Dr. Gabriel Chu
Dr. Gabriel Chu is an Abbotsford-based eye surgeon. He might seem quite reliable at first. But he has a ton of negative reviews online.
His patients complain of mismanagement, rude behaviour, terrible staff, and a ton of other issues. That’s why I wrote this review on Dr. Gabriel Chu. It’s vital to know the truth about a doctor when you’re looking for an eye surgeon.
Reading the reviews I have shared below will help you make a better-informed decision. But first, a brief introduction of the man himself:
About Dr. Gabriel Chu & Fraser Valley Cataract & Laser
Dr. Gabriel Chu is an eye surgeon based in Abbotsford, Canada. He runs the Fraser Valley Cataract and Laser clinic. Its address is 34077 Gladys Ave #500, Abbotsford, BC V2S 2EB, Canada.
Some of the services the Fraser Valley Cataract & Laser clinic offers are:
- Refractive lens exchange
- Lasik or PRK eye surgery
- Cataract surgery
- Glaucoma management
And many others.
He has MD, FRCSC and DABO certifications. Dr. Chu claims that his mission is to offer every patient the best in eye care. However, his patient reviews tell a different story.
His patients claim he doesn’t give them enough time. And he has issues in diagnosing properly because of his hastiness.
Most Dr. Gabriel Chu reviews indicate he treats patients too hastily. That’s something you wouldn’t want to see in an eye surgeon.
What is a Red Flag?
A red flag serves as a signal or sign that there may be an underlying issue or danger associated with a company’s stock, financial statements, or news reports. These indicators can come in many forms and are often identified by analysts or investors as any notable undesirable trait.
Dr. Gabriel Chu Took Advantage of the Pandemic
This person faced a lot of difficulties because there’s no consideration for patients at Dr. Gabriel Chu’s clinic. The clinic forces patients to buy their $2 masks to enter the place. Their provided mask was the same one the patient wore. But they didn’t care. It exposed the patient to the risk of getting COVID-19. But Gabriel and his staff don’t care one bit.
The patient waited for an hour to get eye drops. However, they couldn’t get the eye drops because of an emergency announcement. The announcement said that they must reschedule or wait for several hours for their appointment. That’s not all. Gabriel made them sign a legal waiver of their rights to future care when they went to reschedule the appointment.
This is purely unprofessional and selfish behaviour. Dr. Chu was focused on squeezing as much money out of his patients as possible. Such doctors are a huge reason why the medical industry is so expensive. They increase the bills on their patients by adding unnecessary items in the invoice.
Wasting Patients’ Time Through Poor Service
The above reviewer had made an appointment three months in advance. They had made the appointment for March 5 in December last year. However, the clinic called them to change the date to March 15. After that they told the patient to change the date to March 27. Then the clinic requested them to reschedule it to April 5.
Those people wasted a ton of their time and would have kept it going if the patient hadn’t stopped. This isn’t the only review where the person complains about waste of time.
There were many people complaining about this issue.
“Be Sure to Pack a Lunch”
This reviewer suggests packing lunch when visiting Dr. Chu. Why? Because you never know how long you’ll have to wait there.
They also point out how the staff lacks sympathy as they made the reviewer’s 90-year-old father wait. The reviewer waited for an hour and a half and left without seeing the doctor.
Imagine the frustration they must have had. If Dr. Chu can make a 90-year-old senior wait for hours, he surely wouldn’t hesitate to make you wait.
And why do these patients have to wait for so long?
Because of Dr. Chu’s mismanagement of the clinic.
The guy is too greedy to delay appointments. He tries to stuff as many appointments as he can in a day. Surely, he doesn’t care what his patients go through in the process.
“Disrespectful”
The above reviewer waited for over an hour to get a check up. No one should have to waste an entire day just to get a check up. They had to rebook the post op follow and had to wait in a standing room for an hour and a half. Afterwards, they went to another room and waited there. They say it’s very disrespectful to make the patients wait like this and waste their time.
