To date, electing to have corrective eye surgery with New England Eye Center and Dr. Helen Wu has been one of the best decisions I have personally made in almost 20 years. The ability to wake up and start my day without first having to think of whether or not my glasses or contacts are with me is incredible to say the least. Knowing that I can simply think about how I want to spend my day and what I would like to do is how everybody who wears glasses or contacts wants to start their day. With PRK, I can.
The greatest benefits have shown themselves immediately when I was able to go out for a run with my friend just a few days after surgery and not worry about my glasses fogging up, sweat getting on the lenses, or them slipping down my nose, obscuring my vision. I have been able to go to the beach and not worry about water getting into my eyes and flushing out my contacts. I have been able to go camping and not be worried about packing saline or contact cases.
This procedure has not only afforded me incredible vision and the ability to see the world as it truly is but it has also enabled me to reach a level of independence which I have not had for many years. The day I was able to donate my glasses to the Lions fund and not worry about purchasing another bottle of saline solution again is really the most I could ask for out of this procedure.
The staff was and has been incredibly courteous, helpful, informative, and above all concerned with my recovery and overall satisfaction.
Thank you New England Eye Center, Dr. Wu your Team!
Paolo
Up until the time I turned 30 I was happy wearing glasses. I had always worked in positions where I was supervising people older than me, and glasses helped me look more mature, intelligent, and wise. A while after I began working in fashion and my friends started having babies, I realized that I probably didn’t need those glasses to look”mature” anymore; I was getting older, and the glasses didn’t help. The final straw? When the cashiers at Trader Joe’s started calling me”sir.”
Now, having had laser eye surgery, I could kick myself for waiting so long. If I’d have known how affordable, quick, and relatively easy it was five years ago, I would have definitely had it done sooner. Dr. Wu and everyone at the New England Eye Center were so easy to work with that I felt like I was almost family. They explained everything, answered all my questions, and made me feel at ease throughout the preparation, procedure, and follow-up care. I simply can’t recommend them enough- and in fact I’ve sent a few people there already!
Jason Salzenstein, Senior Editor, Style & Travel / EDGE Publications
By the time I was six years old I already had very poor vision, and as a child I had to wear those”Coke-bottle” glasses with extremely thick lenses before graduating to contacts in high school. As I grew older, I found that I had less and less clarity with my contact lenses, and as an executive who spends hours reading email and analyzing long, complex documents, this was very frustrating. I began to need reading glasses in addition to my contact lenses.
I researched refractive laser eye surgery, but was told I was not a candidate because I had very small cataracts, which my ophthalmologist watched for about a decade. Then in 2007, I began noticing my vision was worsening significantly. In meetings I had difficulty reading the slides on the screen; when driving at night I could no longer see street signs. My poor vision had become incredibly frustrating and was interfering with my daily life. That’s when I made an appointment with Dr. Helen Wu at the New England Eye Center here at Tufts Medical Center. Dr. Wu told me I was a perfect candidate for Crystalens. I had the surgery in one eye in November 2007 and the other in December.
Regaining clear, crisp vision has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Now, my vision is 20×15 in one eye and 20×20 in the other, and the difference from before has been truly life changing. I was so euphoric then, and still am now that I can read my email, newspapers and documents clearly, without the help of glasses. It’s made an amazing difference, and I’ve referred many people to Dr. Wu, including my own sister. There’s no question this procedure is worth it for someone like me.
Ellen Zane, President and CEO of Tufts Medical Center
From the time I was a child, I lived an active lifestyle- playing sports, exercising, swimming, and most recently working in a fast-paced hospital setting. The one thing that consistently interfered with my daily life was my eyesight. I have sensitive eyes that became easily irritated from contact lens wear, and my glasses continually slid off my nose and fogged up when I was outdoors. Since undergoing eye surgery with Dr. Wu over a year ago, the changes in my life are indescribable. My vision is greater than 20/20, and everyday activities like driving and watching television are dramatically improved. I don’t have to think twice about going to the beach or the gym, and worry that my eyes will get dry and red. It still amazes me when someone questions my ability to read a sign in the distance or see the score of the game, because now it seems so natural to me. I would recommend Dr. Wu and the New England Eye Center in a heartbeat to anyone whose active life is being slowed down by their eyes!!
