LASIK

LASIK in Santa Monica

CustomVue All-Laser LASIK

Dr. Seibel was the first eye surgeon in the Los Angeles area to offer his patients Bladeless All-Laser CustomVue LASIK vision correction, which utilizes the most advanced combination of laser technology, which delivers your best possible visual outcome with the sharpest vision possible. With Dr. Seibel’s main office location in Los Angeles, he also serves the residents of Santa Monica and the Beverly Hills areas. Schedule your consultation today.

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“Our patients appreciate the safety of IntraLase and the improved quality of vision from CustomVue”
– Barry S. Seibel, MD

LASIK has literally changed the lives of millions of people. It is a nearly painless procedure and has been FDA approved for well over a decade. LASIK patient satisfaction rate rivals that of any other medical procedure.

The Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Beverly Hills areas is home to more individuals who have received laser eye surgery than any other region and Dr. Seibel was an investigator in the original FDA clinical study of VISX CustomVue in Los Angeles – in which 98% of the participants had uncorrected vision of 20/20 after their procedure!

Seibel Vision Surgery owns the most advanced custom LASIK technology in the Los Angeles and surrounding Santa Monica areas. Our innovative technology includes:

  • IntraLase Bladeless LASIK Laser
  • VISX CustomVue WavePrint
  • VISX CustomVue S4 Star Laser
  • VISX CustomVue 3D ActiveTrak

LASIK Eye Surgery Procedure

  1. Acquire: Data on the patient’s wavefront error is collected with the AMO WaveScan Wavefront System.
  2. Design: A customized treatment is designed using the data collected on the unique characteristics of the patient’s eye with unique proprietary algorithms.
  3. Align: The treatment is aligned to the patient’s eye using Iris Registration technology, which links diagnostic information to the treatment delivered during the Advanced CustomVue procedure.
  4. Deliver: Using VSS and VRR technologies ensures the intricate shapes reconstructed by the Fourier wavefront algorithm are precisely ablated by the STAR S4 IR Excimer Laser System.

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Step 1: Measuring The Eye

Just like a fingerprint, your vision is 100 percent unique to your eyes. Many eye doctors only measure two values to correct vision using LASIK, meaning that your eye prescription could only provide a minimum level of correction regardless of your individual needs. Often, this leads to several more attempts to “fine-tune” the patient’s vision using LASIK.

Depending on your personal best-possible results, Dr. Seibel can measure and correct the unique imperfections of your vision using LASIK and provide the potential to experience better vision than is possible with glasses or contact lenses, most often to 20/20 and even beyond!

Visx LogoWith the advent of the VISX WaveScan-based digital technology, Dr. Seibel can now identify, measure and address imperfections in your eyes 25 times more precisely than with more common methods.

WaveScan’s wavefront technology was originally developed for use in high-powered telescopes to reduce distortions when viewing distant objects in space. Using this technology, Dr. Seibel can detect and measure the optical distortions unique to your entire optical system.

Light travels in a procession of flat sheets known as wavefronts. Gentle wavefront lights enter the eye, pass through the entire optical system (cornea, lens and retina) and are then reflected back into the WaveScan sensors.

iLASIK Machine

The WaveScan system compares the reflected wavefronts with the original unaltered wavefronts. This produces a fingerprint of your vision, or WavePrint map. This information is then transferred to the VISX Star S4 excimer laser and is used as a guide to reshape the cornea during your laser vision treatment.

Step 2: Making The Flap

CustomVue LASIK involves making a flap in the cornea and reshaping its inner tissue, which adds a tremendous amount of precision and safety by using a laser (not a razor) to create the flap. The IntraLase femtosecond laser beam passes harmlessly through the outer layers of the cornea until it reaches its exact focal point within the cornea.

With computer precision and high-speed delivery of 15,000 spots per second, the IntraLase laser delivers over a million pulses as it gently separates the layers of corneal tissue and creates a customized flap of the desired thickness, size, orientation and location. After treatment, the flap is folded back into its original position where it bonds without the need for stitches.

This unprecedented level of control makes LASIK safer and allows more patients to qualify for LASIK. The level of accuracy, precision, control, and safety with the IntraLase laser is simply impossible to achieve with a mechanical microkeratome.

