Clear Vision Options

At Campbell Cunningham Laser Center (CCLC), we have a team of local vision correction experts with over 20 years of experience who offer the highest quality vision correction in the area. We go beyond LASIK, providing options that allow more people than ever to achieve clearer vision (often 20/20 or better!). We’re leading the way in vision correction technology in East Tennessee!

Book a Complimentary Clear Vision Consultation

The refractive surgery team at CCLC: Eric Sollenberger, MD; A. Kirk Haun, MD, FACS; and Jake McMillin, MD.

Why is Your Vision Blurry?

Nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism are refractive errors that are caused by the shape of your cornea and/or eye. If your cornea is too steep or your eye too long, you will have nearsightedness. If your cornea is too flat or your eye too short, you will have farsightedness. And if your cornea is shaped like a football, rather than a basketball, you will have astigmatism. All of these shape inconsistencies prohibit light entering your eyes from landing directly on your retina. This causes blurry vision: near, far or all around.

On the other hand, presbyopia (the need for reading glasses over age 40) is not a refractive error. Instead, this is the result of your normally flexible eye lens becoming stiffer over time. This makes it more difficult for your eye muscles to flex the lens and accommodate for upclose vision.

With all of these conditions, you’ll need glasses or contacts to see clearly…unless you turn to our experts! The good news is that we offer a variety of procedures to correct all of these conditions!

4 Clear Vision Options

During a complimentary Clear Vision Consultation with our team, we will assess your
eye health and determine which procedure would be the best option. All of these are
outpatient procedures!

EVO ICL™

Corrects nearsightedness and astigmatism

LASIK

Corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism

PRK

Corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism

Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE)

Corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness,
astigmatism and presbyopia

Regardless of which procedure you choose, you can feel confident that your doctor will be
with you during every step of your journey. Our doctors live in the Knoxville community, so
they will be fully invested in your vision results!

Watch Our Webinar

Learn more about clear vision options by
watching Dr. McMillin’s webinar!

How the EVO ICL Works

First, we numb your eyes with a topical or local anesthetic. The EVO lens is implanted into your eye through one tiny corneal incision. The lens allows light entering the eye to focus on the retina for clear vision. Even though the lens will be invisible to others, it can make your vision sharper and more vivid. Some patients will see more clearly immediately after the procedure is performed.

Benefits of EVO ICL

  • Collamer lens material works in harmony with your eye’s natural chemistry
  • Less chance of dry eye
  • Excellent night vision
  • Provides a layer of UV protection for your eyes
  • Permanent, yet removable option for vision improvement
  • Procedure takes just 20-30 minutes
  • Results are often immediate
  • Lens is unnoticeable to others

LASIK and PRK

During both LASIK and PRK, your doctor will use an excimer laser to reshape corneal tissue
so light entering the eyes can land more directly onto the retina (the back layer of tissue in
the eye). The difference between these procedures occurs during the first step of the
process:

LASIK

A laser is used to create a micro-thin flap on the cornea (the outer layer of the eye) so the underlying tissue can be accessed. After the laser treatment, the flap is replaced and heals naturally without stitches.

PRK

A micro-thin layer of the cornea is removed to allow access to the underlying corneal tissue. This layer regenerates naturally within a few days after surgery. PRK is often recommended for people who have thin corneas. 

The PRK surgery will take slightly longer than LASIK, but the treatment is still typically under 30 minutes for most patients. Likewise, the recovery time for PRK is typically longer than with LASIK because the outer layer of the cornea needs time to regenerate. Both of these procedures can produce similar vision results – life-changing vision correction for most patients!

Refractive Lens Exchange

RLE may be recommended if you are over age 40 and are experiencing presbyopia. Rather than wearing reading glasses, RLE is a permanent option that can restore clear reading vision. The process is similar to cataract surgery, but you don’t need to have cataracts and RLE will prevent cataracts from forming in the future.

We begin the RLE procedure by applying numbing eye drops to the eye being treated (only one eye is treated during the visit). Then the doctor makes a small incision on the cornea to gently break up and remove the natural lens and insert the new lens. The procedure typically takes about 15 minutes and the incisions heal naturally without any stitches over the course of a week or so.

(Part of the USA TODAY Network)

Read our vision correction article by clicking below!

Vision Correction Financing

If cost is a concern for your budget, we can help you apply for financing through CareCredit®. If you qualify, you may be able to have your procedure with no money down and 0% interest for 24 months. Longer-term programs with low interest are also available.

Ready to Start the Clear Vision Journey?

Don’t wait another day to see which procedure might be right for your eyes. Contact us
today to schedule your appointment!