ARE YOU A GOOD
CANDIDATE FOR
LASIK SURGERY?
Since the early 1990s, LASIK (which stands
for laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis)
vision correction surgery has changed the
lives of thousands of patients who now enjoy
greatly improved vision. LASIK surgery helps
correct vision in people who are farsighted,
nearsighted or have astigmatism. Newer,
recent technology advances have made the
procedure safer and more precise than ever
before. Dr. Black’s Eye Associates’ Jeffersonville
Vision Surgery Center offers advanced laser
technology, using a femtosecond laser that
provides outstanding precision and speed
in the vision correction surgery.
“Laser vision correction is one of several
tools we can utilize to correct vision and let
people live the life they want to live,” said
surgeon Dr. Kristopher Pugh. “This is the
only location in Southern Indiana where
LASIK can be done.”
Doctors first evaluate a patient’s vision,
their age, and the shape and thickness of their
corneas before performing LASIK. According
to Dr. Pugh, the best age range for LASIK
patients is between their mid-20s to mid-50s.
The LASIK procedure performed by Dr.
Black’s Eye Associates surgeons utilizes a
bladeless WaveLight® EX500 laser system,
which maps the unique characteristics of
the patient’s eye. This computer-controlled,
tiny beam of light prepares the cornea
for treatment by a second, excimer laser.
Computer-guided technology pin-points
the precise topography of the eye to allow
for precision and accuracy in reshaping
the cornea, which is the clear front part of
the eye, so that light traveling through it is
properly focused on the retina, located in
the back of the eye.
Once the patient undergoes the surgery,
vision can be significantly improved by the
second or third day after the procedure. Many
patients experience 20/20 vision.
“It’s a pretty amazing procedure,” said Dr.
Pugh. “The recovery is so quick, and that
wow factor is so hard to replicate. Patients
tell me stories that they’ve had glasses since
they were six years old, and then they get up
after surgery and see so clearly. It’s exciting
to watch that reaction.”
Unlike some LASIK vision correction
surgery centers, Dr. Black’s Eye Associates
provides a lifetime LASIK guarantee. If an
enhancement or re-treatment is needed later,
qualified patients will receive the treatment
without charge.
For a complementary consultation on
LASIK surgery options, call Dr. Black’s Eye
Associates at 812.284.0660.
76 EXTOL : JUNE/JULY 2019
are all firmly rooted in Southern Indiana,” she said.
“There’s a big part of me that feels if someone asks
for help, we should try to give back.”
Dr. Black’s Eye Associates also sponsors many
organizations across Southern Indiana, including
Impact 100 Southern Indiana, New Albany and
Floyd Central High Schools’ theatre arts programs,
and the New Albany track program, among others.
Doctors and staff are regular participants in many
school career days and the practice provides
complimentary vision screenings for more than
2,000 elementary students in Floyd, Harrison,
Washington, Scott, and Ripley counties. The practice
also takes the complimentary vision screenings
on the road to county health fairs across Indiana.
Eventually, the Pughs hope to develop a free
clinic to provide necessary visual exams, frames,
and lenses for families in need. “It’s so important
to us to be a visible part of our community and
continue the legacy of giving back that Jessica’s
dad instilled in us,” said Kristopher.
Reflecting on her own mission trips with her
father, Jessica saw her past mesh with her future last
year when she and her daughter, Hadley, traveled
on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. “It’s
like I came full circle,” she mused. “Several doctors
from this area ran a full clinic, with medical, dental
and optometric services. I ran the optometric
clinic and we handed out 650 glasses in one week.
It left a huge impression on my daughter. It was so
special to serve others with her by my side, and I
know my dad was proud of both of us.”
COMMITMENT TO QUALITY
When Dr. Brad Black established his practice, he
made a commitment to treat each patient as he would
a family member. Respect and compassion were –
and are – as important as providing medical care.
“It can be hard to prioritize your eye health,
especially when you have kids, a busy job, and
things going on constantly,” said Jessica. “And, for a
patient, it can be very scary, after all, it’s their eyes.
I don’t treat that very lightly. I’m sympathetic and
like to talk you through the appointment,”
“When I see patients, I don’t look at the clock. I
look at them,” she said. “People like to have things
explained and feel that they are heard. Everything
we do here, we do 100 percent for every patient.”
“In most medical practices, the art of personal
service has been sacrificed for efficiency,” said
patient William Hardy. “Eye Associates has created
the perfect balance of medical practices and
procedures, while giving personalized treatment.”
“Every person I came in contact with at Dr.
Black’s Eye Associates treated me with extreme
respect,” agreed patient Jean Arden Haub. “Even
though this was my first visit, they treated me like
they had known me all my life.”
“A good day for me is executing a plan to help
people see better,” said Kristopher. “The outcomes
are impactful and measurable, and I get quiet
satisfaction from seeing patients respond so well.
I enjoy meeting a patient, getting to know as much
about them as I can, putting together a puzzle on
how they’ve seen their whole life, how they see
now, and how they want to see in the next decades.”
“What I love most is that our family has cared
for generations of area families,” said Jessica. “It’s
fun. My friends come in. Their parents come in. It’s
rewarding to carry on that tradition of service. My
dad, Dr. Black, is the most jovial person you’ll ever
meet, but he stood for nothing less than perfection
in the operating room. We are proud to carry on
that same quality.”