“I would not Recommend this Doctor”
“Waiting for Five Hours for Surgery”
This person had to wait for five hours for their cataract surgery. There was no apology or explanation from the staff. The person said they will suggest their referring doctor not to send more patients to Dr. Gabriel. Certainly, their experience was just as horrible as the rest of them are.
“Waited 45 Minutes to See Dr. Gabriel Chu for 5 Minutes”
The above reviewer had to wait 45 minutes to see Dr. Chu for 5 minutes. They also point out that Gabriel is very disrespectful towards his elderly clients. The person said they will look for another doctor.
“Completely Unsatisfied”
Here, the review points out the lack of proper organization at Dr. Chu’s clinic. The reviewer points out that the doctor gives 15-minute windows to patients so he can see many patients in a day. There are three waiting rooms. You move from the first one to the third as you wait to see the doctor. FYCL needs to ramp up its patient management. Otherwise, it would lose many patients.
“Not Impressed”
Dr. Gabriel and his staff like to waste people’s time. This reviewer is also one of those victims who waited for hours only to get disappointed.
They spent 25 minutes in testing then 30 minutes in the waiting area. Afterwards, they went to the assessment room where a tech staff member saw them and told them the doctor will see them next. That didn’t happen.
The person had to wait for 40 minutes. And the doctor didn’t arrive. The reviewer enquired if the doctor was there. But the staff didn’t answer their question and started blaming the computer. It was unimpressive.
Many patients complain about the lack of proper care and preparation at the clinic.
“Stressful”
This person complained that the clinic is very stressful. There are too many technicians. Also, it took them around 2 hours to get through. The person also said that Dr. Chu’s behaviour is terrible. You’ll find many reviews that highlight the terrible nature of this eye doctor.
I have dedicated a section to those complaints. You’ll find them below.
Dr. Gabriel Chu and His Staff Don’t Know How to Talk to Patients
This reviewer didn’t have a good experience at the clinic. They saw Dr. Payne who has a terrible bedside manner. The reviewer says they left the clinic shaking because of the doctor’s poor treatment. They said the doctor is extremely rude.
“Rude Staff”
This review is also about the poor behaviour of Gabriel’s staff and how they overbook the clinic. They have a prostethic eye but the staff always asks them the same questions. The staff also asked them multiple stupid quesitons. One of the staff members asked them to take off their glasses and read the eye chart. Obviously, a person who wears glasses wouldn’t be able to read an eye chart without their glasses.
They had to wait for over an hour like most other patients too. Apparently, Dr. Gabriel always overbooks the clinic. He wastes his patients’ time and doesn’t care at all.
“Very Poor in Communication”
This person had a similar issue. They complain that the clinic makes unreasonable demands about its payments. Dr. Gabriel’s staff asked them to pay for a surgery 3 weeks in advance. The next day, they contacted the reviewer and said they have a new protocol in place and want the full payment in a day. They gave the staff the benefit of doubt. But they also realised that it wasn’t okay for a place like FVCL to extort money out of their patients for a procedure they haven’t performed.
“Treat you like Cattle”
The reviewer says the Fraser Valley Cataract and Laser Eye Surgery clinic treats patients like cattle. They also complain that Dr. Chu has terrible bedside manner. He behaves rudely with the patients. The person only met him for 10 minutes. But canceled all of their other appointments.
“Argumentative and Rude”
The reviewer here says that the staff at Gabriel’s clinic is very rude and argues a lot. It’s also impatient with the elderly patients. They said the staff’s crude behaviour was reason enough for them to not recommend it to anyone.
You wouldn’t expect to see the staff at an eye clinic to talk rudely with your grandparents, right?
However, I can’t blame the staff too much. If their boss doesn’t care much about the patients, why would they?
“Waited 2.5 Hours”
Dr. Chu made this person wait for 2.5 hours to see them. Then, he only spent 5 minutes with them and rushed off to another surgery. His examination was very poor. Because this person got a second opinion from a different doctor who gave an entirely different diagnosis.
