This story is sponsored by ReVision LASIK and Cataract Surgery.
According to Visual Councils of America, about 75% of adults around the world wear glasses. Having spectacles comes with its perks, including finding different styles to match personalities and having better vision in day to day life.
But what if a procedure could eliminate the inconveniences of wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses? At ReVison LASIK and Cataract Surgery, professionals are able to provide the Richland County community with services to help with eyesight and overall a better quality of life.
Located at 240 W Cook Rd, ReVision LASIK and Cataract Surgery has helped countless patients improve their vision over the past 27 years, including Optometrist at Vision Source Willard, Dr. Tiffany Procaccini and her husband Brandon.
Around two years ago, the Procaccini’s started to have conversations about the benefits of corrective eye surgery. The couple has both worn glasses for several years and dealt with the inconveniences of lens fogging and scratches. After hearing success stories about LASIK from coworkers, they felt it was time to consult with a doctor.
Mr. Procaccini did not have a lot of knowledge about LASIK before the procedure, but had been well informed about eye care health in general from his wife due to Dr. Procaccini’s experience in the optometry field.
“Anything we can apply to our lives to give us a better quality of life in any aspect of health, but being able to understand and know more about eyecare is very important,” he said. “It’s wonderful to learn about a much more enhanced level of eye health.”
Dr. Procaccini had prior connections with ReVison LASIK and Cataract Surgery that made the decision of having Dr. James Schumer perform the procedure a less stressful task. Dr. Procaccini first learned about LASIK while completing a rotation at Revision LASIK and Cataract Surgery as a student of optometry at The Ohio State University. From then on, she has always been interested in the procedure.
The Procaccini’s were able to go through the process of corrective eye surgery together.
After the consultation process, Mr. Procaccini was found to be a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery and scheduled an appointment for the procedure.
Dr. Procaccini was told 15 years prior she would not be a good candidate for LASIK, but rather a different surgery called Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK). PRK is a procedure similar to LASIK that provides a safe and effective alternative for patients who are not good candidates for LASIK due to other medical reasons.
Mr. Procaccini describes his LASIK experience as incredibly fast. A mild sedative was given to help him relax, but he was awake throughout the whole surgery. Numbing eye drops were used as part of the procedure. This was the only portion that made Mr. Procacinni a tad nervous as his vision was cloudy. From there the surgery was performed and only took a few minutes.
“The attention to detail, the patient care and the way they treat you and explain everything is I think probably the biggest reason for having minimal anxiety about the procedure,” he said.
Mr. Procaccini recounts that he felt a mild discomfort throughout the healing process, but was never painful. He was instructed by Dr. Schumer to wear special goggles to protect his eyes for the following few days after his procedure. By the next day he was able to see and within a couple of days was able to see 100% normally.
Dr. Procaccini’s PRK procedure was very comparable to the LASIK procedure, but her visual healing time was a bit longer as expected with this procedure. At her three month post operation appointment, she was able to clearly read the 20/20 line of the chart.
“It’s just so easy and so quick that afterwards I asked my husband why we didn’t do this 20 years ago,” she said.
According to Dr. Procaccini, it is important to note LASIK and PRK do not stop the natural aging process of the eye. Reading glasses still may be necessary as one grows older. Enhancements are also available, if needed, and often depend on the strength of the eyeglass or contact prescription prior to the procedure.
Although the Procaccini’s underwent two different procedures, their experience with ReVision LASIK and Cataract Surgery was positively similar.
“Everybody at ReVision is amazing. Their team is incredibly trained, knows what they’re doing and very nice,” Dr. Procaccini said. “It was nice to get to know the other side. I was the patient and they were helping me. It really was a great experience.”
The couple has found having corrective eye surgery has enhanced their everyday lives both personally and professionally.
Mr. Procaccini is able to be more active with their young children and feels more productive in his job in software sales due to less eye strain and the inconvenience of taking his glasses on and off.
“It is equally as great to be able to see clearly and to not have to wear glasses at my age, does life get any better?” he said.
Although it has been a transition to not wear glasses, Dr. Procaccini enjoys the convenience of waking up and not having to reach for her eyeglasses every day. She is also able to share her experience with her patients at Vision Source Willard.
“If a patient comes in, they might not always ask, but I usually always offer corrective eye surgery and tell them about all the options that ReVision offers varying from LASIK to PRK,” she said. “Having had it done is something I can bring to the table and share my experience and relate to them.”
When asked what advice Mr. Proaccini would give to someone who is considering corrective eye surgery, he said “What is going to be best for you and give you the best quality of life? There’s many reasons to do it and if you’re a candidate and it fits your budget, I don’t see any reason why you wouldn’t want to. Go see Dr. Procaccini for your yearly eye exam and get more information about LASIK and talk to Dr. Schumer and his staff, they’re amazing and professional.”
For more information about corrective eye surgery or to schedule a consultation, visit the ReVision LASIK and Cataract Surgery website.
