Dr. Susan Heidi Senft, MD

It has been a few years but, she is only after your money. When I went to see her, I first saw her assistant. When she tried to check my eye pressure she was very ruff and I could keep my eyes open because I did not trust her. She held at me and got quite angry when I could not hold still. I was afraid of what might happened to my eyes, she yelled at me and finally gave up. When I saw DrSenft she looked at my eyes and said I had glaucoma and cataracts in both eyes. I am a retired RN and I know what the symptoms are for each. She lied to me straight to my face. I had no symptoms of cataracts at all and I was very wary of her glaucoma findings. The assistant never got a reading when she tried to test me. I told her I did not believe her and why.She continued to try and talk me into surgery, no way. I could not believe how she lied to my face. I had an eye exam from a doctor I use to see the previous year and she told me I did not have any signs of cataracts, but I had always had narrow… angles in my EYES for over 15 years that I know of, and there had been no need to do anything about it, because it never changed. A few months later an acquaintance of mine had seen her and she was told the same thing. She got a second opinion and was told all was well. A few months later she passed from a brain tumor, which she was aware of. It is my opinion this is malpractice! I got a second. opinion too, but the MD was wary of going against her opinion. They do try to stick together, a silent code of doctors. If I wasn't knowledgeable, like most people aren't,(which is natural).I would have had the surgeries and possibly would have been a lot worse off. Please go to another eye doctor, there are many more. Our eyes are all we have, there is no second pair.

NO WAY! GET A SECOND OPINION If she tells you that you need surgery. I Just wanted to update my eye prescription before traveling. My appointment was at 11:30 am. Around 12:15 I was ready to walk out but was finally called. A young lady came in and did my eye examine. I was told that my eyesight hadn't changed from the bifocal glasses that I had with me. She then said that I would need to see the Dr.. When Dr. Sneft arrived, she had a a very terse, direct approach which was not very comfortable for me. After a quick eye check she told me that I had "Angle closure glaucoma" and would need eye surgery right away. She handed me information on the subject. She then ask me to read from were I would read a book or etc. She said I would need new bifocals, even though I was told by the first young lady that I didn't need to change anything. Dr. Sneft went on to tell me that she would also take care of the cataracts. She came across as if the surgery needed to be done as soon as possible. I… told here that I would be traveling the next week , she said that her office was moving so it might not get done until I returned. She ask me if I had any questions, from the confusion and the uneasiness that I was experiencing I couldn't formulate any at that moment. She walked me to the front desk and said that the staff would set the surgery up. No one was there at the desk and by the time someone did get there I really needed to go as I was almost an hour late for another appointment. The staff said that they would call me to set everything up. This wasn't setting right with me so when I got home I researched "Angle closure glaucoma". Kinda scary so I called my previous Eye DR in Colorado to get his opinion. He read my file and told me that he thought it was highly unlikely that I had this problem. He supported me getting a second opinion and suggested it be with a Dr. who has a special certification "Fellowship Trained Glaucoma". I did not find one here on the big island so I flew to Oahu. After many tests which were shared with me, many of which Dr. Sneft nor her staff had performed, the findings were that there was absolutely NO SIGN of "Angle closure glaucoma" and that while I had cataracts, he felt that I wouldn't need them removed for at least 5, maybe more years. It has been a week since I was in DR Snefts office. I went through a lot of stress and some extra cost (flight Kona to HNL and a car rental)due to the rushed misdiagnosis. I have never

I waited 2 months for my appointment, arrived 30 minutes early as requested (to fill out new patient paperwork) and then waited for 2 1/2 hours to be seen. There was one other person that arrived during the time I was there. Once I was seen there was no mention of how late she was. And she was very quick to recommend me for glaucoma surgery. And barely did an eye exam, I need special glasses to see clearly and this was the primary reason I went to Dr Senft to begin with. I am a doctor's daughter, my father sees children from all over the world and down the street, he always makes sure that if someone has to wait they are informed and then he personally apologizes to them when he sees them. I called him, my father, the day after the appointment for advice and the first thing he said was "what were your pressures?" and I told him and he said those are not numbers that are concerning. I did not make an appointment to return, instead I called a local optometrist that I had been… recommended and made an appointment. I arrived 15 minutes early, filled out the paperwork they requested and was seen on time. The optometrist did a very thorough exam, checked my pressures several times throughout (his numbers were consistently lower). He then sat and explained the results of all the tests that he and his staff performed. He said that I won't need surgery for another 8 or 9 years. He made sure to examine my Strabismus so that the script for my glasses would work. I've never encountered a physician who was so unprofessional. There are many other worrisome aspects to the appointment, but I hope this will make people think before they go to her. There are many other qualified and caring eye doctors on the West side of the Big Island.

poor surgical skills, lack of follow-up

She originally told us our daughters vision would improve. By the last visit we had with her, #4, she told us our 3 year old was going to be almost blind for the rest of her life. She will never improve. After so many visits waiting up to two hours after our scheduled apointments and her negativity, we called it quits with her and found a real pediatric eye doctor. Not one that's only in it for the money.

Dr. Senft is definitely worth the wait. Bring a book. I've worked with her in the operating room both in Hawaii and volunteering in third world countries and I will only go to her.

Avoid her at all cost. This was a terrible experience.

Dr. Susan Senft sets a bar of high standards and excellence. In my lifetime experience with doctors, she is absolutely brilliant in her field. She is constantly keeping on the cutting edge of technology and gives back as a humanitarian and is enthusiastic with her knowledge and practice. Additionally, her staff is very professional. The staff quantifies the professional courteous atmosphere. Dr. Senft office is very aesthetic to the eyes and she provides coffee, muffins, television viewing and reading materials for her patients while they wait. What is most impressive of all - is Dr. Senfts attention to detail in her client records. Her staff is truly remarkable and shows to me how she has hand picked such wonderful people. She literally saved my husband from going blind in his left eye and did outstanding work on my eyes as well. Thank you Dr. Senft.

Very compassionate...very dedicated...very eager to help...very educated, did you see her credential wall?

The staff are rude and uncaring. While I was getting my vision checked a staff member walked in front of me so I couldn't see the letters so that she could tell the doctor that she was running late and still had 2 more appointments. The doctor seems nice and has a good reputation but her staff ruin everything.