They realised that Dr. Chu treats his patients like walking wallets. He tries to get in as many patients in his daily schedule as possible. The guy is very greedy.
Dr. Gabriel Chu Lacks Professionalism and Compassion
Many complaints highlight the rampant unprofessionalism at FVCL. One reviewer had an eyelid surgery. But they weren’t given any head protection which caused them to start bleeding.
They had bloody eyelids and blood caked hair. The surgeon had advised them to be careful while cleaning their eyes because of the stitches. So, the patient was left with dried blood on eyelids.
Gabriel didn’t even perform the procedure properly. He cut one eyelid higher than the other. This hindered the patient’s vision. Obviously, the patient suggested avoiding this horrendous surgeon.
“Dr. Gabriel Chu is Rude”
This person also experienced the terrible bedside manners of Dr. Chu. When they told him about their pain he said that was impossible and they were too anxious. The reviewer told him that they get painful spasms even when they play a board game. Gabriel replied by saying that they shouldn’t play board games then.
I don’t think there could be a more unprofessional response. Moreover, the staff lost this person’s chart and forgot to schedule their appointment to the Vancouver specialist. All in all, it was a terrible experience for this person.
“”I Dread Going There”
This person had to visit Gabriel’s clinic every six months. They dread visiting that clinic. The reviewer points out that the staff doesn’t take its job seriously and there is inadequate seating in the clinic. So, a lot of time gets wasted there.
They visited the clinic multiple times but every visit was shorter than 5 minutes. Almost all of their time is spent in the waiting area and the front-desk. Moreover, Dr. Chu didn’t introduce himself when he met them the first time.
The staff doesn’t hold calls for you if you’re at the front desk. You have to stand there and wait.
The person says they hate going there and can’t wait to get out.
“Lied to Me”
This person waited for the cataract surgery for nine months. The clinic kept telling them that the operating room can open any day soon. But they noticed how the staff keeps changing.
They highlight how this clinic isn’t a good place to work at. The person couldn’t get an operation here and Gabriel didn’t send them to another doctor. It was a horrible experience for this reviewer. That’s why they warn others to stay away from Dr. Chu.
This reviewer’s family had a painful experience with Dr. Gabriel Chu’s clinic. They said they won’t come back and advised others to stay away as well.
“The Staff Kept Upselling”
The reviewer here is a low-income senior. They say they only wanted to get their cataracts treated. However, the staff at the FYCL kept up selling them on their services and changing the cost. The only alternative this person had was a year’s wait and going to a hospital in Chilliwack.
However, the person had enough of Gabriel’s staff and decided to get a new referral from their family doctor.
“Dread Spending My Time There”
This is another complaint highlighting the poor mannerism of Gabriel’s staff. However the reviewer blames Dr. Chu for their lack of proper bedside manner. Why? Because they believe
Dr. Chu doesn’t treat them properly. They say no one picks up a call during lunch. So, they have to waste their small break during office hours to call the clinic.
Dr. Gabriel Chu and His Staff are Incompetent
There are many issues in Dr. Chu’s service. One of them is his lack of knowledge and skills. The following reviews are from patients who received negligent or poor treatment from Gabriel:
“Misdiagnosed”
This reviewer says that the staff at Dr. Chu’s clinic is extremely rude and lacks basic decency. You wouldn’t want someone to yell at you when you’re having trouble with your eyes. Like most of the patients, Dr. Chu only saw them for five minutes. He didn’t go over the symptoms or the ailment. Gabriel only asked if the patient had any questions and left. He said the reviewer didn’t need any tests even though they were telling him about the pain they were feelling.
Dissatisfied, they went to another doctor who diagnosed them with glaucoma. Certainly, Dr. Chu doesn’t care enough about his patients to examine them properly.
“Lied About the Lenses”
This person is facing issues with the lenses Dr. Chu put in. They paid for the best ones but they believe Gabriel duped them and put in low-quality ones instead.
