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COMMITMENT: With a vision to deliver university-level expertise and personalized care, Dr. Lawrence Chao M.D. founded Chao Vision Institute offering subspecialty cataract, LASIK, and corneal eyecare for patients living in the greater Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego areas.
A premiere Orange County LASIK center with two dedicated operating suites offering multiple excimer laser platforms and Wavefront Technologies such as Custom Cornea LASIK with LADARvision Wavefront technology (Alcon Surgical) and CustomVue™ LASIK with WaveScan WaveFront™ System and VISX Technology™ Iris Registration (Abbott Medical Optics), Chao Vision Institute is committed to providing personalized care, a standard-setting approach to the future of patient care that you can experience today.
EXPERTISE: Dr. Lawrence Chao M.D. is a Board-Certified Ophthalmologist and a Fellowship Trained Catract, Refractive, 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.
RESULTS: Dr. Chao personally has performed thousands of cataract, LASIK, and lens implant procedures and is renowned for his surgical skills. One of the few subspecialist eye surgeons capable of managing routine as well as complex cataract, LASIK, and cornea 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.
INTEGRITY: With a reputation Orange County has come to trust for cataract, LASIK, and cornea specialty eye care, Chao Vision Institute focuses not only on achieving excellent results but also on how we are able to achieve them - with commitment, expertise, and integrity.
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.
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.
CustomCornea® | LADARVision®
Custom Cornea LASIK with LADARvision Wavefront technology (Alcon Surgical) enables the surgeon to provide a customized treatment, tailored to the each person's eye as individualized as each person's fingerprint. It corrects for visual aberrations and errors which were previously not measurable by conventional methods.
CustomVue™ | VISX Technology™ 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.
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 (about three to five days).
Intralase | All Laser Procedures
In all-laser or blade-free LASIK, the surgeon uses an ultra fast laser known as a femtosecond laser to create the corneal flap. The most widely used clinical femtosecond lasers are the Intralase and Zeimer Femto. With this technology a thinner, more precise flap can be created. Visual result should be as good as in PRK, with comparable recovery time (about three to five days).
Considering -> Consult -> Experience CVI -> Results

If you have ever wondered if LASIK can give you clear vision without glasses or contacts possible, consider the following: Wavefront technology identifies and measures imperfections in a patient's eye 25 times more precisely than standard methods used for glasses and contact lenses.
"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.
LASIK in Orange County
If you've been considering LASIK in Orange County, call us toll free at 1.888.OCEYEMD to schedule a consult with Dr. Chao.
Ask us about a Complimentary LASIK exam - get your eyes checked and find out if you are a LASIK candidate.
Flex Spending & LASIK
Your Flex Spending or Flex Savings Account (FSA) is a Use-it or Lose-it benefit.
If you're ready to get LASIK, call us now to reserve a preferred appointment time before the end of the year and get money back in time for holiday spending!
If you're considering LASIK in 2010, we also can help you plan your contributions accordingly.
When you email us, please let us know if you'd like to get access to 3D-animated topics including Conditions Overview and Surgical Treatment options.
"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.
"I wanted to simply wake up and be able to see when I open my eyes and go to bed without having to take contacts out every night. Also, I have heard so many great things from people who have had LASIK that my fear of the procedure was very minimal." - 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.
5 STARS YELP Review - "My experience here was amazing. Check out a fun video of this entire experience!" Anna Y, Anaheim, CA. YouTube - You Want LASIK?
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
Privacy Policy | LEGAL DISCLAIMER Copyright © 2009 CHAO Vision Institute, Inc., All rights reserved.
CHAO VISION INSTITUTE
2500 Alton Pkwy Ste 102
Irvine, CA 92606
949.679.2426
toll fee 1.888.OCEYEMD
Premiere eye care provider specializing in LASIK, ICLs, Cataract, Cornea, and Refractive Vision Correction Consult, Second Opinions, and Surgery.