At the end of August 2024, I made an appointment to see Dr. Hugo Higa for the purpose of discussing options to rid myself of having to wear glasses, reading or otherwise, for the rest of my life.
I'm a 65 year old Caucasian male, in excellent health and free of any medical conditions such as diabetes or cardiovascular issues. I'm also at a healthy weight for my age. I'm six feet tall and weigh 160 pounds.
Taking this all into consideration, the doctor determined I was an excellent candidate for intraocular lens replacement.
Following a brief consultation, I agreed to go through with the procedure which involved having my natural lenses removed and replaced with artificial ones.
We agreed upon a new state of the art procedure, the Johnson & Johnson multifocal ODYSSEY lens which enables one to see at various distances and eliminate the necessity of reading glasses.
Presbyophia was my main concern along with my distant vision having progressively deteriorated as well.
It was suggested I rely on reading glasses or contacts, but I just wasn't having it and insisted on going through with the procedure.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Hugo Higa himself on two separate occasions in January 2025. Each eye was done separately allowing for one eye to heal and adjust before doing the other eye.
The procedure was performed at the Surgery Center of the Pacific on South Beretania Street.
It was quick and painless and I was lucid during the entirety of the procedure having only been administered a mild anesthetic.
The staff was accommodating and friendly making the entire process go smoothly. All my needs were attended to which put me at ease.
After each procedure, I was sent home to rest and given eyedrops to be used repeatedly throughout the day in order to expedite the healing process and prevent infection. I was also provided with an eye shield to wear at night while sleeping to prevent me from rubbing my eyes.
During my post operative appointments with Dr. Higa, the staff was, as always, accommodating and friendly. I was ensured that my eyesight was fine but that my adjustment to the new lenses could take some time.
I was, at first, uneasy, having experienced blurry vision, which I was told by the doctor is completely normal immediately following the procedure, but with patience and confidence in Dr. Higa's expertise, I was eventually able to come to terms with the situation and realize that there was nothing to worry about and that I was in good hands.
I most recently had my one month post operative appointment with the doctor and have been told that my vision acuity is now 20/20 and that the outcome of the procedure, was as expected, a success.
Having allowed myself, at this point in my life, to have made the decision to follow through with this procedure has been truly a life changing experience for me.
It's given me a renewed confidence in myself along with being able to continue working without always needing to fumble with reading glasses in order to complete a task. Not only that, but the world around me is so much more beautiful having everything come into focus. The clarity is amazing.
In closing, if determined to be a viable candidate for this procedure, I recommend and encourage anyone with the desire to do so to consult with Dr. Hugo Higa. His office is conveniently located at 1600 Kapiolani Boulevard nearby Ala Moana Shopping Center.
He is, in my opinion, and I'm sure many others as well would agree, a highly qualified ophthalmologist with years of experience in his profession. His staff is welcoming and friendly and every visit to his office is always pleasure.
