Dr Cheong Yeem Yoong Pauline - #09-31/32 MOUNT ELIZABETH SPECIALIST CENTRE

1) I called to ask if I should walk-in or make an appointment. Looking back now, the nurse gave me a vague answer, probably because there was no appointment made for me at all. She told me that she "will give me a slot", and to "be there at 11.45am". When I confirmed if it is an appointment, she said "be there by 11.45am". Looking back, I think what she probably meant was, "the last registration is 11.45am, so be there by 11.45am. It did not mean that I had an appointment slot. I was finally seen at 1pm. It would not have been so bad if I was the patient. But it was my 3yo seeing the doctor. So I was rushing like crazy to prepare and bundle my 3yo into the taxi, thinking that I was rushing to keep an 11.45am appointment, only to be kept waiting at the clinic. And it is definitely a challenge keeping a 3yo entertained for the entire waiting period. (I was told she was not to play with the toys. I understand probably they are worried her condition is contagious, so even though toys are available, they were not of any help.) 2) My daughter's eye was very red and I thought I saw something inside her eye. Being a lay person with no knowledge of eye conditions, naturally it looked really scary to me. Hence, I took her to Dr Cheong who is a pediatric ophthalmologist. She saw my daughter for about 3-4 minutes in total. While I was waiting, I thought to myself, OK even if I have to wait for a long time, at least when it is my turn, if I get a thorough check up and get to spend some time talking to the doctor, then it is a worthwhile wait; at least the doctor is spending good time with each patient. But no, that was not to be. I felt rushed and I did not feel assured that it was a thorough checkup. 3) Dr Cheong took a look at my daughter's eyes and gave me her diagnosis. She did not talk about the "thing" in the eye, so I raised the concern. She did not relook at my daughter's eyes. She told me that it is likely mucus. I was surprised she didn't relook into my child's eyes to look at the "thing", but I thought "hey, what do I know? She's the doctor right? Maybe she already saw it during the check just now." So I didn't push it further. I observed my daughter's eyes at home. I did not think the "thing" in her eye was mucus. As a lay person, I think a piece of mucus should probably move around, shape should change etc. But the "thing" did not move, and it remained a round shape. Of course I was unsettled. I felt the checkup was so quick and thus, I didn't know how thorough it was. I then spoke to a couple of friends who were doctors and finally took her to NUH eye centre. In layman terms, they explained to me, the eye is a bit swollen due to the condition, hence the "thing" is "popping out", and so looks like there's something in her eye. So it was not mucus. I felt so much more assured by the NUH eye centre doctors who really did do a thorough check for my daughter. In short, I don't think I will be going back to Dr Cheong again. She may be a really good doctor, really famous in her field. But as a patient (or patient's mother), I didn't feel assured that the doctor has really heard my concerns and done a thorough check up for the patient.

My daughter is 23 yrs old. She is beautiful and her eyes show no signs of the birth imperfections she had. Dr Pauline Cheong adjusted her weak muscles and now almost 20 yrs my daughters eyes are straight. We are so glad we got her good help.