Lasik Testimonials 

From Coke-bottle glasses to no glasses at all

With poor eyesight that limited his choices for both entertainment and careers, a Danville-area resident thanks Geisinger physicians for his “impressive” new sight.

For over two decades, Franklin, 34, wore eyeglasses so heavy and thick that they often ended up on the floor.

“They were the old Coke-bottle type glasses, and I mean they were thick,” he says with a chuckle. “They felt like they weighed a ton, and they slipped off my face when I sweated because they were so heavy.”

His vision was not correctible with the lighter plastic lenses that most eyeglass wearers today can use. On the job, construction dust and debris made contacts unworkable, as well.

Discomfort, poor options

So since the age of 10, Franklin had worn the noticeable, heavy eyeglasses. In addition to avoiding the discomfort, he longed for the simple ability to be able to see when he awoke, to be able to enter a building in the winter without condensation fogging his lenses, and to enjoy more activities without the discomfort of his glasses. Further, these glasses cost up to $400 to replace each time they broke or got too scratched.

So, several years ago, he began exploring laser eye surgery. He went to one eye surgery center but was unimpressed with the testing.

“You only have one pair of eyes,” he says. “That wasn’t the right place for me.”

A pleasant surprise

Franklin says he would have continued wearing the expensive uncomfortable eyeglasses if he couldn’t find a physician he trusted for the surgery. But he was motivated to continue researching his options. Then someone told him that Geisinger’s ophthalmologists perform LASIK surgery.

“I’ve lived within 40 miles of Geisinger my entire life,” he says. “But I had no idea they did this surgery.”

At his first appointment with Geisinger physicians, staff described the procedure, the recovery period and their expectations for correcting his vision. They also explained that with any corrective eye surgery, there is no guarantee that he would be able to stop wearing glasses entirely. He was impressed with their care, especially when, over several hours, they guided him through a variety of tests using specialized equipment. At every step, staff were evaluating his needs and tailoring a surgical plan designed specifically for each of his eyes.

Trusted staff

Before his appointment, Franklin recalls still being unsure about having surgery on his eyes.  But that appointment made him positively decisive.

“After getting all those tests done, I knew I was at the right place,” Franklin says. “And once I met my surgeon, I was sure that LASIK surgery was what I wanted.”

So one hot July day a couple of years ago, Franklin opted to have corrective surgery on both eyes. The results were immediate and impressive, he recalls.

From blurry to crystal clear

“I could see immediately after the surgeon finished,” he says. “Right there in the operating room, I went from blurry to clear. I could see better than I’ve ever seen before. The difference was extremely impressive.”  

Franklin’s surgery and recovery went very well. The first 24 hours were the hardest, he says, simply because he had to wear eye coverings. But during the days following, he continued to see things he’d never before been able to enjoy. He found he could focus easily on the edges of leaves on the trees outside his window. He could read the clock face without getting out of bed in the morning. And his auctioneering buddies began seeking him out to examine the fine details and markings of antique china before it crossed the auction block. 

“I probably spent almost two years thinking about laser eye surgery before I decided on Geisinger,” Franklin says. “If I had to do it over, I’d make the same decision again today—only I wouldn’t wait so long. 

“Because this involves your eyes, I’d still do the research to find a good doctor. At Geisinger, I found some great doctors. ”

 I have worn glasses since first grade. They were the weight of coke bottles. At age 16, my parents bought me contact lenses. I couldn't see anything past my hand in front of me. I was legally blind. It was so bad, even with my contacts, I couldn't distinguish an 8 from a 6 in the phone book. When I was in Geisinger’s eye department picking up a set of new contacts, I was asked if I had ever considered Lasik surgery.

I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Dobbins and the examination was very thorough. He explained that he would over correct my left eye and under correct my right eye, so I wouldn't require readers. The procedure was quick and pain free.

I couldn't believe I could read the eye chart with 20/20 vision after 20 minutes of surgery. It is wonderful not having to wear glasses to see the alarm clock and other little things we take for granted. It has been at least 5 years since surgery and I still have 20/20 vision. I don't even require glasses to read! I would recommend this procedure to anyone. My son listened to my recommendation and had his surgery at Geisinger as well. What a great team of dedicated LASIK professionals.

Cheryl McHale RN

I wore glasses since I was 10 years old. I had to wear them regularly. After years of uncomfortable glasses, I purchased contact lenses, which I also wore constantly. Sometimes at night, I even wore my contacts to sleep! When I saw how successful my mom’s Lasik surgery went at Geisinger, I decided it would be in my best interest to have the procedure done myself. Initially, after my first evaluation, I had to report back to Geisinger due to high eye pressures. Dr. Dobbins did a great job and was very helpful. I couldn't believe I went from being nearly blind to having 20/10 vision. I would definitely recommend this procedure to anyone else experiencing vision problems.

You don't realize how wonderful it is to actually wake up in the morning able to see clearly without putting glasses on or inserting contacts. Thanks to Lasik surgery at Geisinger, I don’t have to worry anymore about dry eyes or fuzzy vision.

Richard McHale