A Real EVO ICL Patient Experience: “I won’t have discomfort, blurry contacts, or forgotten glasses to get in the way of something I have worked so hard for”
Published by on May 4, 2026
Shreeya Mishra has worn glasses since she was five years old. She knows what it feels like to wake up and reach for them before she can see the clock, to feel contacts dry out under the exam room lights, to carry solution and backup pairs everywhere she goes. She also knows, better than most people walking through a vision correction consultation, exactly what EVO ICL is and what it does. She works at Kugler Vision in Omaha, Nebraska as an ophthalmic technician and has guided EVO ICL patients through the process herself, answered their questions, and watched them leave seeing clearly. Earlier this year, she stopped watching and became one of them.
Kugler Vision Opth Tech and EVO ICL patient Shreeya M. working in the Kugler Vision clinic in Omaha, NE
Why Would Someone Who Isn’t a LASIK Candidate Choose EVO ICL?
EVO ICL is an implantable lens — a small, flexible collamer lens placed between the iris and the natural lens of the eye, correcting vision without removing any corneal tissue. For patients who have been told they are not candidates for LASIK because of thin corneas or high prescriptions, it opens a door that was previously closed. For patients who simply want the clearest possible optics and the option to reverse the procedure if their needs ever change, it has become one of the most requested procedures at Kugler Vision. Unlike laser vision correction, EVO ICL adds vision correction through a lens rather than reshaping the eye, which is why it consistently delivers exceptional results for a wider range of prescriptions — including high myopia up to -20D. It is also reversible. You can read more about EVO ICL candidacy at Kugler Vision’s procedure page.
What Is It Actually Like to Work at a Vision Correction Clinic and Then Become a Patient?
Working inside a refractive surgery practice does something to the way you think about your own vision. As Shreeya describes it: “Working in the clinic and seeing EVO ICL and other vision correction procedures all the time, I got really convinced by hearing everyone’s stories and seeing how happy they were with their results. It made me feel a lot more confident going into it because I already knew what to expect and trusted the process.”
After months of watching patients get EVO ICL and leave seeing the world clearly, she made the call.
“I started seriously thinking about it after a few months of working at Kugler Vision and being around patients who had gotten EVO ICL,” she says. “Seeing their results and how happy they were really convinced me. At that point, I just felt ready to not be dependent on glasses or contacts anymore.”
Kugler Vision Opth Tech & EVO ICL patient Shreeya M.
What Happens During EVO ICL Surgery at Kugler Vision?
Shreeya describes the morning of her procedure as calm, yet exciting. Her colleague Jori walked her back to surgery, got her prepped, and had her sit in the pre-procedure massage chair before she went in. The team was visibly (and audibly!) excited for her — a chorus of “Yay”s erupted as she entered the room. That energy, she says, made a difference.
“I loved seeing how excited everyone was for me; it made the whole experience feel really reassuring. Once I went into the surgery suite, they did a bit more preparation, and I started to feel a little nervous at that point. But once Dr. [Drew] Dickson started the first eye, it was so quick that I didn’t even realize when it was done.”
Dr. Drew Dickson, a refractive surgeon at Kugler Vision, performs EVO ICL extensively and serves as a national trainer with STAAR Surgical, teaching other surgeons across the country how to integrate the procedure into their practices. For Shreeya, that level of experience meant her second eye felt even easier than the first. The full procedure was over before she had time to build real anxiety about it.
Something else happened in the surgery suite that she didn’t expect. “During the surgery, I remember looking at the light and noticing it actually started to get clearer even while the procedure was happening. And right after, I could already see everyone’s faces clearly, which I couldn’t do before — this feeling was honestly unbelievable.”
How Fast Is EVO ICL Recovery? Here’s What the First 24 Hours Look Like
The EVO ICL recovery timeline is one of the questions patients ask most, and Shreeya’s answer is consistent with what Kugler Vision patients typically report: things were slightly hazy the day of surgery, but even through that haze, the improvement was immediate and obvious. The moment that made it real came within hours.
“The moment it really hit me was when I could see my family’s faces clearly without glasses for the first time in a long time. That’s when I was like, okay, this really changed something for me.”
Most EVO ICL patients at Kugler Vision return to normal activities within a day. Shreeya was back at work shortly after, and patients who had consultations just days later could see for themselves that she was already back to her full routine.
“I’ll tell patients that I’ve had EVO ICL myself,” she says. “I think it helps ease their concerns about recovery and healing time. Even with patients that have pre-op appointments before EVO ICL, hearing about my experiences with the surgery and the fact that it was so recent always reassures them.”
Is EVO ICL Worth It? One Kugler Vision Patient Answers as a Tech and a Patient
The EVO ICL patient experience at Kugler Vision tends to surprise people, but not in the ways they were bracing for. “I’d like every patient to know how quick and smooth the whole process really is. Before getting EVO ICL, it can feel like a scary decision, but the actual procedure is so fast, and the recovery is way easier than most people expect. The experience is not nearly as intimidating as it seems going into it,” Shreeya reflected.
For Shreeya, the stakes extend well beyond daily convenience. She is heading to medical school. Early mornings, long hospital shifts, late nights with dense reading — none of that is compatible with dry contacts and sliding glasses frames. She made the decision with her future in mind.
“Medical school means early mornings, late nights, heavy reading, and long days in hospitals and clinics,” she says. “I will now be able to give all of my attention to learning and to my patients. I won’t have discomfort, blurry contacts, or forgotten glasses to get in the way of something I have worked so hard for.”
There is one more thing she took away from being a patient at the practice where she works every day. “Getting EVO ICL has also given me a new perspective as a future physician. I’ve now been on the patient side of something I see every day, and I think that will help me connect with patients better and understand what they’re feeling on a deeper level.”
Shreeya is headed for a bright future with EVO ICL!
If you are considering EVO ICL at Kugler Vision in Omaha, Nebraska and want to understand what the experience actually looks like, the best next step is a consultation with Dr. Kugler, Dr. Dickson, and the team. Learn more and schedule at lasikomaha.com or call 402.558.2211.
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