LASIK Procedure

Step 3: Customizing the Laser Treatment

CustomVue LASIK is the revolutionary process of reshaping your cornea using individualized wavefront measurements for your Personal Best Vision.

One year after the CustomVue LASIK procedure, patients in a clinical study reported these great results without glasses and contact lenses:

  • 100% could pass a driving test
  • 98% could see 20/20 or better
  • 70% could see better than 20/20

Waveprint SystemYour unique correction information is transferred from the WaveScan to the VISX Star S4 excimer laser and guides the laser throughout the procedure.

The cool beam from the laser gently reshapes the cornea, removing microscopic amounts of tissue – less than the thickness of a human hair in most casts – to create a new curvature. During the procedure, the 3D ActiveTrak eye tracker follows the eye’s tiniest moves. It automatically repositions the laser to keep the laser focused where Dr. Seibel wants it, so you can completely relax during the procedure.

Benefits For You!

With the precession of all-laser CustomVue LASIK, laser vision correction is now an even safer and more predictable procedure.

  • Custom-tailored precise corneal flap creation – vital for patients with thin or misshapen corneas
  • Safer intra-operative procedure
  • Reduces risk of unwanted visual side effects
  • More likely to achieve 20/20 or better vision
  • Seibel Vision Surgery offers several financing options with low monthly payments.

LASIK in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, CA

If you think you are a LASIK candidate, Seibel Vision Surgery proudly serves patients throughout the Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Los Angeles areas with his premier expertise in LASIK Eye Surgery. Schedule a consultation at our Los Angeles location today.

Why is LASIK so Popular?

LASIK is the most popular form of vision correction surgery in the United States today. Every year, over 1 million people receive this procedure. Below we offer you information on what LASIK is and what it treats to give you the clear vision that you want. Dr. Seibel and his team offer the residents of Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and Los Angeles state-of-the-art technology and years of expertise with LASIK Eye Surgery. Schedule your LASIK consultation with us today!

What is LASIK?

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Laser In-Situ Keratomileusis – The word “LASIK” is an acronym (therefore spelled in capital letters) for Laser In-situ Keratomileusis:

  • Laser: intense, highly concentrated beam of light (an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission
    of Radiation; however, now such a common word that it is seldom seen completely capitalized)
  • In-situ: Greek word meaning “in place”
  • Keratomileusis: combination of two Greek words:
    • kerato “the cornea”
    • mileusis “to shape”

Therefore, LASIK = “a light to shape the cornea in place”

LASIK is a quick and virtually painless procedure, resulting in the majority of patients experiencing improved vision and a reduced dependency on corrective eyewear.

How does LASIK work?

Specifically, LASIK involves the use of laser light from an excimer laser (a “cool” laser, such as the VISX) to permanently change the shape of the cornea. 90% of the cornea is called the stroma, with an overlying layer of cells called the epithelium. A thin membrane separates the two and is called Bowman’s membrane.

A corneal flap is first made (using the IntraLase femtosecond laser – another “cool” laser) and then gently lifted. The corneal reshaping takes place in the deeper part of the cornea below, called the stroma. Laser removal of stroma produces permanent reshaping of the cornea, thereby affecting its refractive power. After the reshaping step, the flap is then precisely replaced without the need for any sutures.

Chart showing the LASIK procedure

With the corneal curvature changed to provide better focus for the eye, the patient’s need for glasses or contact lenses (which used to provide this focus) is typically greatly reduced.

Photo Refractive Keratectomy (PRK) is a refractive procedure, popular prior to the appearance of LASIK, which utilizes the same excimer laser to reshape the cornea without the construction of a flap. This allows the laser to immediately start on the stroma. However, PRK’s “surface ablations” create a temporary loss of epithelium, resulting in some patient discomfort with the need to wear a “bandage” contact lens for a few days. By comparison, LASIK patients typically experience very little discomfort post-operatively and have no need for a bandage lens.

As LASIK is a surgical procedure conducted on a delicate part of the eye, it is important that you are well educated on the benefits and LASIK Risks of the procedure, understand the importance of thorough screening and comprehensive pre-operative exam, and maintain realistic expectations.

What does LASIK treat?

