Lasik Eye Surgeon in Illinois and Iowa

Caroline relied on contacts and glasses for years. Needed them to drive. From the time she was 19, she’d ask at every annual eye exam about LASIK. She was nervous though and didn’t make an appointment until after she’d talked to a doctor at ESA.

She found out she wasn’t a candidate for LASIK, but was for PRK. PRK is similar to LASIK, giving the same results, but takes a little longer to heal. She decided to move forward and found that it was a quick process. The calming medication really helped as she doesn’t really like stuff around her face and was a little nervous. “They did a quick exam, then took in to the treatment room, laid down and seems like 5 minutes later it was done,” she explained.

“The first 2 days I slept as much as possible. I was sore. At my one day post-op they gave me numbing drops and that helped a lot. By day 3 the pain was gone. By one week I could drive and was back to work. Focusing took a little work as I was getting used to the new and improved eye balls. By the second week everything was back to normal. At a month, I was almost 20/20 and at 6 months I was. As far as side effects, “I don’t wear contacts anymore and maybe once a week I need to use lubricating drops/tears. It was so so worth it!”

Caroline relied on contacts and glasses for years, requiring them especially for driving. From age 19, she inquired about LASIK at every annual eye exam. Though initially nervous, she finally scheduled a consultation after speaking with a doctor at ESA.

During her evaluation, Caroline learned that while she wasn’t a candidate for LASIK, she was eligible for PRK—a similar procedure that delivers the same results but requires a longer healing period. She decided to proceed with the surgery, finding the process straightforward. The calming medication was particularly helpful, as she was somewhat anxious about having things near her face.

“They did a quick exam, then took me to the treatment room,” Caroline explained. “I laid down, and it seemed like just five minutes later, it was done.”

She described her recovery: “The first two days, I slept as much as possible and experienced some soreness. At my one-day post-op appointment, they provided numbing drops, which helped significantly. By day three, the pain had subsided. After a week, I could drive and return to work, though focusing took some adjustment as I got used to my improved vision. By week two, everything felt normal. At one month, I was nearly 20/20, and by six months, I had achieved full 20/20 vision.”

Regarding long-term effects, Caroline notes, “They warned me there may be lingering dryness, but I only reach for lubricating drops about once a week. It was so, so worth it! It is amazing to wake up and Immediately see the world without fumbling for contacts!”

I’ve worn contact lenses since I was 11 years old, with a significant -7 prescription. My distance vision was so poor that I couldn’t function without correction – whether reading a book two feet away or driving, I needed either contacts or glasses. As a member of the military, I strongly preferred contacts, especially for activities like weapons qualification on the range. However, my eyes had grown increasingly intolerant of contact lenses, and glasses weren’t ideal for my work.

Last summer, I decided to explore LASIK as a solution. While I was initially approved during the free consultation, Dr. Davenport raised some important concerns during my surgical screening. My corneas were just thick enough for LASIK, not leaving a lot of excess tissue after the procedure. He worried about potential long-term complications from corneal weakening. That’s when he introduced me to EVO ICLs as an alternative.

Dr. Davenport explained that ICLs would provide the same immediate results as LASIK, but a better option for me with thinner corneas and a higher prescription. Basically, they implant a custom prescription lens. Though this was a newer procedure for the surgery center, Dr. Davenport had experience performing it. After about six months of preparation at the surgery center, I was scheduled for surgery following detailed measurements.

The pre-operative process took about an hour and a half. I received dilation drops, numbing drops, and IV relaxation medication. My only task was to look straight ahead during the procedure. I experienced some minor pressure and discomfort with the first eye, but after I mentioned this, they adjusted their approach, and I felt nothing during the second eye. While each eye required about 15 minutes of preparation, the actual lens implantation took just a minute per eye. Despite being somewhat squeamish, especially about my eyes, the surgical team made me feel completely at ease.

The results were immediate and remarkable – I could see clearly right away! At my post-op visit the next day, I had 20/20 vision, and by my one-week post-op appointment, my vision had improved to 20/15. I can’t even feel the lenses in my eyes. I would absolutely recommend this procedure to anyone considering vision correction!