I Have A Story … by Barbara

For many years I have had Macular Dystrophy. I moved to Blowing Rock in 1999, and sought care with Watauga Eye Care Center for routine eye care. I was seen by Dr. Atkins and my husband was a patient of Dr. Lawrence. We have remained associated with the practice through the acquisition and transition to Graystone Eye; and the retirement of both Drs. Atkins and Lawrence. We now both see Dr. Allen in the Boone office.

Prior to the Dr. Atkins’ retirement, he was watching my macular issues, as well as the slow formation of cataracts. In January of 2016, at a routine exam, Dr. Allen noted that the condition of my right eye had worsened drastically and immediate surgery was necessary to remove the cataract. Needless to say, we were concerned and wanted to resolve the problem immediately, so I scheduled to have my surgery at the Graystone Eye Surgery Center in Hickory as soon as possible. I must say, I was well informed ahead of time on what to expect and was given a short instructional presentation in the office on what the surgery involved and the required follow-up care that would be needed. Since I needed my right eye done first, I went ahead and scheduled my left eye to be done three weeks later, as they can’t be done at the same time.

Since my surgeries took place in the winter, and living in the mountains makes it difficult to travel due to snow and ice; we thought it best to stay at a hotel close the Graystone Eye Surgery Center. I arrived at the appointed time and was almost immediately taken back to the operating room for preparation. Dr. Allen performed my surgery and ensured everything was satisfactory prior to my release. I was scheduled to have a follow-up the next day with Dr. Allen in the Boone office, but due to our staying in Hickory, Dr. Allen was not available at that location. Dr. Allen and his team got me set up to see one of his partners, Dr. Joslyn, at the Hickory location. I was treated by Dr. Joslyn without any complaint or issue and was actually impressed with the flexibility of Graystone to accommodate my needs so effectively. Going into the second of my cataract surgeries, we knew in advance that we would again be staying at a hotel near the Surgery Center, so we followed the same process as before; and I was again treated by Dr. Joslyn for the immediate follow up care. She was extremely thorough but gentle, and communicated my care back to Dr. Allen for my continuation of care in Boone.

I cannot express the ease in which Graystone made both my procedures, just by operating a well-coordinated practice. I really feel that their focus is on patient care, and they aim to make every patient feel they are the top priority. Dr. Allen is truly a wonderful surgeon. Prior to the surgery, he was gentle and caring, and provided details of my condition and what needed to be done to correct it. During the surgery he explained what he was doing all the way through the surgery. The staff at both offices, as well as the Surgery Center really went above and beyond in their tasks; and helped to make the process smooth and flawless.

Having my cataract surgery has allowed me to experience a wonderful improvement in my vision. I didn’t even realize how bad it had gotten! Every day I feel like my surroundings are more colorful and detailed, right down to the image on the computer screen and the clarity of my television!

It is a frightening time when one receives a diagnosis of eye problems but because Dr. Allen has a warm, gentle, and professional approach to my treatment, I had total trust and confidence in him and the future health of my eyes.