Michele’s LASIK Story

Since the age of eight, eyeglasses shielded my eyes and corrected my vision. Initially, I started out merely needing them for distance. As a young child, accommodations were made. Teachers would place me in the front of their classrooms to ensure I could see the chalkboard. As time progressed, I began to wear them not just for distance. Through the years my prescription continued to change and I found myself wearing them constantly. I was never inclined to use contacts and grew accustomed to my glasses being a permanent fixture on my face. Being a visual artist, I viewed my glasses as art in their own right. They were a “Michelle accessory”, synonymous with jewelry, fashion, or any other form of expression. I traveled far and wide to obtain “funky frames”, ones that matched my eclectic artsy style. I acquired quite the collection, from various colors to rhinestones. As an artist and teacher, students took notice of Ms. H’s “art teacher glasses”. Despite the joy I had waking up each morning and picking out a pair of glasses to wear I still struggled with my eyesight. My challenges included; bumping into things in the middle of the night (I bruise easily), misreading shampoo and conditioner labels in the shower, and on one occasion thinking the bottle on my vanity was make-up remover (it was in fact, nail polish remover, a mistake I would be sure NEVER to repeat). Finally, at the age of 23 my eyes had reached stability. During my most recent eye exam this past summer of 2015, my ophthalmologist confirmed this fact. He recommended that if I desired, I could go for a consultation at The Eye Care and Surgery Center in Westfield. They would be able to determine if I was a viable candidate for LASIK. 

After convincing my mother, who replied at first with the phrase, “why on earth would you, an artist, ever want to mess with your eyes”, I decided to go in for my consultation. Following this, I was given thorough eye exams to determine if my eyes were “LASIK material”. The results ultimately came back that I “passed” and Dr. Confino informed me that I could proceed with the procedure. My surgery date was booked and I promptly went home and researched the entire procedure ad nauseam. I didn’t want to leave any “stone left unturned”. As a patient getting elective surgery I wanted to know exactly what I was getting into. Luckily, the staff at The Eye Care and Surgery Center in Westfield is extremely caring and courteous. Everyone understood my concerns and instructed me on exactly what to do before and after the surgery. They were quick to answer any questions I had, and I had quite a few. When the day of my LASIK procedure finally came I was glad to have trusted such a wonderful and competent surgeon as well as his staff with my eyes. My results were astounding and the next day I could automatically see. My new and improved vision left me with a surreal feeling. Each morning I awoke to the new day with awe that my eyes had not returned to their “normal” blurriness. Since that pivotal day I have returned to work. I have gone back to making art in the studio as well as teaching my classes. I no longer have the black outline of a frame blocking my peripheral vision, I don’t need windshield wipers when it rains, nor do I need a defogger when the weather changes. My eyes are free! During my most recent follow-up appointment in October, it was confirmed that my eyesight was 20/15, better than 20/20! I often joke around with friends and family and say, “if I thought I was a decent artist when I wore glasses, can you imagine the works I will be able to create now that I can see unencumbered?” Hindsight being 20/15 (not 20/20), I am glad I decided to pursue LASIK. I am ecstatic with my results and cannot begin to thank Dr. Confino and his staff at The Eye Care and Surgery Center enough for their time and patience in guiding my family and me through this process.”

If you or someone you know would like to learn more about Bladeless LASIK or Schedule a Free LASIK Consultation please call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center, Google+ or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment.

The Eye Care & Surgery Center is located at 592 Springfield Avenue, Westfield, New Jersey 07090, 10 Mountain Boulevard, Warren, New Jersey 07059 and 517 Route One South, Suite 1100, Iselin, New Jersey 08830, and is conveniently located for patients from throughout central and northern New Jersey.