Story by Kugler Vision.
Jolene Palmquist, RN, CRNO, has spent over 40 years guiding patients through some of the most personal decisions of their lives. As Surgical Manager at Kugler Vision, she’s the steady, knowledgeable presence patients lean on when nerves run high—answering questions, calming fears, and walking people toward a clarity they never thought possible.
“I’ve watched people gain a level of independence and freedom they didn’t think was possible,” Palmquist said. “Being able to see clearly without glasses or contacts can truly change how you live your daily life.” In the fall of 2025, it was her turn.
For years, Palmquist managed her own vision the way millions of people with presbyopia do—contacts, readers, and quiet frustration. After radial keratotomy surgery in 1992 gave her good vision for decades, time had other plans. “The birthdays kept coming,” she quipped. “Once I got into my 40s, it’s natural progression for your near vision to continue to decrease. I became more and more dependent on glasses with each passing year.”
The contacts that once felt effortless had become a daily battle of dryness, irritation, and a ritual she dreaded. “The minute I would get in my car to go home from work, the first thing I would do is take the contacts out. The highlight of my day! The parking lot was scattered with my contacts.” For someone who had spent four decades telling patients there was a better way, her moment had arrived. “This felt like the right moment to finally practice what I’ve been preaching.”
With guidance from surgeon and Kugler Vision CEO Lance Kugler, MD, Palmquist chose Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE), a procedure that replaces the eye’s aging natural lens with a technologically advanced artificial one, correcting near and distance vision, and permanently eliminating the risk of cataracts. Her lens of choice was the Light Adjustable Lens, a premium implant that can be fine-tuned after surgery using UV light treatments, allowing the prescription to be customized as the eye heals. “The adjustment process is really pretty easy,” she shared. “You just have to hold really still and stare at the light for about 90 seconds. The doctors are so good about talking you through the whole process.”
While her years of experience made the decision to get RLE clear, the emotions were still human. “I really wasn’t nervous about the surgery itself. What’s natural, no matter how much experience you have, is thinking about your results. At that point, it becomes an exercise in trust. I put my trust in Dr. Kugler and the team, knowing their expertise, precision, and commitment to outcomes.”
Being a patient herself reminded her of something she already believed deeply: the power of patient experience. “The team kept things lighthearted and made the experience enjoyable, while maintaining a level of professionalism that never wavered. My questions were always met with patience and genuine concern.”
The results arrived in small, perfect moments. Clearer night driving. Reading the menu before her husband finds his glasses. Storybooks with her grandkids—no searching for readers, no interruption, just presence. Ask Palmquist what RLE gave her back and she doesn’t hesitate, “My independence.”
To learn whether RLE is right for you, take Kugler Vision’s 60-second self-test at lasikomaha.com or call 402-558-2211.
