TLC Laser Eye Center

I had my yearly eye exam at the end of December with a solid ²⁰⁄₂₀ vision report. I had my laser eye surgery done two years ago and had an excellent experience. All the staff members were extremely helpful and made me feel like I was the only patient that mattered. In particular, Melissa was very professional and diligent with her procedures during my consults. I was very nervous when the time for surgery came and it was Melissa that offered to stay by my side to help keep me calm. It was like having my sister there! Dr. Villazon was the best. He gave me the confidence that everything during surgery would go off without a hitch and it did. Dr. Villazon even called me the night after the surgery to see how I was doing. If you are looking to have eye surgery this is the place to do it. I highly recommend TLC Laser Eye Center.

I got bladeless custom wavefront Lasik done a week ago and I definitely recommend TLC’s Dr. Villazon and team.
Dr. V has a great reputation in the area and I can add my name to the 30,000+ surgeries he’s performed — he got me from ²⁰⁄₄₀₀ to ²⁰⁄₁₅! The operation was easy and almost painless, as was recovery. I was out of the house the next morning.
Jim was the sales rep/​technician I worked with and he was really knowledgeable and helpful. The kind of guy you could get a beer with but also trust with your eyeballs.
Thanks TLC!

My experience with Dr. Villazon’s team at TLC Laser was fantastic from start to finish. Everyone with whom I had contact was flawlessly professional and able to explain everything and answer all my questions in a clear, straightforward manner. I never felt like I was being given the hard sell. Having this surgery was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made and definitely the best money I’ve ever spent. I found the procedure itself to be quick and painless and the staff does everything they can to make you feel at ease. I had some discomfort and stinging later on the day of surgery (which they told me to expect), but by that evening the pain was gone and by the next day I was astonished by how well I could see and how comfortable I felt. The entire recovery period was remarkably easy. Two months post-​op my eyes are a little dryer the pre-​op, but not excessively or painfully so. And the results are absolutely AMAZING. I had a really high prescription (–9, plus astigmatism) and the whole world now looks like some high definition, 3-​D movie. I was downright giddy for days and days afterward just looking out the window or walking down the street and I am still a bit in awe of the fact that this is permanent. In short, I highly, enthusiastically recommend having laser vision correction at this facility!

All of the staff is amazing. The procedure went how it was supposed to go. Dr. Villazon is incredible. I am going to refer as many people as possible to TLC. Thank you all so much. This has been the single best decision I’ve made in my life.

I just had PRK surgery this past Monday. I LOVE TLC and want to thank everyone in the office. Everyone was so nice. They took as much time as I needed to answer all my questions. The office was clean, beautiful, relaxing and comfortable. Yes, it was a bit more cost wise than some of the others but they treated me like I was the most special person on the planet. They were extremely cautious and precise to make sure everything went perfectly. I was impressed at the initial consultation and felt comfortable right away. At the pre-​op appointment they retested my eyes to make sure nothing had changed. Dr. Villazon was wonderful. I have never met a kinder, more gentle man. He talked to me through the entire procedure– step by step. He told me what was happening, what I would be seeing and experiencing– exactly as it was about to happen. I got off the operating table and could see clearly! I gave him a big hug. I am now 5 days post op. I can read and see distance very well. I choose custom PRK– Monovision to duplicate what I had with my contact lenses. My right eye was corrected for distance and my left eye for reading. When I look with both eyes I see distance and can read. (I am 55 years old) — I am still in the healing process which will continue over the next few months but I am very happy with it. What a joy it is to wake up and be able to see!
I highly recommend PRK. Yes, the healing time is longer than LASIK, but I like the idea of not having the flap. They found scar tissue on my cornea so LASIK wasn’t an option anyway. I will admit I had a rough 36 hours which began about 24 hours after surgery but I chose not to take the Vicodin (Which if I had to do over again, I think I would have) Once I turned the corner on Thursday, I started to feel great. I went for my 5 day post op yesterday and all the cells they removed from my cornea have grown back. Thank you TLC!

