Western Laser Eye Associates

Collaborative, holistic eye care

SMILE – an exciting new innovation in laser vision correction – is now available to patients at Western Laser Eye Associates, a Calgary clinic that prides itself on its collaborative and holistic approach to eye care.

“Currently, we are the only clinic in Calgary equipped with the technology to offer this new procedure for myopia correction,” says clinic founder and laser vision correction surgeon, Dr. Ellen Anderson Penno. Myopia is more commonly known as near-sightedness.

SMILE is an acronym for ‘Small Incision Lenticular Extraction’ – a laparoscopic ‘no-flap’ laser surgery that is less invasive, more comfortable and faster healing than more common surgeries for the same condition.

A team of four doctors is available to patients at the clinic. Dr. Anderson-Penno, an ophthalmologist, focuses on surgery that can free patients from glasses and contacts due to near- or far-sightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia.

Dr. Regan Nowlan, optometrist, works alongside Dr. Anderson Penno, providing dry eye and other eye health services to the surgical patients. She also dispenses prescriptions for glasses and contact lenses.

Dr. Lisa Lagrou, ophthalmologist, specializes in pediatric care, strabismus and adult cataract surgery.

Dr. Nana Boadi, optometrist, focuses on pediatric care and eye muscle imbalances.

“Our collaborative and holistic approach to optometry and general ophthalmology sets us apart from ‘laser only’ practices. We treat patients of all ages, although for laser vision correction, a patient must be 18 years or older,” says Dr. Anderson Penno. “And those patients who come into the clinic for a laser eye surgery assessment often benefit from the additional diagnostic testing and treatment available for other conditions.”

A laser eye surgery assessment can reveal retinal tears, glaucoma, or retinal nevus (a possible precursor to ocular melanoma), or other conditions such as dry eye, which require treatment and ongoing care whether or not laser eye surgery is ever done.

“Our intention is simple,” says Dr. Anderson Penno. “If a patient comes into our practice, we have all the doctors and tools required to provide them with complete care.”