Kugler Vision

Most people assume contact lenses are the safe, low-stakes choice and surgery is the gamble. Comparing the two over a lifetime, rather than year to year, changes which side carries more cumulative risk. Are contact lenses or LASIK actually riskier over a lifetime? As of 2026, daily contact lens wear typically carries more cumulative lifetime risk than a one-time vision-correction procedure. A contact lens sits against the cornea, so its small annual infection risk repeats every year it’s worn, while LASIK , SMILE, or RLE carries a single risk concentrated in the healing window. The main concern is microbial keratitis, a corneal infection that contact lens wear is the leading cause of. That yearly exposure compounds across decades. What are the long-term risks of wearing contact lenses? The main long-term risk of wearing contact lenses is microbial keratitis — a corneal infection that contact lens wear is the...

The math behind “just wait for cataracts” rarely gets walked through in full. For RLE-eligible candidates evaluating a financial decision, the cost-timeline picture between today and age 65 (or later) often differs from initial expectations. Is Refractive Lens Exchange Cheaper Than Waiting for Cataracts? As of 2026, for most RLE-eligible candidates, waiting for cataracts does not save as much money as it appears. Medicare covers 80% of standard cataract surgery with a basic monofocal lens, but patients who want the same visual range RLE provides still pay out-of-pocket for premium lens upgrades, coinsurance, and 15–25 years of glasses, contacts, and eye exams during the waiting period. Kugler Vision in Omaha is led by Dr. Lance Kugler, MD, founder and author of a peer-reviewed chapter on refractive lens exchange diagnostics published by SLACK Incorporated. The practice was the first in Nebraska to offer all seven modern vision correction procedur...

Choosing between EVO ICL and LASIK means understanding how each procedure works, who they’re best suited for, and what your unique eye anatomy requires. What’s the main difference between EVO ICL and LASIK? The main difference is that LASIK reshapes the cornea by removing tissue permanently, while EVO ICL places a biocompatible lens inside the eye without removing any corneal tissue. LASIK is a surface procedure that changes corneal curvature, whereas ICL works like an internal contact lens positioned between the iris and natural lens. Both correct refractive errors, but through fundamentally different mechanisms. At Kugler Vision, we perform comprehensive EyeAnalysis evaluations to determine which approach suits your corneal thickness, prescription strength, and lifestyle needs. Dr. Lance Kugler is one of the region’s most experienced surgeons in both procedures, allowing for unbiased recommendations based solely on your candidacy profile...

SMILE and LASIK correct the same problem — nearsightedness — by reshaping the same structure, the cornea. However, more people have heard of the household name LASIK. Drew Dickson, MD , refractive surgeon at Kugler Vision in Omaha, Nebraska, visited with KETV Very Local Business Spotlight to explain the similarities and the differences between LASIK and SMILE, as well as the patient profiles SMILE best serves. “[SMILE] is similar to LASIK in that it’s reshaping the cornea to fix people’s vision — but it just does it a little bit differently,” Dr. Dickson explains. How Is SMILE Different From LASIK? The mechanical distinction comes down to two things: the number of lasers used and whether a flap is created. LASIK requires both. Dr. Dickson notes: “With LASIK, we have to use two different lasers. The first laser will create a little flap, and then we are able to input someone’s prescription. With SMILE, we are able to do this all just with one laser. And r...

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...

Most vision correction procedures are permanent by design. That is usually the point — and for most patients, it is exactly what they want. EVO ICL offers something different . Not because permanence is a problem, but because some patients want the option to change course if their eyes or their life circumstances ever call for it. The lens sits behind the iris, corrects nearsightedness and astigmatism with precision, and can be removed by a surgeon if needed. Most patients never use that option. Knowing it exists changes how they feel about moving forward. At Kugler Vision in Omaha, we offer EVO ICL alongside six other modern vision correction procedures — because the right answer looks different for every patient. For anyone who has hesitated on vision correction because the word “permanent” felt like a door closing rather than one opening, EVO ICL is worth understanding. What Most People Get Wrong About Vision Correction Most people approach refractive surgery with a single assum...