With a few exceptions, LASIK can treat the following conditions that require the use of glasses and contact lenses for clear vision:

  • Myopia between -0.5 and -10 diopters
  • Hyperopia between +0.5 and +6.0 diopters
  • Astigmatism between 0.5 and 6.0 diopters
  • Presbyopia using Monovision

If, after your initial procedure, your vision without glasses is not satisfactory, then a procedure called enhancement, glasses or contacts are options for additional improvement in vision.

In some cases, patients who have had previous eye surgery may qualify for LASIK. LASIK may be performed after previous Radial Keratotomy (RK), Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK), and cataract surgery. Dr. Seibel can discuss your options at your initial consultation.

What are the results of LASIK?

No one can guarantee exact results due to the unique healing factor of each patient and potential variability of individual surgical techniques, eye measurements, and equipment. An excellent surgeon can largely control the latter three variables.

United States statistics show that over 50% of patients achieve 20/20 vision or better, although it is not essential to be 20/20 to be satisfied and functional. The success rates can be as high as 98% with patients achieving 20/20 or better without wearing glasses or contact lenses. For comparison, the requirement for a driver’s license in most states is 20/40, which is 3 lines larger print than 20/20.

If you are interested in receiving LASIK, schedule a consultation at our Los Angeles location now. Dr. Seibel serves the surrounding areas including Santa Monica and Beverly Hills with premier LASIK eye surgery.

LASIK in Santa Monica and Los Angeles

If you are looking to receive premier LASIK eye surgery from the LASIK surgeons at Seibel Vision Surgery, schedule an appointment at our Los Angeles office today! With our Los Angeles office, we proudly offer LASIK to the surrounding Santa Monica and greater Beverly Hills areas as well. Call now!

LASIK FAQ’s

Q: Is laser vision correction the same as LASIK?

A: LASIK is but one of many laser vision corrective surgeries that are available. If a patient is not currently eligible for LASIK, Dr. Seibel may suggest an alternative.

Q: How long has LASIK been available?

A: United States FDA approval was granted in 1995. Though excimer laser technology was developed in the United States, most of the original patients received LASIK eye surgery elsewhere. This is because the United States FDA approval process is more extensive, requiring comprehensive, 5-year scientific and clinical studies. Every year, over 1 million Americans benefit from laser eye surgery.

Q: What is Personal Best Vision?

A: Personal Best Vision is the highest achievable vision within the physical limitations of your eyes. Because your eyes are not like anyone else’s, every individual is unique, customized technology was created that you may benefit from laser vision correction tailored just for you. For the first time in history, we are able to measure and correct the unique characteristics of your vision, with the potential of providing you with your Personal Best Vision.

Q: How is Personal Best Vision correction achieved?

A: Individualized laser vision correction is possible through CustomVue wavefront technology, which enables Dr. Seibel to measure and correct the unique imperfections in your vision. Many of these imperfections could never be measured before using standard methods for glasses and contact lenses.

Q: What is wavefront technology?

A: Wavefront technology, also called Wavefront LASIK or wavefront sensing, was originally developed for use in high-powered telescopes to reduce distortions when viewing distant objects in space. This technology has now been applied to laser vision correction, which identifies and can measure imperfections in your eyes 25 times more precisely than standard methods. Dr. Seibel uses this information to create an individualized prescription for your laser vision procedure.

Q: Why is wavefront technology so important to LASIK?

A: Until now, physicians had to practice one-size-fits-all vision correction. Such an approach can correct your vision fairly well, but not as precisely as wavefront mapping, which uniquely tailors your prescription to your individual ‘fingerprint’ of vision. Now, with wavefront mapping, Dr. Seibel can custom-tailor a correction for the unique characteristics of your eyes.

Q: What does ‘better than’ 20/20 mean?

A: 20/20 is the current standard for excellence in vision. But, with the combination of wavefront and CustomVue laser technology, individuals have the potential to have even better than 20/20 vision. In fact, six months after a CustomVue LASIK procedure more than 74% percent of clinical study participants saw 20/16 or better.

Q: How can LASIK help my vision?

A: If you are nearsighted or farsighted, laser eye surgery may be able to significantly improve your vision. With nearsightedness (myopia), the goal is to flatten the too-steep cornea; with farsightedness (hyperopia), a steeper cornea is desired. Astigmatism can also be corrected by smoothing an irregular cornea into a more normal shape.

