Dec. 8, 2025

This piece is sponsored by Vance Thompson Vision.

Everyone experiences life through their own unique lens. In the case of Anna Mahlberg, founder of Rickers Photography Studio, she helps preserve life’s special moments — and even create new ones.

“Every client who walks through my studio is new and different,” she said. “I’ve gotten to photograph from birth to high school graduation and beyond.”

She said one perk of the job is that if a photo isn’t just right, it can be altered in post. However, when it was her time to step in front of the camera, she noticed an issue that no editing software could adjust: Her upper eyelids were drooping heavily.

“It had gotten to the point where it was hard for me to fix. I couldn’t make my eyes look bigger or more open anymore.”

She said her drooping lids were causing her to appear more tired and failing to capture her youthful energy.

“I was seeing it get worse,” she recalls. “I thought to myself, ‘OK, I’m 44, and it’s not going to improve.’”

She brought her concerns to her annual doctor’s appointment, and they recommended that she schedule a consultation at Vance Thompson Vision.

As someone who has a relatively healthy history of vision, the world of ophthalmology was unfamiliar to Mahlberg. But in the care of surgical professionals like Dr. Zac Keenum, she was given a world-class introduction.

“He sat down, we looked at the pictures, and he said I was a candidate for upper blepharoplasty. He answered all my questions, and I had no concerns. My husband was there for the consultation and the surgery. Dr. Keenum explained things to him as well and made him feel involved. His bedside manner was fantastic. ”

As for the procedure itself, she describes it as quick and easy.

After a brief recovery process, it wasn’t long before she was back to her fast-moving lifestyle.

“Tuesday was my surgery, and when I got home, I followed their instructions for the whole next day, just staying in bed and icing my eyelids on and off. By Thursday, I actually had a dermatologist appointment over in Sioux Falls, and our son had a baseball game in Sioux Falls, and I was feeling totally fine to go do that.”

In addition to her eyelids, her self-confidence received a lift — often in unexpected ways.

“My family and I were on vacation, and we got a rental car. My husband and I were at the checkout counter, and the woman explaining stuff stopped midsentence, looked at me and said, ‘I have to tell you, your eyes are beautiful.’ I wanted to jump over the counter and hug her. I’ve literally never had a compliment on my eyes prior to my surgery. It was such a special feeling for me.”

It’s a special feeling that has been captured in the photos of her since then.

“I just look so much more alert, happier and more awake — you name it. It’s made a huge difference.”

When asked if she would’ve done anything differently, Mahlberg had this to say: “I wish I had done it sooner. I didn’t feel like I was treated like a number at all at Vance Thompson Vision. Obviously, their facility is busy, and they see a lot of different people, but they made me feel like I was important and the only one there.”

If you are wondering if your vision could be better or want to find out if you or someone you know is a candidate for oculoplastic surgery, call your eye doctor, or learn more through a consultation at Vance Thompson Vision. Ready to schedule your consultation? Call us at 605-361-EYES (3997), or visit vancethompsonvision.com.