Page 12 - whidbey health pulse e-magazine about our services

The Pulse ECRWSS Presorted
Whidbeyhealth Medical Center Standard
101 n. Main street Postal Patron U.S. Postage
P A I D
Coupeville, WA 98239
Seattle, WA
Permit # 1

Quality Care Close to Home

Seeing with New Eyes

Oak Harbor resident Glenna Parsons says she has a new lease on life
thanks to Dr. Robert Johnson and her recent cataract surgery.
Parsons remembers being bullied so often as a child wearing “coke-
bottle” eyeglasses that by the time she was 13, she was determined to
get contact lenses.
As a person diagnosed her entire life as legally blind, she never imagined
she could be free of glasses and contacts, except for occasionally
needing drugstore readers for her phone.

“I wish more people knew about this on-island surgery,” Parsons said. “I see
the world in a whole new light. I didn’t know that colors could be that bright!”
Glenna Parsons,
Oak Harbor Parsons was told she had cataracts by her optometrist, which led her to seek out the
advice of Dr. Johnson of Island Eye Care in Freeland, who confirmed the cataract diagnosis.
At that time, a number of surgical options were discussed. Parsons became excited when she heard about an option
of reducing her need for glasses with a multi-focal lens. After reviewing her options and measurements with
Dr. Johnson, he confirmed that she would indeed be a candidate for multi-focal lenses.

“I was sold,” Parsons says. “Not only did I have cataracts and bad eyesight, I also had
a heavy astigmatism. I was legally blind before I had the laser-assisted surgery. Now
I feel like I’ve been re-born.”

The multi-focal IOL (Intra Ocular Lens) is a type of lens which provides a continuous
range of vision — from near to far and all points in between. This is considered when
patients want to reduce the frequency of wearing glasses. The Femtosecond Laser is
used to correct astigmatism and to ensure a perfectly round, perfectly centered and
perfectly-sized opening in the lens capsule for the best visual outcome.

Parsons’ surgery was performed at WhidbeyHealth Medical Center as an outpatient
procedure. She spent about one hour at the hospital, including procedure recovery time.
“My surgery went very smoothly and I was pleased with the care provided by the To Learn More
WhidbeyHealth team. Everyone was just great, and the best part was I didn’t have to island eye Care
leave the island!” robert Johnson, MD
360.240.2020 • 360.321.6662