Q: Can everyone have LASIK?

A: Most people can. However, about five percent of applicants do not qualify. This may be because of their overall medical history, the health of their eyes, the thickness of their corneas, or the degree of their eye correction.

Q: Can I have LASIK if I have had RK (Radial Keratotomy)?

A: Yes, usually. However, Dr. Seibel will need to evaluate your candidacy to be sure. With Radial Keratotomy, cuts were made around the cornea to create the effect of corneal change whereas the laser used today is significantly more precise. Because of the less precise nature of RK, sometimes the corneal change was not exactly correct. Furthermore, the eye was weakened by RK, and the possible subsequent instability of vision refraction may persist even after LASIK correction.

Q: Am I a good candidate for LASIK?

A: A specifically trained eye care professional can determine your candidacy for laser eye surgery only during a thorough eye examination. The following are the minimal conditions: At least 18 years of age. Not pregnant. Have stable vision with no significant changes in prescription for the last two years. Have eyes free from disease and complicating injury. Have a prescription in a correctable range.

Q: Can both eyes be done the same day?

A: Yes. Usually both eyes are treated in a single session. However, it is possible to treat one eye at a time. Dr. Seibel will help decide which option is right for you.

Q: Is LASIK safe?

A: Over 1 million laser eye procedures are preformed every year. While all surgery involves some risk, laser vision surgery is less risky than more invasive procedures. LASIK is a highly technical process using a computer-controlled light beam under the guidance of Dr. Seibel’s specifically trained and certified experience. A discussion with Dr. Seibel and our staff will help you to understand the risks and benefits of the procedure.

Q: How do I prepare for LASIK?

A: To find out what your options are, call for an appointment for a complementary initial exam. We also suggest you read over the information contained on our web site. We have a page specifically for preparing for surgery. If you have any questions, please call us at: (310) 444-1134.

Q: Will I need to remove my contacts before my exam?

A: If you presently wear contact lenses you will need to leave them out for a specified time period before your comprehensive LASIK eye exam. Wearing contact lenses can change the curvature of your cornea and removing them for a time allows the cornea to return to its natural shape. This is vital for proper measurements to be made, before your procedure can be scheduled. The time required for you to leave out your contact lenses depends on the type. For details see our pre-op exam section.

Q: How long will my procedure take?

A: Laser vision surgery takes ten to fifteen minutes. The actual laser time is usually less than a minute. The entire visit will be completed in about two hours.

Q: Is LASIK scary?

A:
You will be awake and fully aware during the procedure. As with any strange experience, you might be a little nervous beforehand. This is perfectly normal and a sedative will be available to help you relax. Most patients say that they found the whole experience to be ultimately enjoyable, and mention how comfortable they were.

Q: Is there any pain involved with LASIK?

A: Laser eye surgery itself is painless. You will receive a sedative before surgery, and topical anesthetic eye drops just prior. Most patients report that they experienced no pain whatsoever. There may be a slight pressure sensation as the flap is being created and as the eyelids are supported against blinking by an eyelid speculum; while traditional eyelid speculums can be more likely to cause discomfort, Dr. Seibel designed his Seibel 3-D Lid Speculum to more gently support the eyelids in order to enhance patient comfort.

Afterwards, some patients report mild sensations of scratchy, gritty, or watery eyes. These are temporary symptoms and are not a problem for most. Dr. Seibel can prescribe pain medication if needed, although he has yet to do so.

Q: What if I sneeze during surgery?

A: We have never had that happen, but it would not be a problem if it did, as the eye tracker would immediately stop the laser. When the eye was repositioned, the laser would be restarted.

Q: What keeps my eyes from drying out during the procedure?

A: During your LASIK procedure, a special retainer will be used to gently and comfortably hold your eyelid open and you will be unable to blink. However, your eye will not dry out because it will be irrigated with a soothing balanced salt solution.

Q: When will I be able to see well?

A: Immediately following laser eye surgery most people notice that their vision is better. However, for several hours it will seem like you are looking through a foggy haze. This clears rapidly. By the next day approximately 80 percent of patients see 20/20 or better. Nearly all have 20/40 or better, which is the level of vision required to drive without correction.