This is another poor method of scamming patients. That’s why you should always conduct proper research while looking for an eye surgeon. The surgeon can put in low-quality or fake products without your knowledge. It’s a pure case of malpractice.
“Dr. Gabriel Chu Couldn’t Diagnose My Eye Problem”
In this person’s case, Dr. Chu was incapable of diagnosing the issue with their eyes. So, they had to get a second opinion from another doctor. This person was lucky that they got a second opinion.
That’s why researching a doctor is so important when you’re considering hiring them. It’s a big reason why I shared these Dr Gabriel Chu reviews here.
You can make a huge mistake if you don’t do the proper research and go to a doctor like Dr. Robert Kaplinsky MD. The guy is sexist and has botched many procedures. You certainly wouldn’t want to get a treatment from such “specialists”.
“Absolutely Appalling”
This reviewer’s mother had a cataract surgery with Dr. Gabriel. It didn’t improve her eyesight. Instead, it worsened the eyesight right after the procedure. What’s worse is that the surgeon made the reviewer’s mother wait for over two hours before seeing her.
“Dr. Gabriel Chu Cares More about the Money”
This person says that the staff behaves poorly because Dr. Gabriel doesn’t know how to manage them. They highlight how the clinic struggles with keeping staff on board. The reviewer also points out that the waiting area of the clinic is a zoo. Waiting durations here can be excessively long. The patient alleges that Dr. Chu only cares about money and nothing more. That’s why he overbooks the clinic.
There’s nothing worse than a greedy doctor. For example, Dr. Diana Gerov is a dentist notorious for overcharging her patients. Many of her patients have complained about her sleazy tactics for charging them for procedures they didn’t get.
More Complaints on Dr. Gabriel Chu:
There were too many complaints on Dr. Chu. That’s why I have compiled some of them below:
Dr. Gabriel Chu Reviews Verdict
There are many issues with Dr. Gabriel Chu. He doesn’t listen to his patients. And he overbooks the clinic. There are multiple waiting rooms in his clinic and his staff doesn’t know how to talk to the elderly patients.
Some of his patients complain that he only cares about the money and not the patients.
It would be best to stay away from such a notorious eye surgeon. There are a ton of skilled eye specialists in Abbotsford. You shouldn’t rely on the one that has too many negative reviews on his practice.
They inform me that the contract surgery they conducted on me was completely successful in fixing my vision condition. They were merely taking advantage of their patients by charging them exorbitant fees while failing to provide sufficient medical care.
Following the operation, I needed to seek therapy for a different health concern and speak with a different surgeon to tackle that specific issue.
Despite the fact that I am unable to repair the mismatch in my vision, they simply scammed me and did not assist me in any way.
It is upsetting when the surgeon informs you that there are no more appointments available for today and that you will be kept waiting for six hours; however, it is even more upsetting when you shift from one location to another to get your treatments completed, but you are unable to meet with the surgeon.
I was quite unsatisfied after obtaining this level of service from them.
They botched my entire process, and I became very sad afterward. It’s now difficult for me to accept that I’m suffering from eye infections and bleeding.
Higher medical authorities act on this type of issue and inflict severe sanctions on these types of surgeons.
I recommend performing appropriate research to assist you identify some of the greatest doctors; it is advisable to take your time and then go with the next stages.
I’m sorry to be the one to break it to you, but things are not going well for me right now, and I’m much more anxious than I was before. After the operation, I was confronted with a number of significant challenges, including the appearance of certain red patches and excruciating discomfort in my eyes.
After surgery, I was in a significant amount of depression due to the fact that it would have an impact on both my mental and social life.
I had a half-hour consultation with them, but the surgeon was rushed and didn’t understand my problem. The delays in the appointments, as well as the bad outcomes, utterly shattered me.
It was quite awkward for me to be there because the other members of the group did not support me or provide information on what the next phases would be; as a result, numerous mistakes were made during the process. If you care about the health of your eyes, avoid coming into direct contact with them at all costs.
