LESSON OF THE DAY
For LASIK or other eye issues, go to doctors who truly know what they’re doing and who truly care about their patients.
Approximately 15 years ago, Liz G. was teaching students at a school in Austin and she couldn’t see. She decided she wanted LASIK. This is where her journey began.
Her primary physician recommended an ophthalmologist where she went for LASIK. Her first round was unsuccessful, and they quickly tried to fix what they had started unsuccessfully again, six weeks later. A terrifying feeling no one wants to go through: a “botched” Lasik.
She had previously lived in Houston and she called her optometrist there when things went awry in Austin. Dr. Glenz told her that the “man to go to for any botched LASIK is Dr. Stephen Slade.” A year after her first unsuccessful LASIK attempt, Liz made her way all the way to Houston for a third treatment where she first met Dr. Baker who patiently ran tests and assessed her prior to her surgery plan at our office. Dr. Slade shared with her that she was lucky to have enough tissue for this procedure after all that had been done to her.
“He corrected my LASIK. He is a genius and a miracle worker.” Poor Liz was nervous but Dr. Slade guided her through the whole procedure. “After you have been burnt like that by a surgeon previously, I was a little gun-shy!” We completely understand.
Last year (and 14 years after her traumatic LASIK experiences) it became time for cataract surgery. Liz had been in old, hard contacts for 50 years and needless to say, her corneas had been through a lot! She had severe dry eyes that worsened after her cataract surgery and she felt she had tried all different types of drops as well as punctal plugs. Dr. Baker worked with Liz on some other options and introduced her to Dr. Bennett Walton at our office.
Seeing as to how she had LASIK twice elsewhere, came to us where our doctors were able to “work a miracle reshaping” her corneas, then had cataract surgery, you can imagine that the tremendous dryness Liz was now suffering from felt debilitating. She complained of a hazy feeling, bad visual acuity, severe discomfort and just the overall appearance of her eyes.
Dr. Walton was faced with a challenge here.
He shared: “It had made her afraid to read because each time she would read her eyes would be bloodshot afterward. We started with the least invasive treatments then moved up until we made her eyes comfortable again. Now she’s 20/20 and perfectly comfortable.” Comfortable doesn’t even start to explain how Liz felt about Dr. Walton and his care. She shared that Dr. Walton patiently tried all different types and sizes of punctal plugs for her upper lids which were difficult due to their structure. She went with his suggestion to have them cauterized and at the end of this is beyond satisfied.
“He was so patient and always had a smile on his face. He is outstanding and I had all the confidence in the world in him. He spent so much time with me. It’s amazing how much damage dry eye can do, everything felt very scratchy.” I told him “Thank you so much for not giving up on me. I never felt like a pain in the neck.”
Both of Liz’s children and her daughter in law are now patients of ours. If her words don’t say enough, we always say the highest form of flattery for us is the referral of family and friends.
Thank you Liz G. for having faith in us, coming to us in your time of discomfort, sharing this experience with us, but mostly, for sending your family our way. Dr. Baker, Dr. Slade and Dr. Walton are all so happy they were able to help you along your journey!
If you haven’t learned anything from this story, take this with you: if you are looking into the option of getting rid of contacts or glasses, do not go somewhere based on price. One LASIK procedure and your options could be none. Go to a doctor who truly cares about YOU.
Listen to Liz. “Slade & Baker Vision Center and the doctors there are on the cutting edge of everything. This is something you can’t buy. Your eyes are so precious.”
If you are looking into LASIK, curious about LASIK, feel like your vision is going or feel discomfort from dry eyes, call us for an evaluation today at
and we can get you in with one of our specialists ASAP!
