When you choose a surgeon for your vision correction procedure, you’re placing incredible trust in their hands. You want someone with skill, experience, and compassion—but what if your surgeon also truly understands what it feels like to be the patient?
That’s one of the reasons Dr. Rivers’ journey with refractive surgery stands out.
A Surgeon Who Sat in the Patient’s Chair
Before I became a refractive surgeon, I prepared for deployment to Iraq as a Brigade Surgeon with the First Cavalry Division. As part of the Warfighter Refractive Eye Surgery Program (WRESP)—a program designed to enhance operational readiness by improving service members’ vision—I underwent PRK (photorefractive keratectomy).
At that time (2005!), I chose PRK because it was the procedure recommended for service members in demanding environments. No glasses to fog up, no contacts to dry out, and no flaps to risk injury under combat conditions—just reliable vision when it matters most.
Why That Personal Experience Matters for You
My experience as a refractive surgery patient has shaped my approach as a refractive surgeon in several meaningful ways:
1. I Understand the Recovery, the Anxiety, and the Excitement
Most surgeons know the science. I also know the emotions—because I’ve lived them. I remember asking the same questions many patients ask today:
How long is recovery? Does it hurt? Am I awake?
While not required, I feel going through the refractive surgery experience guides the way I communicate, reassure, and educate each patient.
2. I Know What a Great Outcome Feels Like
PRK changed the way I functioned in a high-stakes environment. The confidence and freedom that came with not having to depend on my glasses, or worry about getting optical inserts for a variety of military gear were life-changing. This firsthand appreciation fuels the passion I bring to each patient’s journey today.
3. I Offer A Range of Vision Correction Procedures for Patients so They Have Options for the Best Possible Outcome
Having navigated the pros, cons, and recovery of refractive surgery myself, I offer recommendations grounded in clinical expertise, lived experience, and a patient’s vision goals. Whether it’s SMILE Pro, LASIK, PRK, EVO ICL, RLE, or laser-assisted cataract surgery, I recommend the procedure that best fits each patient’s lifestyle, occupations, and goals.
A Surgeon Who Has Walked the Path
I don’t just perform refractive surgery. I believe in it. I live it.
