Hero in a new light

The stars shine brightest when you see them. Hero Angeles, the Grand Questor of the talent search Star Circle Quest (SCQ), can now see the stars at their brightest. Never mind that what he may be seeing maybe his own. One of the fast rising stars of ABS-CBN, the young actor is now enjoying a world without eyeglasses or contact lenses, thanks to the Lasik surgery that the Asian Eye Institute (AEI) has performed on him to correct his eye problem.

"I’ve heard so much about Lasik surgery and AEI’s reputation in eye surgery procedures that I’ve finally decided to give it a try," confides the telegenic and wholesome singer-actor.

Before the surgery, Hero’s astigmatism was 300 (right eye) and the 350 (left eye-nearsighted). Taking a break from his hectic schedule and accompanied by his parents Kiko and Leny, aunt Bey Gervacio, and brother-manager Henry, Hero dropped by the AEI clinic in Rockwell Center for the operation.

Hero knows the stigma brought by having a visual defect. When he was in grade two, he would often fail in the exams because as he was seated at the far back of the classroom, he couldn’t see the lessons on the blackboard. He had to ask his teacher to relocate him to the front row so he could keep up with the rest of the class.

During the SCQ rehearsals, he would also have difficulty reading the teleprompter so the production crew had to enlarge the texts so he could see them.

When he entered showbiz, his eye problem would also get in the way with his relationship with the press. "Some reporters complain that I’m snobbish but the truth is even when we meet in the corridor I wouldn’t recognize them because of my poor eyesight," he says.

Hero has tried using eyeglass and contact lenses but they bring more hassle than benefits. The eyeglass would be misplaced and the contact lenses take so much effort to be fitted.

And so, Hero was finally enticed on trying the Lasik surgery. He needs to restore his eyesight because, besides wanting to say goodbye to the problems mentioned, he believes clear vision adds confidence. Moreover, that will come in handy when he finally realizes his goal to work in an advertising agency. Hero is a Fine Arts Major in Visual Communications junior at UP.

Initially, Hero had fears about the surgery but he was calmed down by assurances as well as testimonies from previous clients that it is painless and only takes a few minutes.

Socorro Reyes, Asian Eye Institute administrator explains," Lasik is a procedure that alters the shape of the cornea or the clear covering of the front of the eye with the use of an excimer laser. It’s really one of the most modern procedures for correcting vision problems today. The whole procedure can be done in less than 15 minutes, yet the benefits could last a lifetime."

Hero himself confirmed this when after the operation, he felt like there was no pain at all. "My eyesight was a bit blurred but everything was clear the next day. And besides the negligible sting that I felt when my eye flaps were cut, there was nothing that caused pain," Hero exclaims in joy.

The only recommendation doctors told him were to wear protective eyeglasses and avoid wetting his eyes for a week. Otherwise, it was back to normal to him.

Now, Hero is seeing the world in a new light and looks forward to attaining his dreams, with the help of clear and restored eyesight.

For those who want to witness the procedure, Hero’s Lasik surgery will be featured in Charlene Gonzalez’s At Home Ka Dito, on ABS-CBN tomorrow at 10:30 a.m.