Jennifer Cardella, Occupational Therapist atMass General Hospital
I can sum it up easily: I wish this procedure had been performed years ago! It would have saved me from purchasing contacts, expensive solutions and the added time of putting them in and taking them out each day … not to mention the redness and irritation I always got with contacts. The procedure was fast, easy, painless and required little recovery time. My vision was virtually perfect when it was finished and not needing glasses for nighttime reading or watching TV in bed (where I always found a way to bend the frames or lay on them) was another bonus. Dr. Wu, Dr. Stejna, Bill Sacco and the entire staff at NEEC were so attentive, available 24/7 for questions and always timely and kind during visits. Thanks to all of you for my new pair of eyes! I would recommend the NEEC to anyone who is thinking about getting rid of contacts and glasses forever. Thanks again!
Barry Scott -“The Lost 45s” @ www.lost45.com, America’s Largest Music & Interview Library!
I’m really happy with my results, and the doctors and staff at NEEC were really nice and also very helpful. My glasses used to fog up so bad I couldn’t wear them to work; wearing a motorcycle helmet used to be a terrible pain; and if I didn’t leave my glasses right next to my bed, I couldn’t find them the next morning! I now have 20/20 vision, and I’m glad I spent the extra dollars and came to Boston to have it done right.
Kevin Welsh, Maine Lobsterman
All my fears of LASIK eye surgery were erased once I met with Dr. Wu and the staff at the New England Eye Center. The entire process was very thorough and efficient. I had a wonderful experience and was surrounded by such caring and accommodating professionals. Needless to say, it is a miracle to see 20/20 now without any prescription!
Amy Welch, Coordinator of Tufts Dental Fund and Alumni Relations at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
I like to live an active lifestyle. Glasses and contact lenses just got in the way of that, since I was always having to worry about my glasses getting crushed or my contacts falling out or getting torn. Dr. Helen Wu and the Laser Vision Correction Center of Boston came highly recommended to me by a co-worker, so I entrusted my eyes to them. I can now see 20/15, and neither glasses nor contacts will ever slow me down again!
Derek S. Henderson, Administrative Coordinator at Boston University School of Medicine
I wish that laser surgery had been available to me many years ago. I have worn glasses or contacts for the past 70 years. Dr. Wu told me I had cataracts and they needed to be removed. She also told me about a better cataract lens available called Crystalens and explained how I would benefit from this surgery. I decided to have it done even at my age of 78. I was not apprehensive about the surgery as my husband and I have great faith in Dr. Wu who has given us wonderful eye care over the years. She is supportive, friendly, and very skilled in this field.
The day of surgery a car picked me and my husband up at our home in Milton at 6am. The staff at the surgery site was set up and prepared for me and even gave my husband a cup of coffee which was most welcome at 6:30am. The surgery was totally painless and immediately after I could see clearly out of my eye. I was given juice, crackers and a set of eye drops with post-op instructions. The driver picked us up and we arrived home at 9:30am. This was quicker than a trip to the dentist.
Now a few months after having surgery on both eyes, I see at 20/20 and do not need reading glasses as I know there are some people who do. I guess with regular cataract surgery it only corrects your distance vision. With the premium lens I got (Crystalens), I can now see near, far and in-between without needing glasses and my cataracts are gone. After my very positive surgery, my husband, who was apprehensive about his own eye problems now is actually looking forward to having surgery on this eyes and to be eyeglass free. I would hope that anyone who is considering eye surgery would have a visit with Dr. Wu before allowing anyone else to perform their operation.
Louise Smith Catanzano Retired, Former Registrar and International Student Advisor at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy – Tufts University