Q: How much time do I need to be off work?

A: This really depends on your job. If your work is very light, you might resume daily activities the first post-operative day. It is critical that you avoid all contact with your eyes, such as rubbing, for several days to allow the outer surface of the cornea to heal properly. We suggest that you take it easy for two to three days and will make a recommendation for recovery time based on your individual vision needs and work environment.

PRK requires three to five days of recovery, occasionally longer depending upon original prescription, with a gradual improvement in vision over that time.

Q: When does my new vision become permanent?

A: Vision is usually dramatically improved within first twenty-four hours. Then, it is normal for vision to fluctuate from day to day, especially for first couple of weeks. How quickly your vision clears depends primarily on your prescription. Normally, it takes six to eight weeks for your vision to stabilize completely.

The correction achieved is extremely stable and laser eye correction is permanent once healing is complete. This permanence and stability is one of the reasons that laser eye surgery is now so popular and well accepted. However, all eyes can change over time, and no surgery can prevent underlying changes such as cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, or presbyopia.

Results since FDA approval of LASIK five years ago have shown that surgery does not require updating – other than the possibility of minor adjustments called enhancements. Sometimes with an individual with a high amount of correction, it is necessary to perform an enhancement to fine tune the corneal change.

Q: Can my vision results be guaranteed?

A: As in any medical procedure, particularly surgery or laser therapy, there can be no absolute guarantee of results in any specific case. Even though laser eye correction is exceedingly precise, variations in visual outcome can arise due to variations in individual healing and other factors. Be wary of any LASIK surgeon who guarantees a 20/20 vision result.

Q: Will I need glasses or contacts after laser vision surgery?

A: Possibly. Although, six months after the FDA clinical study, without glasses or contacts:

  • 100% of participants could pass a driving test
  • 94% of participants could see 20/20 or better
  • 74% of participants could see better than 20/20

The majority of our patients are within one or two lines of 20/20 vision after the procedure. Some patients with extremely high degrees of correction may still require glasses after surgery, but they will have thinner lenses.

Individuals who wear reading glasses before the surgery will most likely continue to need them afterwards. This is because the need for reading glasses is caused by presbyopia, an age-related condition that happens to all of us somewhere after forty years of age.

Q: Is there a treatment for presbyopia?

A: If you are older than 40 years of age, presbyopia develops and you will likely need reading glasses unless a monovision eye correction is performed, where one eye is corrected for distance and the other for near vision. Prelex is a treatment for presbyopia that has had some inconsistent results most likely related to the particular lens implant utilized. Future IOL technologies may provide desirable treatment alternatives.

Q: Will I experience glare or halos at night?

A: With the new, expanded treatment zones of the lasers, night vision symptoms have been greatly reduced. Dr. Seibel will be able to evaluate in advance whether your pupils are larger than the treatment zone, and what impact that will have on your potential surgery. The few patients who experience halos or star-bursts at night generally improve after one month and the problems typically resolve by three months.

Many patients found their night vision was improved after their Wavefront guided LASIK procedure. In fact, in the FDA clinical study in which Dr. Seibel was an investigator, more participants were very satisfied with their night vision after the procedure without glasses or contacts as compared to their night vision before with glasses or contacts.

Q: What other considerations should I think about?

A: Risks and complications are a possibility with any medical procedure. A small percentage of patients who undergo the procedure have experienced mild side effects, including night-vision difficulties and under-correction or over-correction, which can often be improved with a second surgery. More rare and serious complications include a dislocated flap, epithelial in-growth and inflammation underneath flap. Proper following of post-op instructions and follow-up care is essential. Most complications can be managed without any loss of vision. Permanent vision loss is very rare.

Q: Does insurance cover LASIK?

A: In most cases, insurance does not cover laser vision surgery. You should expect to pay for your procedure in full at time of surgery. Any available reimbursement by insurance company will be made directly to you. For more information, please refer to our Insurance page.

Q: Does Seibel Vision Surgery offer financing?

A: At Seibel Vision Surgery, we believe that financial considerations should not be an obstacle to obtaining this procedure. Being sensitive to the fact that different patients have different needs, we provide several flexible payment options. Please read our Financing page for more information.

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