Absolutely everything about my visit to Dr. Villazon and staff was beyond exemplary. Any adjective I can think of is insufficient to describe how fantastic my experience was. I cannot place enough praise on the quality of their operation from Donna at the front desk to each and every doctor I spoke to. The office is clean, fresh, comfortable and professional. It has a lovely view out over the highway for those newly corrected eyes ;) Every member of the staff made me feel comfortable, made me feel heard and kept me informed about the various steps of the process.
Since I was 12 I have had glasses /​contact lenses and anyone of this background knows the struggles well. This is honest to god the BEST money I have ever spent and I recommend it to anyone who has ever thought of trying it. Waking up and not having to fumble with my glasses to make sure my dog is snoozing safely is the most incredible thing. Walking outside and looking down the street feels like I am staring through a telescope. It is like having high definition vision and the only downside I can think of is the constant worry I have that one day, in years to come, my eye sight will fade :) I ended up walking away with ²⁰⁄₁₅ in one eye, and slightly better than ²⁰⁄₂₀ in the other eye.
It cost me approximately $ 4600 (my healthcare insurance providing a 10% discount) which seems pricey and maybe is a little bit more than some other operations but I am a firm believer in you get what you pay for. Between glasses, prescription sunglasses, contact lenses, cases, solution etc this will pay itself off in a few years or at least make a sizeable dent in comparison.
My experience the day of the surgery was straightforward. You are shuffled around between a few rooms and last minute checks to make sure everything is still ok. You speak to a few different doctors for last minute questions, then Dr Villazon meets with you to describe the process in detail so you know what to expect. He is extremely soft spoken and personable which is comforting. He offers you the choice to take something for nerves /​anxiety and you sit quietly in a dimly lit room waiting your turn. The entire experience is three hours in the office by the time you fill out some forms and get shuffled around.
I won’t lie, the experience of lying down on the table is one of great nerves and anxiety but they give you a ball to squeeze which helps focus your energy. Dr Villazon speaks to you the entire time through the operation, describing in detail each step he is about to undertake. I found at times his voice is a little too soft spoken and my anxiety blocked his voice out but he is always there, assuring you. The time on the table is maybe ten minutes, it goes quickly and painlessly.
All of my post op appointments were as easy, quick and efficient as the surgery and pre-​op sessions.
For some final words, words reiterated to me by several of the doctors… the only disappointing thought is… why did I wait so many years to have this done? If I could travel five years back in time to convince myself, I would absolutely!
Many thanks to Dr Villazon, Dr Brown, Donna and everyone involved. I hope I don’t have to see you again but if I do, I know I have THE best Dr’s on my side.

I had PRK done here about a year ago with Dr. Villazon. His team did an outstanding job had complete confidence throughout the operation. I was at about –2.0 in prescription, but tired of wearing glasses, and now my eyes are ²⁰⁄₁₅!
Also, I’m very glad that they recommended PRK to me, instead of LASIK, because the structural integrity of the eye should be about what it was pre-​operation, since there is no flap. Albeit, the recovery time was much longer. I took like a week off of work, and I wasn’t ²⁰⁄₂₀ until a month out (though of course I could see well enough, and at this point I’m ²⁰⁄₁₅).

I had LASIK done here in 2010, and 4 years later I still have ²⁰⁄₂₀ vision. The entire process is incredibly well done and professional. I was obviously very nervous about the procedure, but everything went incredibly smooth. I loved how detailed they were with all the testing pre and post op testing and it made me feel very confident with their abilities. They may be expensive, but I would not have wanted to go anywhere else. I had no complications with the procedure, and thankfully never experience dry eye like many people do. I would 100% recommend TLC– this surgery changed my life!

I just had LASIK surgery done at TLC, and it was a great experience. I went from constantly having to wear glasses or contacts with a –3.5 prescription to having ²⁰⁄₁₅ vision, literally overnight.
The staff is extremely friendly, considerate and thorough; they really make you feel like you’re in good hands and that you as an individual are very important to them. The procedure itself was very quick and easy, and the recovery time is very short; in a day or two I felt as good as new, but with perfect vision! I highly recommend getting LASIK at TLC; it really is a life-​changing procedure, and TLC really is the best in the business.