Unfortunately, they provided awful service to me. The offer’s medical personnel did not work well with their patients. The medical personnel was unconcerned about the elderly patients who were unable to comprehend the entire procedure. I made a mistake by going with them because they did not care about their clients.
They were merely here to carry out their incorrect medical procedures to gain more money.
It is not fair to wait for them for hours while they are unable to understand the problem or correct the actual surgery procedure that will be employed to cure the patient’s medical issues.
I spend 6 hours dealing with them, and just because the hospital had very large waiting rooms doesn’t mean that these surgeons had the authority to do whatever they want.
It’s difficult to believe that the media is unable to recover these types of fraudulent actions and that individuals were experiencing several difficulties while placing their trust in this type of medical facility.
I’m not sure why these types of surgeons are on the list of professional surgeons. If you are considering eye surgery, never come to this location for your eye-related problem.
My experience with them was completely negative since they were unable to detect my problem. It was difficult to see that I lost an hour giving them the true problem, but after the procedure, they were unable to obtain the specific therapy or cure the problem.
They were completely duping people on the basis of duping them.
I experienced dry eyes and poor night vision following the procedure.
Please avoid them since you will gain nothing in the end.
I’m over the age of 70. I met several surgeons, but this was my worst experience ever. They were very unprofessional, and they were nasty to their patients, which was unethical and tough for any elderly person to face. They were merely running the business on the clinic’s basins to make money.
They completely lied about the lenses they were using, and they completely misled their patients. I paid an extra fee to use the best quality contract lenses, and they promised to put the greatest quality lenses in my eyes. They were not using standard-quality lenses in my eyes, and as a result, I was unable to see properly following the procedure, resulting in fuzzy vision. They were viewing the entire exercise as a means of making money while doing nothing.
If you intend to visit this bizarre location, prepare yourself mentally and physically, and make sure you have no other obligations that day because the operation will take the entire day.
After interacting with them, my father was completely distressed. And it appears that staff employees were unable to identify the patients’ true problem.
I experienced the worst customer service ever; the staff personnel were unable to deliver adequate directions and were nasty to me anytime I asked them questions. Dealing with them was quite unpleasant for me. I waited for hours for my turn, and it was difficult for me to wait for two hours because it takes four hours to get to the hospital and another two hours to sit. Worst experience ever after surgery I had to suffer from retinal detachment and when I discussed my concern with them, they said it is absolutely probable in some circumstances where patients have to face this type of condition.
They were unable to fix my appointment on time; there were significant delays in the appointment, and I had to wait for two days because they had to reschedule my appointment dates. When I asked why I couldn’t get an appointment on time, they simply stated that the doctor needed to undergo some surgeries due to a medical emergency. I didn’t realize that if you’re having surgery, you have the right to ask the medical professionals at the office why they were making these mistakes during the appointment routine.
These types of surgeries were highly risky because you had to bear a big amount of losses if the surgeons made mistakes. It gets tricky when you have contract surgery; I have a lot of discomfort and infections in my eyes, and it’s difficult for me to have another operation. I would advise you to avoid these surgeries if you have any concerns with these types of disorders. It is best to rely on natural results as surgery can be risky and uncertain.
Fraser Valley Cataract & Laser is not a good clinic. They waste your time and treat you like a number. Never trusted Dr. Gabriel Chu after seeing how his staff talked to me. If his staff doesn’t respect the patients how can I expect him to be respectful.
This is not good. How is that guy even running an eye clinic when he has failed so many surgeries? Shouldn’t the medical board review him?
I know how difficult it can be if your doctor’s staff is very rude. My mother admitted into a clinic and the nurses were very inconsiderate. They wouldn’t listen to her and would deliberately ignore her. I still don’t know why they behaved like that with my mother. Gabriel Chu doesn’t seem like that good too. I wouldn’t recommend him regardless of his skills. A patient’s self respect is just as important as her health