One LASIK Vision Institute Patient’s Story

“When I was 5 years old my mother thought that I might need glasses. She noticed that I would watch TV 3 inches away from the screen! No matter how many times I was told to back up, I would always end up that close. My sisters and mother all have bad vision, so they decided to take me to their eye Doctor. After my appointment, it was very clear that I needed glasses right away. The first time that I put on my glasses, I looked up in the sky and asked my mother, "What is that big round thing in the sky?" I had never seen the moon before. It is unclear as to whether or not I had ever been able to see.

The next few years were hard on my family. My father was a Minister, and we didn't have much money. My eyes were constantly changing. I had to get a new prescription every six weeks. When I was 7, my Optometrist decided to put me in hard contacts to slow the process. This seemed to help a little. At one point in high school a different doctor decided to put me into a different type of contacts. They said that the longer I wore these "Special" contacts, the better my vision would become. I became very hopeful. It became very clear though soon after I was wearing them, that the change would not be significant enough. There was a small change in my prescription, so they told me the best solution was to put me into soft contacts and let my prescription regress back to where we started from. Imagine the letdown in hearing that I would have to sit back and let my eyes get bad again. I had lost hope.

I had heard about LASIK when I was 18. But every Optometrist that I spoke to told me that it was an impossibility. Again, I lost hope.

10 years later. I was still told that it was an impossibility. Luckily, I believe in the God of impossibility. I have prayed from the time that I was 5 years old until now just to be able to see. Even with glasses or contacts, the doctors never could get a perfect prescription for me. Through a series of events that could only have been put into place by God himself, my husband and I obtained the funds to pay for a LASIK surgery in full. Now came the hard part, finding the place to do it. Through my insurance company from work, they told me about The LASIK Vision Institute in Kansas City. They told me that this was the nearest facility around that I could go to with our insurance plan. So my decision was made. My husband and I blindly (no pun intended!) went to Kansas City with the knowledge that the chances of me being eligible were near impossible. Before we went inside, my husband and I took each other's hands and prayed. We prayed that no matter what would happen, we would still trust God that he knew what was best for me. We prayed for the hands of the doctor and for the knowledge of the others in the office. Even Doctor January was unsure of my eligibility. I barely squeaked by all of the tests, becoming the highest prescription that Dr January had ever worked on. Through the amazing people in that office and by the grace of God, I can see! The day after my appointment I was seeing 20/20 in one eye and 20/15 in the other! And I am still healing! I am 28 years old, and this is the first time in my life that I have been able to fully see.

I can't even begin to explain what this has done for my quality of life. This was not a surgery of convenience. This surgery is a life change. I will forever be grateful to everyone at The LASIK Vision Institute. You have truly changed my life. I can see my children with my own eyes now! This is truly a testament to what God can do through the power of prayer, and what God can do through people that he has given the talents to change lives.

I have been in contacts for 21 years. I am no longer a slave to my contacts. And for the rest of my life, I will continue to thank God, Dr. January, and everyone else at The LASIK Vision Institute. You have no idea how your bravery in taking me on as a patient has changed my life! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”