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LASIK

The most commonly performed laser eye surgery worldwide is LASIK, and San Diego LASIK pioneer Dr. David Schanzlin is an internationally recognized authority on this procedure. This highly effective procedure uses an excimer laser to change the shape of your cornea for results that can sometimes exceed the limitations of corrective lenses. With precise adjustments to the shape of the cornea, LASIK can quickly and painlessly correct the most common refractive errors: nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.

If you are interested in LASIK eye surgery in San Diego, request a consultation online, or call Shiley Eye Center at (858) 822-2566 for a comprehensive evaluation.

Custom vs. Traditional LASIK

You may have heard of custom LASIK as opposed to traditional or standard LASIK. At Shiley Eye Center, we are dedicated to informing our patients and making sure that they have all of the facts. In terms of LASIK, all that the word “custom” refers to is that your procedure is guided by information beyond your eye prescription.

Standard or traditional LASIK, in effect, treated everyone in the same manner by simply reshaping the cornea to the patient’s prescription. By not taking into account each patient’s unique corneal curvature, the first generation lasers were associated with night vision problems such as glare and halos. Thanks to innovators in laser vision correction such as Dr. Schanzlin, we now have many improved options available for patients. Both WaveFront-guided – which uses an aberrometer and maps all the eye’s imperfections – and WaveFront-optimized – which uses WaveFront principles and the patient’s unique corneal curvature to preserve the eye’s natural shape – are available at Shiley Eye Center.

At the UCSD Shiley Eye Center, a renowned center of excellence in laser eye surgery, we do not use any “standard” or “traditional” treatments. Everything we offer is “custom” state-of-the-art technology, including:

Important Considerations

It is important to keep three things in mind when you are considering LASIK:

  • What is the experience and skill of the surgeon?
    If a surgeon is not qualified the risk of possible issues with your surgery increase and you could have complications and a higher incidence of retreatment.
  • What technology will be used?
    Technology is critical in order to have the best possible day and night vision, safest procedure and optimal outcome.
  • Is a laser or a blade used for flap creation?
    An all-laser procedure gives better outcomes and lower incidences of flap complications.

The Procedure

An outpatient procedure, LASIK generally takes only a few minutes per eye. Dr. Schanzlin begins by applying anesthetic eye drops to ensure comfort during the procedure. Using the iFS IntraLase™ laser, he creates a thin flap near the surface of the cornea. This flap is gently lifted for access to the corneal tissue underneath, which is reshaped with an excimer laser. Using a previously created corneal “map” as a guide, Dr. Schanzlin removes, or “ablates,” predetermined amounts of tissue with the laser, then carefully replaces the flap to complete the procedure.

After Surgery

Patients who have a LASIK procedure can quickly return to functional and normal levels of vision. Within the first 24 hours, you should see fairly well, with most patients somewhere between 20/70 and 20/10. You can also expect to return to work within 24 to 48 hours following your LASIK procedure. Final results are usually achieved after 3 to 6 months.

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