Perceptions
Transforming Kimberly
Four minutes of LASIK changes a life.
BY LOUIS PILLA, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Every so often, Dr. Brian Will and his wife, Carlene, of Will Vision and Laser Centers, think about a patient named Kimberly and how a 4-minute LASIK procedure transformed her, almost literally, into a new woman.

Highly myopic and astigmatic, Kimberly wore glasses and contact lenses, which wasn't unusual. But her nystagmus was. It was severe, with "constant and total movement of the eye," says Mrs. Will, executive vice president of the center.

Years before, Kimberly had explored surgical options to improve her vision but was told that the negligible improvement she'd get wouldn't be worth the risks. Then she heard a radio ad for Will Vision that mentioned eye tracking. That prompted her to attend a seminar in March 2000. Her surgery came the next month.

Nystagmus had caused Kimberly, then age 27, significant problems. Professionally, she found it hard to perform at more than a minimal level at her job, processing night deposits at a bank. On a personal level, she was frustrated, perhaps even depressed with her vision. At the very least, she was mild and reserved.

Dr. Will scheduled her LASIK, using the Alcon Summit Autonomous LADARVision laser. As he began the procedure, he noticed an almost frightening amount of eye movement, with rapid fine and coarse oscillations. Kimberly's pupils, he said, were right at the edge of where the tracker would lock on.

Because of the degree of movement, Dr. Will had to perform two separate ablations for each eye, for a total of four ablations. Because of the high degree of myopia, each eye took roughly 2 minutes, instead of the typical 30 seconds.

Kimberly Before	Kimberly After

Immediately after the procedure, Dr. Will asked Kimberly to sit up so that he could examine her eyes. As she sat up, she looked through a glass wall separating the operating area and the waiting room -- and had to choke back tears. Dr. Will was taken aback, afraid something had gone wrong with the procedure. But it became apparent that Kimberly was emotional because of the dramatic improvement in her vision.

Kimberly was looking at her husband, Harold, and mother through the window, as well as office staff who had gathered to watch the procedure. She could see clearly and in detail. Being able to see without contacts or glasses she says, was "overpowering. 'Miracle' isn't too strong a word."

Before surgery, her vision was OD ­11.00 +4.25 x 84; OS ­13.00 +4.50 x 74. Afterward, her vision improved to OD PL x 111; OS ­0.25 +0.50 x 113. To the Wills' knowledge, this was the first tracker-guided LASIK in the world for a patient with congenital nystagmus. LASIK should be the treatment of choice for all nystagmus patients, Dr. Will says.

On a personal level, Kimberly soon began to exhibit a new confidence. She says that she had decided before the procedure to use the event as a way to renew herself. At her 1-week follow-up, for instance, her appearance had changed so dramatically, including a new haircut and makeup, that Dr. Will didn't recognize her. And although she still works at the same bank, she no longer does night processing and has taken on greater responsibilities.

The Wills note that more than 650 eyes per month undergo LASIK in their practice, and out of those, they might get a half-dozen thank-yous. With Kimberly, they said, they knew they didn't need one.

You can contact Dr. Will's office in Vancouver, Wash., at carlenew@willvision.com or (360) 885-1327. A video of the procedure is available through www.willvision.com.