SAN ANTONIO — A San Antonio eye surgeon is the first in the nation to perform a permanent contact lens surgery just recently approved by the FDA in September.
The surgery is a life-changer for those with Astigmatism who don’t qualify for Lasik surgery.
Hope Hoezee is one of the first patients in the U.S to undergo the surgery. She’s from Michigan and flew into San Antonio just for the Toric ICL surgery.
“I can read books, see street signs, and see my clock when I wake up in the morning,” said the mother of two. “It’s amazing.”
Hoezee says she didn’t qualify for Lasik surgery because her corneas were too thin. Contacts and eyeglasses were a way of life for her.
“Last night I went to bed thinking, “I have to take my contacts out… and I didn’t. I can just see,” she said.
Toric ICL places a permanent contact lens in the eyes of patients. It only takes about 20 minutes and recovery time is minimal.
The surgery has been performed across the world for years but was only recently approved in the U.S.
“To know it’s been out there for 10 years, it’s quite surprising It’s taken this long,” said Hoezee.
San Antonio Dr. Gregory Parkhurst performed the surgery on Hoezee. His experience qualified him before anyone else in the country.
“We’ve been telling people maybe next year, maybe next year… and then kind of out of the blue, last month, the Torric ICL is approved!
Dr. Parkhurst just started performing the surgeries this week and already has a long waiting list of people flying into the city from across the country.
For Hoezee, the surgery… has completely changed her life.
This is a no-brainer,” she said.