Nice, NICE people! Office is clean.
However– I found TLC to be very pricy and over-​conservative with the recommended surgery. A TLC doctor originally said I was a good candidate for LASIK at least for one eye and likely the other. I then was called a couple of days before the scheduled surgery and told that a surgeon reviewed my scans and was comfortable doing PRK for both of my eyes. That’s more pain and a longer recovery (and more vacation days burned), and my confidence in the clinic was a bit shaken by then. I decided to do some more research. Literally, everyone I have talked to since then that had a consultation in this clinic had PRK recommended. I also noted that most people I talked to who worked there also had PRK done. I was told by other docs that I was a good candidate for LASIK, both of my parents had LASIK with great results (I don’t know how strong the genetic influence is, but anyway) — I felt that LASIK was appropriate for me. I’m sure PRK is a fine procedure (and yes, supposedly it has the same results), but why go through that when the next generation technology and shorter recovery is an option for you?
Two stars down — one for the flip flop to the older procedure and the other for high cost. Please note that the cost for the area is somewhat comparable. I do believe TLC provides quality surgery with great results.
I did get LASIK elsewhere with a lifetime guarantee out of state for about $ 3K less (including the price of a plane ticket), with one afternoon of recovery. So far it’s been fantastic. That’s just my experience– but it’s never a bad idea to get additional opinions and weigh the options.

I had my LASIK eye surgery 4 years ago. Dr. Villazon gave me ²⁰⁄₁₅ vision. I remember the whole process going very well. I still have ²⁰⁄₁₅ to ²⁰⁄₂₀ vision. As warned, my reading vision has deteriorated to the point that I now rely on drugstore reading glasses at 1.75 strength. I’m told this would have occurred naturally as I aged, but it just happened sooner, I’m under 50 yrs old now. I continue with my local eye doctor, Dr. Leon Fishlyn in Acton, for annual check ups.

I had my LASIK done on ¹²⁄₃₀.
BEFORE SURGERY: astigmatism on one eye, prescription of –2.00 and –1.50 (I think?). I was not able to enjoy sports, scuba diving, and other activities without contacts or glasses. And I truly despised putting contacts in… as anything close to my eyes is a no no to me, including my fingers.
DAY OF SURGERY: Is it scary? Yup. Is the procedure uncomfortable? Yup. But it doesn’t hurt. They will answer all of your questions/​concerns before and after surgery. Doctor and staff in the operating room are really professional.
AFTER SURGERY: ²⁰⁄₁₅ vision. Surgery took place on Monday, so I took Tuesday off and listened to some audio books, and continued putting eye drops as prescribed. Post-​op for about two weeks my eyes were dry, so I continued putting in artificial tears (granted I do spend 12h+ at the computer per day). This resolved naturally. I do experience a slight halo (due to my pupils being larger than average) during night time, but it absolutely does not interfere with my vision in general (ie. no problem driving during rainy night which was my main concern.). Today marks a month after the surgery and I still find myself reaching for my glasses only to realize half way through that I no longer need them.
I definitely recommend TLC and I wish I decided to do LASIK a few years earlier.

I went to TLC a year and a half ago and am still raving about it! Getting Lasik at TLC is one of the best decisions I have ever made. I do not have a bad thing to say about any part of the process. I had been considering having the procedure for the past few years, but was nervous about the possible complications. Like others have said, my only regret is that I didn’t do this years ago!
My only complication (which is quite common) was dry eyes– I never experienced this with contacts. The dryness lasted for six weeks, then gradually resolved without intervention. If it had not resolved by 2 months, I would have been offered the option of having some sort of dissolving plug placed in my tear ducts – sounded like a simple and relatively benign treatment, but I ended up not requiring it.
Dr. Villazon, the other doctors and staff were friendly and professional. The price was very reasonable. Appointments were easy to make and always on time. Very efficient process.

