Mehryar Ray Taban MD - Oculoplastic Surgeon Santa Barbara

Dr Taban has a very good bedside manner and his staff is also very kind and helpful. I highly recommend him.
Apr 25th, 2021

My out of town experience was easy and complete. I had an upper bilateral blethroplasty, under light sedation. The procedure was 35 minutes and I was on my way home. Little discomfort after anesthetic wore off and ice and Tylenol worked great. My healing was only a few days and result was amazing. I had wanted this surgery for a long time and was referred to Dr. Taban. I’m very pleased at my results. His staff was very efficient and my FaceTime appointments worked out very well. Happy 67 yr old woman!
Apr 3rd, 2021

Dr. Taban recently performed both upper and lower blepharoplasty with skin pinch. He was very informative when explaining the procedure which helped me feel more relaxed and confident. I am happy with the outcome even though I am only three weeks out from the operation. My eyes look so much more rested and I don’t look angry or ill. I feel younger too! The real results will be in another 2-3 months after the residual swelling resolves. It will be hard to wait, so I will try not to stare in the mirror too much!! Thank you Dr. Taban for my early Christmas present! It has really lifted my spirits and made me feel better about my appearance which means more than you will ever know.
Oct 14th, 2020

No good service
May 27th, 2020

DR. TABAN AGED me 25 years. I had a naturally high crease but his eyelid surgery ADDED heavy skin folds lowering my creases and producing an ugly, hooded, reptilian look (see photos). Additionally, my left and right lids are uneven. He refused to correct his botched surgery or to reimburse me a dime! It has been an expensive and dispiriting ordeal. I have now paid for TWO upper blepharoplasties (one to correct his disaster) yet Dr. Taban still refuses to reimburse me a dime for the damage. He dismissed me rather than confront his professional negligence and then hustled for positive reviews. If I were Dr. Taban, the last thing I would do is hire an attorney to threaten me for defamatory reviews. Yet, he did. Dr. Taban’s upper blepharoplasty cost me dearly: in dollars, time, appearance, pain, and distress. His surgery left me looking more than decades older, and my eyes resembled a repellent reptile’s. I pled with him to at least listen to second opinions from MDs whom he respects. His response: “Not gonna happen”. When I complained, Dr. Taban dismissed me as his a patient and referred me to 2 surgeons, one of whom corrected his work-- for an additional $5800. That plus anesthesia, out-of-pocket expenses, travel to and from LA for another surgy and post-op checks, totaled $7000. And that surgeon was Dr. Taban’s own referral! I had asked Dr. Taban to redo the surgery and correct his mistakes but he only recommended a browlift (which he’d earlier said I did NOT need) and upper eyelid fillers. But 2 expert surgeons whom I consulted later said adding filler would only have worsened the overhang from increased weight. And I’d previously told Dr. T. that I did not want filler. He claimed I needed so much extra skin to close my eyes. Wow. I then asked why I needed a blepharoplasty in the first place then? His response: “whaddya want from me?” I requested a refund from Dr. Taban - just for the surgery (nothing extra for anesthesia, meds, travel time (surgery was 90mi away), or aftercare). I even stated that IF he issued a refund, I’d sign paperwork releasing him of all actions or demands including that of professional negligence and also agreed not to discuss or to post reference to his practice. My entreaties fell on deaf ears: he fled the exam room to phone about a new Porsche. I stated I’d return weekly if need be, but I was determined to receive better treatment. I was out a considerable chunk of money and still couldn’t look in the mirror w/o cringing. I duly consulted one of the colleagues he recommended and this MD agreed to redo Dr. Taban’s work --at an added cost of over $7000. After 23 mos. of unsuccessful attempts for recompense, I filed in Small Claims in Nov. 2015 as a last resort. His botched blepharoplasty surgery in Dec. 2013 resulted in an overhang--heavy added folds of the upper eyelids exgtending to the outer lower lids. Two independent cosmetic surgeons attested that Dr. T. had failed to follow my “high, natural eyelid crease” as evidenced by my Before photos. In taking Dr. Taban to Small Claims, I again only asked to recoup surgery expenses and nothing else (meds, aftercare, or the additional corrective surgery fees). But Dr. Taban has no integrity: he pointed out to the judge that I’d had a previous blepharoplasty, as if to suggest it’s unclear whose work was actually responsible for his horrid outcome! That first bleph was performed 25 years ago and is clearly irrelevant as my Before photos were taken only mos. prior to his surgery and STILL clearly depict my high, natural creases. Though I displayed the Before/After photos in court, the judge decided in Dr. T’s favor because I hadn’t subpoenaed cosmetic surgeons who would offer written testimony against him (good luck with that). Throughout this long ordeal, Dr. Taban’s accepted NO responsibility. His lack of accountability and professional conduct is unacceptable. I hold him personally culpable for my disastrous results and his utter lack of responsibility toward patients is in clear breach of medical ethics.
Oct 18th, 2019