I am a single mother of 2 young boys. I don't know about the rest of the parents in the world, but finding out every child should be seen by an optometrist in their first year of life and THEN finding out you were a few years behind with both kids, was STRESSFUL. I wasn't looking forward to trying to juggle two kids and myself at an eye appointment, or the finger shaking that might take place when the Dr. found out they had never been checked before.
I called Gatti Vision to explain my situation and they were so kind and accommodating. Their staff assured me they could handle all 3 back-to-back appointments and they very generously worked with my tight schedule. I was still nervous when I walked into their beautiful office. Dr. Dunn met with me right away. She directed my sons to an area with a play kitchen and she and I sat down near them to go over our medical records in detail. She asked questions about my sons that I would never have thought of, but ended up being so important. When it came time for the exam, she sweetly directed each of my sons on what they needed to do. She knew just how to distract or amaze them in order to get them to comply with each test. My sons LOVED every moment, especially when she took the time to teach them about their eyes and what goes on inside of them. Even I learned a lot in those moments.
When it came time for my exam, she set the boys to work with books and puzzles and magically managed to keep them occupied while also completing my eye exam with every bit of thoroughness she used while examining my boys. I'm still not sure how she did it.
I realize this might sound strange, but Dr. Dunn was so kind, considerate and accommodating and I felt so taken care of that it filled my cup. I am so used to taking care of people, and often I forget what it feels like to be taken care of and treated like I have nothing to be responsible for except showing up. Thank you, Dr. Dunn, for reminding me.
It turned out that the boys needed glasses. Never once did she shame me, shake a finger at me, or give even the slightest "you should have done this 3 years ago" hint. She was understanding, encouraging, and helped the boys pick out a pair in my price range. Gatti Vision had an in-house insurance plan that made eye care actually affordable...who would have thought? The Dr. also discovered that I had been misdiagnosed! She put a plan together to help my eyes improve, instead of just slapping on a band-aid with a higher prescription.
I don't ever have time to write reviews, but there's no way I could not be grateful for Dr. Dunn and Gatti Vision. I feel like she is a hidden gem, and gems should never be hidden. If you're used to feeling like cattle pushed through a production line when it comes to health care, I encourage you to reach out to Gatti Vision and make an appointment. They've changed the game entirely and it feels so good. You matter and you deserve to be seen by an optometrist who believes that too.