The LASIK Vision Institute

I received LASIK here in 2010. The staff was very helpful and polite. Dr. January did my procedure. I did end up having to wait several hours the day of surgery because he got in from Texas late on his plane. My husband also ended up having LASIK done here as well later on. I was pleased with Dr. January. I give this place four stars only because of the length wait time the day of surgery, and it backed everything up for HOURS, literally! It really inconvenienced everyone that day.

I am currently 1.5 weeks post-​op and I’m doing AMAZING! ²⁰⁄₂₀ vision, no pain or irritation.
Before Surgery:
I was very nervous and anxious about the decision. I noticed that they had a groupon and decided to finally take the plunge. I researched the procedure well on the internet before going into my evaluation. I knew I was most likely a good candidate. After some tests, it was confirmed that I was. Any remaining concerns or questions were addressed by staff. I set up my surgery date for the next week.
Surgery Day:
I did not have a long wait. My appt was at noon. I left at 2:30 I think. But very little of that was actual waiting and it seemed to pass by fast. But, maybe it’s also expectations. They told me to plan for 2 – 4 hours that day. They did some eye scans and tests that day. And, we went over the financing, etc.
Dr. Bruce January and staff are a delight. I was very nervous right before and during the surgery. But, they told me what to expect. They actually handed me a stuffed Eeyore for the proceedure. I laughed but man that thing came in handy. I gripped it as if I were drowning, just because I was nervous. I actually felt NOTHING. NO pain at all. But the nerves can get me sometimes. Dr. January is very humorous and loves to play music in his surgery room. I’m glad he knows how he works best. Rock on Dr J, rock on. In fact, I joked with him about the songs he might be inspired to play before we got going. The music and the conversation in the room helped distract me a bit during the procedure. All in all, it went by very quickly. I felt that the doctor connected with me and he obviously did a great job.
Post-​Surgery:
I immediately went home and slept for 5 hours as recommended (thank god for zzzquil). I woke up, did eye drops, then went back to bed from 1am to 9am. Sleep helps you heal.
The first week was par for the course. I had medicine to take and a night mask to wear. I was very careful and followed all the rules. My vision was blurry at times, as it was healing. I tried to get a LOT of sleep.
I’ve had my checkup. I’m good to go. ²⁰⁄₂₀. No complications. Keep those eye drops going and follow the rules. The staff seemed just as positive and excited to serve me as before I paid. They were all very supportive and happy that my vision is doing well.
Critique:
My only dislike of the entire experience is the general business model of the company. They operate on sales. I don’t like the concept of «upgrades» when it’s concerning medical issues. They offer basic lasik, with upgrades for custom lasik, tear duct plugs, and a lifetime warranty. I researched all of this on the internet to make an educated decision. In full disclosure to you, I paid $ 2100 for all of those. They quoted me more, but, similar to car sales, they negotiated down.
I GREATLY recommend getting CUSTOM lasik. This option means they do a custom mapping of your eyes instead of a template. If you can get a good scan of your eyes, this is the best option for everyone, obviously. The tear duct plugs that I got are temporary and made of collagen. They help my eyes to retain moisture as they heal. The warranty was the one I valued least but for the cost savings I included it. Read the fine print about it. Like all warranties, you need to follow the rules of 1 checkup per year or you’ll void it. Also, please note, it only covers the procedure performed on you — not an adjustment in the opposite direction. For instance, I am (no… I WAS, jeez that’s nice to say) near-​sighted. So, if I need lasik to correct my close up vision someday, this warranty will not cover that.
As in all things, do your research to realistically align your expectations. I have very clear vision now. Lights at night seem a little blurry but A) they were like that a little bit before surgery and B) your eyesight keeps improving for several months after surgery.

Not happy with this place. The doctor was blasting rap music during my surgery and he actually got up during the surgery to change the station when a commercial came on! Very unprofessional, he then scratched the eye of the lady after me during the after surgery checkup.
As for my results… One of my eyes is obviously better than the other (very blurry) yet they declared me ²⁰⁄₂₀ in both eyes and said they’re perfect! Such a scam I couldn’t read the same line with both eyes. I wouldn’t recommend this place to anybody.

Like the other reviews I see I waited an awful long time and agree that shouldn’t happen. I will say that all of the staff treated me very well. I also called around prior to surgery and checked prices and found this to be the best deal.
The main thing is that my vision is indeed ²⁰⁄₂₀ and waiting a few hours for something that will change your life isn’t exactly like waiting too long for a pizza delivery. The doctors treated me with respect and care.

Got right in. Got right out. Had ²⁰⁄₁₅ vision 12 hours after surgery. So far so good– it’s been 4 months. Dr January is awesome and so is the staff. Friendly and professional.