as Dr. Kirk must be, the care and professionalism demonstrated by him and his staff was textbook. When it comes to your eyes, do yourself and a favor and go with the Kirk Eye Center. You won’t regret it."
"I recently went in to see if I could get Lasik. I had perfect vision growing up and with age, I noticed my vision getting worse (Presbyopia). First cheaters in my 40s and then monovision and then bifocal contacts and glasses. Then I node my general vision was also declining. At age 58, this was not how I wanted to continue.After an extensive exam, Dr. Kirk advised me that I wasn’t a "good candidate for Lasik" as he noted an early onset of cataracts. It was not immediately noticeable and there was no cloudiness. Dr. Kirk told me the first clue, which resulted in a much more detailed exam was that my prescription changed a full 2 diopters in one year and that was a sign of possible cataracts. A less detailed exam might not have picked this up until they were more developed. My vision would only continue to get worse and undo the good of the Laisik. While the cataracts would not become an issue for perhaps 15 years, I would need to stay in glasses or contacts and have worsening vision each year. The proposed long-term solution would be to have cataract surgery and then have bifocal lenses implanted. Considered elective surgery, it was costlier than Lasik, but it was a "lifetime" solution, meaning my vision would never worsen after the surgery.After independent research, I agreed and have had both eyes repaired. I had the "Restore" IOLs implanted. Their staff are all very helpful and I had all of my concerns addressed. They did not make promises of perfect vision, only that I would see an great improvement. This type of procedure also meant I would never develop cataracts.The eyes were done one at a time, two weeks apart. The procedures were totally pain free. I did decline any sedation, as I wanted to fully understand what was happening. There was no need for it. The doctors (Scott for the first and Kent for the second) both made sure I understood everything that was going on. The follow up care was excellent.The best way to describe the results are miraculous! I now have 20/20 vision in both eyes and am totally free of any additional eyewear (including cheaters). I also noticed that I no longer saw "floaters" which I had begun to see over the past year. I have crystal clear vision and good not be happier."
"I had LASIK surgery done here and it was great. The staff and Dr Kirk made sure that the procedure went smooth. I can't even remember when I could see this clearly in my life and I love it! I would recommend the Kirk Eye Center to anyone in the similar situation."
"I had LASIK surgery done here and it was great. The staff and Dr Kirk made sure that the procedure went smooth. I can’t even remember when I could see this clearly in my life and I love it! I would recommend the Kirk Eye Center to anyone in the similar situation."
"I saw the one star review and feel I need to do what I can to wipe out what that one unfortunate phone call is doing to the Kirk Eye Center's rating. Eight years ago I had my "legally blind" classified vision repaired with the help of Dr. Kirk and his lasik surgery. The surgery was quick and the Valium they give you before is helpful in calming your nerves. We're talking about your eyes here, lasers on your eyes. You're awake and you can smell the burning. So yea...take the Valium. As soon as you're done you sit up and can see. It's absofuckinglutely amazing. You pick up some pain meds at the pharmacy on the way home and then sleep with goggles on until the eyes heal themselves beyond the pain. I, though, woke up only a few hours after my surgery in unbearable pain. I found my husband and had him call Dr. Kirk on his cell phone. It was 11:00 PM., he would have to pick up the medication from his office and meet us. I lived in Roger's Park then, the Doctor was at a fund raiser in Hyde Park, my magic eye drops were in Forest Park. We met on Columbus Drive. Dr. Kirk was in his tuxedo and asked to have the pleasure of administering my drops; they worked immediately. "My hero," I said. My husband sighed a big sigh and then off went my knight in his BMW back to his fundraiser. He called the next day to see how I was doing even before I came in for my appointment. This kind of care and attention is why I highly recommend the place. The Center is named for this man and his brother, it is their care and skill that I'm rating."
"I saw the one star review and feel I need to do what I can to wipe out what that one unfortunate phone call is doing to the Kirk Eye Center’s rating. Eight years ago I had my "legally blind" classified vision repaired with the help of Dr. Kirk and his lasik surgery. The surgery was quick and the Valium they give you before is helpful in calming your nerves. We’re talking about your eyes here, lasers on your eyes. You’re awake and you can smell the burning. So yea...take the Valium. As soon as you’re done you sit up and can see. It’s absofuckinglutely amazing. You pick up some pain meds at the pharmacy on the way home and then sleep with goggles on until the eyes heal themselves beyond the pain. I, though, woke up only a few hours after my surgery in unbearable pain. I found my husband and had him call Dr. Kirk on his cell phone. It was 11:00 PM., he would have to pick up the medication from his office and meet us. I lived in Roger’s Park then, the Doctor was at a fund raiser in Hyde Park, my magic eye drops were in Forest Park. We met on Columbus Drive. Dr. Kirk was in his tuxedo and asked to have the pleasure of administering my drops; they worked immediately. "My hero," I said. My husband sighed a big sigh and then off went my knight in his BMW back to his fundraiser. He called the next day to see how I was doing even before I came in for my appointment. This kind of care and attention is why I highly recommend the place. The Center is named for this man and his brother, it is their care and skill that I’m rating."