Beyond their size, small businesses are defined by their spirit. And at the helm are their intrepid founders—scrappy, ambitious, and resilient. They invent and build things despite uncertainty, because it’s what drives them. Their risks lead to innovation that moves the world forward. And we need them.
I only went to Dr. Lydia Daoud because my regular optometrist was on vacation, and I needed a contact lens prescription while visiting home from grad school. I have been to many optometrists since elementary school, including several at Costco, and I have never had such a bad experience. Both Dr. Daoud and her receptionist, Coral, were rude, dismissive, and showed zero respect for patients’ time, comfort, or experience. During my first visit, she interrogated me about why I needed contacts and how many days a week I would wear them. She insisted I wear dailies, even though that makes no sense for my lifestyle and schedule. Instead of listening to my needs and preferences, she treated me as if my choices were wrong. I felt judged, frustrated, and completely dismissed as a patient. Why schedule appointments if you are just going to rush patients out the door? My first visit lasted less than ten minutes, and my follow-up this week was over in under five. A proper optometrist takes the time to check vision with the contacts on to ensure lenses fit and the prescription is accurate. Dr. Daoud did not. At both appointments, she had me try contacts, asked if they were settled in, and immediately rushed me out. I should not have needed a follow-up if she had done her job properly the first time. Instead, my eyes were left uncomfortable and my vision blurry. She gave me several pairs of contacts to try over a few days. Most were Bausch and Lomb, which irritates my eyes, and only one pair was Acuvue, which I can actually tolerate. She did give me one pair with a slightly higher power, but instead of being flexible, she insisted both eyes had the same prescription, even though they do not. I followed her instructions carefully. I wore the contacts during the day and night, tested them in different lighting and environments, and worked on the computer as she suggested. My eyes were still uncomfortable and my vision blurry. Despite all this, she dismissed my feedback and refused to believe me. I understand that sometimes lenses need time to settle or prescriptions need adjustments, but I know my own body best. The doctor cannot feel what my eyes feel or see what I see, yet she completely ignored my experience. To make matters worse, my previous optometrist had written my prescription back in May, and my eyesight was actually worse then. Yet somehow, when I saw Dr. Daoud in October, she gave me a lighter prescription — one that made everything blurry. It’s like Jesus Himself came down and blessed me and made my eyesight better between May and October, because that’s the only explanation for the sudden “miracle” she seemed to think had occurred. Numbers do not lie, and her defensive, dismissive response when I questioned it made it clear she wasn’t willing to acknowledge facts. Her receptionist, Coral, matched her behavior. She was rude, dismissive, and attempted to charge me for a follow-up that should have been covered. There was no explanation, no apology, just attitude. Dr. Daoud is an embarrassment to her school and to the profession. She shows zero bedside manner, zero professionalism, and no respect for patients’ knowledge or comfort. Money is hard to earn, and your eyes are too important to trust to someone like this. Between rushed appointments, incorrect prescriptions, uncomfortable lenses, and dismissive, rude behavior from both the doctor and her staff, this office is not worth your time, money, or energy.
I've been going here since 2022, and really like Dr Daoud. She explains everything in a clear way and they have optional extras, but don't just automatically upcharge you. Highly recommend
They do a great job here. Been coming for years. Fast and efficient. The doctor is very thorough and personable.
Great experience they really went above and beyond to help my family member with mobility issues. They were kind and patient we couldn't have asked for a better experience.
Very unfriendly and rude Dr I visited Dr L Daoud clinic at Costco Laguna Niguel on 7-22-2025 after an appointment, her assistant dr Kim received me she proscribed distance glasses and upgrade the level of my reading glasses, distance one didn’t help me at all kept same issue, I went back and insisted to see dr Daoud who they finally gave me good appointment and saw her today, she didn’t make full exam only distance vision exam and she said grade of glasses must be higher, every-time I tried asking a question she was unfriendly and showed rude and careless, I really didn’t like the way she attended me and the way she treated me as a patient they made mistake with ! I will never recommend her to anyone and never ever go back to her….