Laser Eye Surgery Testimonials

What made you decide to have the procedure Marie-Catherine?

I wore glasses for 3 years and then switched to contacts for 25 years!! I have followed the evolution of laser eye treatment for close to twenty years. Then last year a friend of mine came to your clinic and I told him how long I had been thinking of having laser vision correction. He asked me why I hadn't done it yet and I didn't really have any good answer. I did my research on it and Kelowna Laser Vision’s reputation was impeccable. So I started saving and said I'd do it in a year. I held my word ;-)

Contact lenses were a real pain both in my work environment, which is quite dusty, and when racing. I actually once lost a contact at the World Championships and since my vision was really poor before the surgery, I was unable to complete the race. So anyway, being able to perform those two activities without wearing contacts was going to be a blessing.

What I discovered 5 days after the surgery was a whole new world: not only did I see without contact lenses, I actually saw better than I ever did!!!! It was unreal, and it still is. I am amazed at all the detail I see in the trees when I look outside my window and how clear the trim is on the colorful houses of Silver Star where I live and train. I just can't believe I missed out on that for all of these years!!!

Marie-Catherine Bruno, Pedorthist
International Orienteering Racer

"It changes your life, I wish I had done it sooner. I had been wearing eye glasses for over twenty years. I thought about having laser eye surgery for about five years and finally got information about it. The Kelowna Laser Vision team was very helpful and informative while I went through my decision making process. My only regret was not getting the procedure done sooner. It's so fantastic to wake up and not have to find my glasses or to have to clean them. I can go swimming with no hassle, the freedom is wonderful - I highly recommend it!"

Travis Hackl
Chef, The Ridge Restaurant

"I’d like to take a moment to thank you and the team at Kelowna Laser Vision for making it possible for me, to achieve, a life long dream that I didn’t even know I had. I had almost not even considered the option of living without eye glasses.

Before my surgery I hadn’t really stopped to consider how different I could feel without eye glasses. I’ve been wearing them since childhood and they had become part of me. Since my surgery I feel a sense of confidence and freedom that I haven’t felt in years.

Last month I traveled to Fiji on business. Just being able to wear sunglasses that didn’t clip on, swimming and seeing at the same time was very cool. Even better, I went snorkeling for the first time without having to compensate for eye glasses. Wow – what a different experience.

I’m having more fun playing with my kids, and even though she’s very subtle - my wife Angie finds little ways of telling me – it’s a definite improvement. How can that not boost a guy’s confidence level?

I’m thankful I was not lured away to another provider selling on price. The value in the package you provide is well worth what I paid and gave me a lot of important piece of mind. Knowing you have a state of the art facility – with the best and safest equipment and people was important to me. I believe in the old saying that 'you get what you pay for'. Certainly I would never price shop for surgery.

I have referred your services to many of my friends and will continue to do so.

Thanks for looking after me."

Clint Best
Certified Business Coach
Trainer and Consultant

"I can see better now than I could with glasses or contact lenses! I wore glasses and/or contacts from the time I was 8 years old. I thought about having laser eye surgery for almost 5 years. As a medical student I knew a few close friends who had had laser eye surgery and were very happy with the results. I still had reservations though.

It's not something that anybody can talk you into. You have to come to the place where you are ready and only you know when the time is right for you. What changed my mind was a very conservative cousin of mine said that she would have the surgery if she were me. I wondered then what I was waiting for. The longer I waited, the longer I was stuck with contacts, contact solutions, and glasses. Then I found out that my optometrist, whom I really admire, had recently gone through the procedure at Kelowna Laser Vision. She is very happy with her results and this information is what really made me content and excited about my decision.

I did a lot of research into the various laser clinics. I spoke with a lot of people who had had the surgery and considered the pros and cons of PRK vs. LASIK. I wanted to have my laser surgery performed locally and I knew that the laser used at Kelowna Laser Vision was top of the line. I had also heard from numerous sources that the Opthalmologists and Optometrists, as well as support staff, were excellent here. I looked into Calgary and Vancouver but eventually decided to stay local since KLV could offer the highest level of technology and clinical care.

The greatest change in my life since the surgery is being able to see from the moment I open my eyes in the morning. I recently did some volunteer medical work in a third world country and it was amazing not to have to worry about glasses or contacts while traveling."

Janna Bentley MD, CCFP, RVT
Diplomate of the American Board of Laser Surgery
Okanangan Vein & Skin Care Centre

"As a professional writer I really noticed the inconvenience when my eyesight began to deteriorate...I was constantly being caught with the wrong glasses for the job I wanted to do next, because writing at the computer, reading, editing and research all call for different focal lengths, and I ended up with four different pairs of glasses for different reading distances, and a fi fth pair for long distance vision. Bifocals and graduated glasses were useless to me, as I could not use them for writing at the computer.

Then I underwent Lasik surgery and opted for the Monovision procedure, in which my dominant eye - the right one - was altered for distance vision, while my left was adjusted to a “computer-user” distance of about two feet. In a matter of days my brain was adapting rapidly to the new information being “fed” to it by my newly fi ne-tuned eyes. I’m told not everyone can adjust to Monovision, but I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending it as the best thing that has ever happened to me. It has been more than a year now since I underwent the procedure and I can barely remember what it felt like to be half blind. I no longer own a pair of glasses and even my night vision is better than it was before.