Its now been about 4 weeks since my Custom LASIK and I couldn’t be happier with the results. Dr. Villazon and his staff are professional and really take the time to make sure you have the best care and results possible. They gave me ²⁰⁄₁₅ vision and my only regret is not having the procedure done years ago. I did experience «halos» around lights at night but it went away after a couple of weeks and now I believe my night vision is better than when I wore contacts. I would recommend this office to anyone thinking about going for a LASIK consult and the experience has been truly amazing. I can’t believe how clear my vision is.

I am two weeks out after having LASIK surgery and I could not be any happier! Dr. Villazon and his entire staff were awesome! The day after surgery I was seeing ²⁰⁄₁₅ and loving life! Besides some normal expected eye dryness I am SO GLAD I had the surgery at TLC and will recommend them to everyone!

Dr. Villazon gave me ²⁰⁄₁₅ vision. I really can’t ask for more.
Staff here were very friendly. Everything went smoothly and staff went out of their way to accommodate me.
I had PRK, not LASIK. I will just add that while I would say the surgery is worth it — be ready to be out of commission for five days. Get some books on tape or something because that is going to be all you’ll want to do.

Getting lasik here was incredible. I would give it 6 stars because everything exceeded my expectations. They perform more than ten surgeries a week, but you feel like they care about you and don’t rush though the process. All the doctors involved were amazing. The results are also excellent — they took me from –6.5 nearsightedness in both eyes to ²⁰⁄₂₀ vision (now 4 months after the surgery), although there is one slight downside with my night vision (described below).
Results:
— According to the packet they give you, there are risks of sub-​optimal results like worse-​than-​when-​you-​had-​glasses vision or dry-​eye. They also say that the best-​of-​breed technology they have reduces all risks. In my case, its been 4 months since the surgery, and my daytime vision is slightly better than when I wore contacts/​glasses. My eyes are no dryer than when I had contacts, and generally don’t bother me at all. I can see ²⁰⁄₂₀.
My night vision is slightly worse than when I wore contacts/​glasses. As best as I can describe it, my night vision is still completely functional and ²⁰⁄₂₀ so I can drive, read, etc. without problems, but I need slightly more light to read, and when I see bright lights against a dark background they are surrounded by large halos or fuzzballs. This is annoying but not impairing in any way.
Overall I’m extremely happy with the results.
(When I asked the doctors how my day vision could be better, while my night vision was worse, the explanation was that lasik etched my prescription into a relatively small area in the center of my cornea and that in low-​light conditions my pupils which are larger than normal become bigger than this area, so the hallows are from light coming in through the uncorrected peripheral part of my cornea.)
The experience:
— Dr. Brown, Dr. Pian, Dr. Aung and the other doctors who did the pre– and post-​surgery procedures were very knowledgeable, patient, and even answered questions about an unrelated eye problem (blepharitis) that my regular eye doctor couldn’t help me with.
— Dr. Villazon who did the surgery was amazing — knowing that he’s done many thousands of surgeries put me at ease. Also he spent time before the surgery making sure I was fine with everything, and then personally called me in the evening to check that everything was going alright (even though nothing went wrong or was unusual about my case).
— it cost $ 4500 — cheaper than lasik centers in downtown Boston.
— all of the peripheral stuff like appointment scheduling, paperwork, and pricing/​payment was very efficient and professional — I wish all doctors offices were like this.
— many other details (like they give you a lifetime warranty that your vision will stay good or they will do a repeat procedure for free).
Details on the surgery itself:
— day of surgery, you come in and they explain exactly whats going to happen, and do another eye check. The surgery itself takes less than 2 minutes (i’m not exaggerating) and feels like a sci-​fi movie. You walk into a room with a big machine and several doctors. They lay you down in the middle of the machine, put numbing eye drops, clamp your eyelids, and then tell you to stare at a light, the next two minutes consist of machine noise, weird smells, and the doctors telling you to relax. There’s no pain, only some discomfort because the clamps are pressing down on your eyes. 2 minutes later you walk out, they put transparent patches on your eyes, and 15 to 30 minutes later you can go home.
You get antibiotic and steroid eye drops that you have to use every day for several weeks after the surgery.
24 to 48 hours after the surgery you can see ²⁰⁄₂₀.
A big big thank you to all the docs and staff at TLC.