Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, Jenny May has worn glasses since she was in third grade. Dealing with her strong prescription glasses became just another part of daily life. 

That is, until she experienced a life-changing vision correction surgery. 

Jenny’s sister had LASIK surgery with good results, which was the catalyst for her to explore if there might be a surgical option to improve her own vision. 

“I always had the worst vision of everyone in my family,” recalls May. “But I had never really been bothered by wearing glasses. Since my sister had such a good experience with LASIK, though, I decided it was worth it to see if I might be a candidate for vision correction too.”

After a screening and consultation with ophthalmology specialists at the Truhlsen Eye Institute, Jenny was ready to give vision correction surgery a try. Although she wasn’t a good candidate for LASIK due to her high prescription and thin cornea, she was a good match for the EVO ICL, a reversible solution for vision correction. 
 

ICL, or implantable collamer lens, is a removable, refractive implant that corrects common vision issues related to refractive error. A lens is placed inside the eye, behind the cornea and iris, and in front of the natural crystalline lens. Once the lens is implanted, it works like a contact lens by changing where light focuses in the eye, but remains in place without removing any corneal tissue, like with LASIK.

Jenny scheduled the procedure for July 25, 2024, with refractive surgeon Ivey Thornton, MD.

The ICL experience

A month later, the big day arrived. Jenny’s entire procedure went quickly (about 30 minutes). After an IV was inserted, her care team gave her numbing eye drops to make the procedure pain-free. 

Once her right eye was finished and they began work on her left, Jenny suddenly realized she could see the ceiling tiles, which had been completely blurry just minutes before. 

“It was so cool because I was seeing results right away, and several hours later, an eye test revealed I had drastically improved, nearly perfect vision.”

Jenny went home with special sunglasses and basic aftercare instructions with few limitations. For the first time, Jenny experienced life with crystal clear vision without glasses.

“I couldn’t believe how simple it was,” adds May. “The prospect of choosing eye surgery can be unsettling, but the whole team was so friendly and knowledgeable. Dr. Thornton was very professional, did a great job of answering all my questions, and was transparent, which put my mind at ease with the whole process.” 

Rapid results that impact daily life

“I never thought that glasses were holding me back that much,” says May. “But once I didn’t have to worry about them, I started realizing how much I was adjusting my life to accommodate my vision. I understand now how much I was ignoring the annoying things I had to do to compensate every day.”

For an adventurous person like Jenny, ICL surgery has opened up a world of freedom. As an avid reader, artist, birdwatcher and swimmer, Jenny can now be much more spontaneous day-to-day.

“It’s crazy how much this has changed my life,” adds May. “Before the surgery, I would have regular, painful headaches, and now, I haven’t had a single headache in at least six months. It’s been so amazing not having to deal with glasses while being active, especially in the summer. I can do so many things now without so much planning!”

On the fence about vision correction surgery? 

Jenny has some advice. “If you’re like me and have a strong prescription, start taking notes on all the small ways you are inconvenienced when dealing with your glasses or contacts. We tend to compensate without realizing it, and in doing so, we underestimate the considerable value that vision correction could have on our daily lives. I had no idea what the possibilities were until I had the conversation. It’s worth exploring your options. I’m so glad I did.”