Liz Saenz

After my fourth child, my vision had diminished enough that I was wearing glasses full-time. I am terrified of eyes. I could not even put eye drops into my own eyes and I was terrified of contacts so I stuck it out with glasses for many years. I started teaching group fitness classes basically blind because my glasses wouldn’t stay on my face. It was extremely frustrating to not be able to make out who was attending my classes and I really felt like it was affecting my ability to excel at my job. I got contacts. i despised them.

After years of contacts, I wasn’t thrilled with the inconvenience, cost and how extremely dry my eyes were progressively getting. My close friend had just had LASIK with Dr. Gardner and I went to check it out. I was really excited when he told me the surgery was only 9 seconds per eye. I was confident I could be brave that long!

Unfortunately, although my eyes were healthy, they had become so dry that Dr. Gardiner was concerned that they would be negatively affected by the surgery. He told me if my eyes recovered after a few weeks using a special prescription and completely removing my contacts there may be a possibility I would be cleared for the procedure. I was not cleared! He was genuinely concerned for me. I begged him to give it a fe more weeks and check again. After a few more weeks went by, he was pleasantly surprised by how well my eyes had recovered enough so I was cleared for surgery!

I was so impressed by the fact that Dr. Gardiner knew how much I wanted the procedure but my safety and quality of life was a higher priority to him. He made sure that I was going to have the best outcome possible. The procedure was quick and I could see so clearly immediately afterwards. I was back to teaching group fitness the next day and no longer struggled with constant dry eyes. I’m so grateful I found Dr. Gardiner and Utah Valley Eye Center. LASIK has been life changing.

Mallory Binns

Throughout my years in middle school and high school, I happily switched between contacts and glasses as I swam competitively, life guarded, and taught swim lessons. I was so grateful for my contacts and lived freely without worrying about not being able to see!

However, my life took a turn when I relocated to Germany for over a year. It was during this time that I developed an allergic reaction to contact lenses, and every new pair I tried brought nothing but discomfort and misery. I was determined not to resign myself to a life solely dependent on glasses. The thought of not being able to read the clock while swimming laps, struggling in lakes and oceans, and dealing with the inconvenience during sports activities was disheartening.

As a young woman without children, I was uncertain about how my eyes might change in the future, including the possibility of pregnancy-related vision changes. I was unwilling to delay the opportunity to enjoy life without glasses until a later, uncertain future. I made the decision to undergo LASIK surgery, and it has proven to be one of the best choices I’ve ever made. Not only do I now experience clear and hassle-free vision, but I am free from the constant worries of having enough contact lenses or locating my glasses. With the newfound freedom, I can run into the ocean without a second thought about my contacts, and fully immerse myself in the beauty of the world around me.

I felt comfortable and excited about my decision thanks to Dr. Gardiner and his team! He thoroughly went over my concerns and discussed with me the possibility of touch-ups later in life. I got the surgery one month before finals and was able to effortlessly continue in my studies, due to the amazing recovery. This past summer has been the best one yet, filled with swimming, sports, and fun. If LASIK is an option for you, it’s truly worth every penny, and I’m immensely grateful to the people who made it possible.