Last year more than 1 million Americans had their eyes zapped with lasers to free themselves from eyeglasses. For the majority, the procedure was a success-but not for everyone. People who are farsighted, for instance, don't generally have great results. Many experience side effects such as seeing halos around objects. And laser surgery won't help people who need reading glasses because their vision continues to deteriorate as they age. So Mohsen Shahinpoor of the University of New Mexico decided to come up with an alternative.