Board-Certified| Fellowship Trained LASIK Surgeon
Lawrence C. Chao, M.D.
Why Choose Dr. Chao for LASIK Laser Vision Correction
Dr. Lawrence Chao M.D. founded Chao Vision Institute to provide patients living in the greater Orange County, Los Angeles and San Diego areas with general and specialized vision care including cataract removal, LASIK laser vision correction, lens implant, and cornea surgery.
Dr. Lawrence Chao M.D. is a board-certified ophthalmologist and a fellowship trained cataract, LASIK, lens implant, and cornea subspecialist. With a hands-on approach with all aspect of patient care from initial LASIK consult to each and every postoperative visit, Dr. Chao is the preferred LASIK surgeon for many of Orange County's finest doctors, healthcare workers and their families seeking university-level expertise.
Dr. Chao personally has performed thousands of cataract, LASIK, lens implant, and cornea procedures and is renowned for his surgical skills. One of the few cataract, LASIK, lens implant, and cornea surgeons capable of managing routine as well as complex eye care needs in a private practice setting, Dr. Chao provides his patients with the highest level of care in the most efficient and rewarding way possible.
Why Choose Chao Vision Institute
Chao Vision Institute is an Orange County LASIK center with dedicated excimer laser suites on-site in Irvine, CA. Dr. Chao offers multiple excimer laser options including but not limited to CustomVue™ LASIK with WaveScan WaveFront™ System and VISX Technology™ Iris Registration.
Chao Vision Institute is Dr. Chao's sole practice location offering patient the latest in technology, techniques and a higher level of care, efficiency, convenience, and comfort.
LASIK | Wavefront Technology
LASIK (laser in-situ keratomileusis) remains the most commonly performed refractive vision correction procedure. LASIK works by creating a thin flap in the upper portion of the cornea and reshaping the underlying portion with a cool excimer laser. As a result of reshaping the cornea, light and images now focus precisely on the retina to produce clear vision. LASIK is an extremely safe and effective treatment for a wide range of common vision problems including nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism. Both microkeratome-based and femtosecond-based LASIK generally have good outcomes with few complications.
Wavefront technology - originally developed for use in high-powered telescopes to reduce distortions when viewing distant objects in space - has now been applied to laser vision correction to identify unique imperfections in the eye. In most instances, wavefront technology produces superior visual results and improved night vision.
CustomVue™ | VISX Technology™ with Iris Registration
CustomVue™ LASIK with WaveScan WaveFront™ System and VISX Technology™ Iris Registration (Abbott Medical Optics) is the first FDA-approved, fully automated method of aligning and registering wavefront corrections to deliver unprecedented levels of measurement accuracy and outstanding treatment precision.
Compared to standard methods used for glasses and contact lenses, Wavefront technology identifies and measures imperfections in a patient's eye 25 times more precisely.
Femtosecond | Blade-free or Bladeless LASIK
In blade-free or bladeless LASIK, the surgeon uses two different kinds of lasers: a femtosecond laser to create the corneal flap as well as an excimer laser to reshape the cornea. With this femtosecond technology a thinner, more precise flap can be created. Types of femtosecond lasers:
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IntraLase (Abbott Medical Optics) is the first FDA approved femtosecond laser. Since acquiring Intralase in 2007, AMO incorporated it into the company's CustomVue LASIK excimer laser platform marketing the integrated system as iLASIK.
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zLASIK (Ziemer Ophthalmic Systems) was FDA approved in 2008 as a portable femtosecond laser, known as the Ziemer Femto LDV. By attaching to a movable arm, the Ziemer Femto LDV can be combined with any approved excimer laser system to create a flap for blade-free or bladeless LASIK.
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Femtec (20/10 Perfect Vision) received FDA clearance in 2004 and also can be combined with an approved excimer laser system for blade-free or bladeless LASIK.
PRK | Surface-Based Procedures
For selected patients, PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy) may be the recommended refractive procedure. PRK differs from LASIK in that a corneal flap is not made. Instead, the surgeon gently removes the outermost layer of clear skin or epithelium on the cornea and then the excimer laser is applied to reshape the underlying layers.
Patients may experience minimal discomfort until the epithelium heals. Studies have shown that the visual result in PRK is just as good as in LASIK, but recovery time is a few days longer than with LASIK using a microkeratome, but comparable to blade-free or bladeless LASIK using a femtosecond laser (about three to five days).
After cataract surgery with intraocular lens implant, sometimes an enhancement is needed to fine tune your result by treating residual nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism with laser vision correction. Dr. Chao offers complimentary LASIK consult to see if laser vision enhancement after cataract surgery at Chao Vision Institute is indicated for you.
Maps to Chao Vision Institute, an Orange County Lasik Center
CHAO VISION INSTITUTE
2500 Alton Parkway Ste 102
Irvine, CA 92606
Experience CVI
Comments, Highlights, & Reviews
"I can't even begin to tell you how much my life has improved, I have a whole new aura about me." - Elcy B, Businesswoman.
"Getting LASIK was one of the best things I've ever done, and even better was going through the process with Dr. Chao and his staff. They ROCK!!!"- Julie C, HR Analyst.
"Excellent. Dr. Chao is a very effective communicator taking time to fully educate and answer all questions a patient would have. I enjoy much more freedom in my activities." - Scott H, Automotive Marketing.
"This is a great opportunity to get out and excercise more often." - Richard E, Engineer.
"Priceless. It has positively affected my life personally and professionally. I can exercise comfortably without my glasses slipping down my face, and I was able to snorkel in Hawaii for the first time and see the fish!" - Elaine M, Strategic Acct Director.
Five Stars YELP Reviews
"I run a surf school in San Clemente (Barney's Surf School), and my vision is so vital towards teaching and water safety for children. I committed to improving my eye site and decided to go with Dr. Chao because he will guide you through a thorough and treat you like Family." - Phillip, K. Irvine, CA
"I was extremely nervous about having LASIK but Dr. Chao and his staff were amazing. They made me feel very comfortable the whole time from the first pre-op visit all the way to the post-op visits." - Michael M. Mahattan, NY
"Dr Chao and his staff are all very professional, and made sure my experience was as comfortable as possible. You want to ensure your eyes are in the most capable hands; Chao Vision Institute is the place to go." - David S, San Marcos, CA.
"I would like to reiterate that I am very satisfied with Chao Vision Institute, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in getting rid of their glasses/ contacts."- George Y, New York, NY.
"My experience here was amazing. Check out a fun video of this entire experience!" Anna Y, Anaheim, CA.
More Reviews on Dr. Chao and the Chao Vision Institute Difference
Chao Vision Institute specializes in cataract, cornea, LASIK, and refractive vision correction, providing patients with university-level expertise and personalized care. See Dr. Lawrence Chao for a consult or second opinion if you are considering eye surgery, including Crystalens ™, ReStor™, Visian ICL™, and LASIK surgery in Irvine, Orange County, or the Los Angeles , Riverside, and San Diego areas.
Call us at 888.OCEYEMD in our Irvine, Orange County office in the Los Angeles area to make an appointment or get more information.
Cataract surgery| CRYSTALENS | Refractive Lens Exchange | ReStoR | Toric IOL
Dr. Lawrence C. Chao, MD - Corneal Refractive Subspecialist | Your Focus | Experience CVI
Custom LASIK | Visian ICL | Wavefront Technology | Corneal Care & Surgery
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