I found the staff at Kelowna Laser Vision to be friendly, knowledgeable and supportive, and I’m glad to be able to offer this endorsement of their services."

Jack Whyte
Author, A Dream of Eagles series,
Viking/Penguin Publications

Dr. Joel Casey, Optometrist

"I’ve worn glasses and/or contact lenses for over 28 years. It took me four years to decide to have the surgery, I finally went ahead with it because I was bound and determined to get rid of my glasses and contact lenses once and for all.

I chose Kelowna Laser Vision based on their excellent reputation; several friends had had successful outcomes with KLV. I wanted to have the procedure done locally by a reputable surgeon. My Optometrist, Dr. Karla Reimer, also recommended KLV. The treatment and service I received from each and every staff member as well as Dr. Casey and Dr. Baldassare was exceptional.

The greatest change in my life since surgery has been the freedom! Water sports are a pleasure now, rather than a nuisance. Wearing “fashion” sunglasses without having to worry about prescriptions is wonderful!"

Diana Dors
Visitor Services Manager
Tourism Kelowna

"The greatest change has to be the clarity and detail of things in the distance and still being able to read a book with no problems.

I’ve worn glasses from the time I was 7 years old and started wearing contacts from the age of about 17. After 32 years of glasses and contacts, enough was enough. Freedom to do things that glasses or contacts would restrict me to is what made me decide to move forward. There was a fear of breaking my glasses playing sports like baseball and hockey as well as the cost of continuing to purchase contact lenses if I lost one or two of them. The biggest change is waking up in the morning and being able to see without reaching for my glasses or putting my contacts in!!

I researched laser eye surgery for about 2 years. After learning that there were cheaper procedures and different types of laser systems, I felt my money was better spent with the leading edge technology at Kelowna Laser Vision."

Paul Cloutier
Service Technician, Assist Chief, Peachland Fire and Rescue

How long did you wear glasses/contacts?
"For 39 years."

How much did you research laser eye surgery?
"A significant amount of time over a number of years. Initially I talked to my optometrist about 10 years ago and looked at documentation he gave me. Any new information given on the news or in magazine articles always caught my attention. I talked to different people that had laser eye surgery done and always kept it in the back of my mind that it was something I’d like to have done too, but I was apprehensive. I kept the door open however, and this summer just seemed like the right time for me."

What made you decide to go forward with surgery?
"There are a number of reasons:
-I was finding contact lenses increasingly more uncomfortable to wear.
-I never liked wearing glasses finding them uncomfortable and unattractive.
-So many people have had the surgery done now with good results, so I felt more confident.
-I’d heard the latest laser eye surgery equipment was very precise demonstrating very good results."

How did you choose Kelowna Laser Vision?
"Documentation I’d read indicated that Kelowna Laser Vision had the latest technology and highly qualified surgeons, which was first and foremost. I live in Vernon, so it was close to home saving me the time, expense and stress of traveling to Calgary or Vancouver."

What has been the greatest change for you in your life since surgery?
"The sense of “freedom” that I feel. I am no longer dependent on glasses or contacts to assist me in everyday living. Whatever I choose to do, whether it’s driving the car, horseback riding or walking the dog, I can do it unencumbered. I’m truly enjoying all that I see so clearly all around me – what a joy!"

Sincerely, Cindy Penner
Kindergarten Teacher

"I absolutely love the freedom that comes with losing my reliance on glasses and contacts.

I have worn glasses for over 30 years, since I was 9 years old. Like many people, I have broken countless pairs of glasses in that time. I had been considering getting laser surgery for a few years. The catalyst for me was speaking to an increasing number of people who had recently had the procedure performed and said they were thrilled with the results. Also, I don’t think I was previously comfortable with the technology and results. As someone with relatively poor eyesight (-8) I wanted to be fairly sure of a good result. Now, the outcomes with wavefront guided technology are so high that it really improved my confidence.

A referral from a co-worker brought me to Kelowna Laser Vision. My consultation went very well and everyone I came into contact with there was very helpful and concerned that I understood the procedure and what to expect. I was very pleased to learn that many of the staff, including two of the doctors, had been through the surgery and were happy to discuss their experience. Finally, I did a fair amount of research on the laser machines and their results and was happy to learn that we have world-class technology right here in Kelowna. Based on my research, if I had to pick a machine it would be the one used by Kelowna Laser Vision, the VISX Star S4. More procedures are performed on the VISX lasers than all the other lasers on the market combined! Of course, technology is only as good as the surgeons using it, and again I was pleased to learn of the excellent results at KLV.

I absolutely love the freedom that comes with losing my reliance on glasses and contacts. I hadn’t realized how much it ties you down. Now I don’t have to worry about handling contacts or whether the solution is sterile etc., I can just enjoy what I’m doing at the time."

Mike Gilmore
CA. Partner, Grant Thornton LLP