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Refractive Surgery
Laser Vision Correction: Visian ICL™, PRK, LASEK, Epi-K, and WaveFront® LASIK in SacramentoThe most trusted name for Visian ICL™ lens implants, PRK, LASEK, WaveFront® LASIK, IntraLase® (all-laser LASIK), and other refractive surgery in Sacramento is Dr. Richard Meister. Widely acknowledged as a pioneer in his field, Dr. Meister is pleased to further his reputation by providing his patients with CustomCornea® WaveFront® and Wavefront Optimized™ LASIK. Sacramento-area residents can now benefit from laser eye surgery entirely tailored to meet their individual needs. In addition to LASIK, Dr. Meister offers a complete range of refractive surgery options; Visian ICL™, Verisyse™ lens implants, PRK, and LASEK are all available to Sacramento-area patients. Read on to learn more about the treatment options we offer at Meister Eye & Laser Center, then contact us to arrange a complimentary LASIK surgery consultation. LASIKWaveFront® LASIK is our Sacramento practice's prime focus. Laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) has an overall high success rate, with over 98 percent of patients achieving at least 20/40 vision or better, and over 92 percent achieving 20/20 or better. However, the degree of improvement and the quality of your post-operative vision depend largely on the precision and expertise of the surgeon performing the LASIK procedure. Generally, the more experienced the surgeon, the more likely you are to achieve satisfactory results. Dr. Meister has been performing LASIK since 1994 and has established himself as one of the foremost experts on the procedure in the United States. The basic goal of LASIK is to correct vision errors that result from flaws in the shape of the cornea, the part of the eye that processes and focuses most of the light to create an image. When the cornea is misshapen, the image that is projected becomes distorted, resulting in either myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), or astigmatism. In LASIK refractive surgery, Dr. Meister reshapes the cornea using an extremely accurate laser that does not emit any heat and therefore does not pose a threat to surrounding tissue. This is accomplished through a partial flap in the corneal tissue. When the flap is replaced, it naturally re-adheres to the cornea. The entire process requires about four minutes per eye. As technology evolves, however, so does LASIK. Continue reading to discover how we can now customize the procedure to the exact specifications of your eyes. CustomCornea® WaveFront® LASIK TechnologyIn the past, the LASIK procedure involved reshaping your cornea based on your prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses. Now, however, we are pleased to offer an alternative that will significantly increase your chances of achieving the refractive surgery results you desire. At the Eye Center of Dr. Richard Meister, WaveFront® LASIK with the WaveLight® ALLEGRETTO WAVE® Excimer Laser System helps Sacramento-area patients achieve a much higher precision of correction by customizing the laser vision procedure to address your specific visual errors. Using revolutionary wavefront analysis devices to detect how light passes through your eyes, he creates a map of your entire optical system, highlighting any imperfections that might be the source of visual distortions. This information is then programmed into the WaveLight® ALLEGRETTO WAVE®, LADARVision® 4000, or VISX STAR S4™ excimer lasers, allowing Dr. Meister to shape your cornea according to the unique wavefront map of the eye. Because the WaveFront® ALLEGRETTO WAVE®, CustomVue™, and CustomCornea® LASIK systems allows for greater precision than previous laser vision procedures, Dr. Meister is better able to correct a wider range of visual errors, or “aberrations.” LASIK has always been effective in treating such “lower order” aberrations as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. However, the CustomCornea® system permits Dr. Meister to treat “higher order” aberrations, as well. These are the distortions that result in such annoying effects as glare, shadows, and halos. It is important to note that, while LASIK may well improve your vision to 20/20, these higher order aberrations can remain unless specifically treated. Therefore, the custom wavefront LASIK systems are the surest, safest means of achieving the best possible results from your laser vision procedure. For more information about WaveFront® LASIK surgery, contact us today! IntraLase®, Ziemer, and All-Laser LASIKAll-laser LASIK is performed using a femtosecond laser. Both the IntraLase® and Ziemer Da Vincilaser can be used to make a LASIK flap. The flap is then folded back while the excimer laser (WaveLight®, VISX®, or LADARVision®) is used to correct one's vision. Afterward, the flap is placed back, like standard LASIK. Some patients prefer the precision and results of this more expensive all-laser technique. Surface Laser TreatmentsIf you are not an ideal candidate for LASIK – particularly if your corneas are too thin to undergo the surgery – you may be able to benefit from another type of refractive surgery such as ASA, PRK, Epi-K, or LASEK. Surface treatment requires a slower recovery, but does not eliminate the need to make a flap. Sacramento-area residents have been coming to Dr. Meister for PRK since 1994, when he became the first physician in the area to perform this procedure out of the country. LASIK and PRK, which stands for "photorefractive keratectomy," are similar in that both involve the use of an excimer laser to reshape the cornea; however, when Dr. Meister performs PRK at his Sacramento-area office, he actually brushes off the top layer of the cornea rather than creating a corneal flap that will be replaced. LASEK, or "laser epithelial keratomileusis," is a variant form of PRK. In both forms of the procedure, the outer layer of the cornea is brushed back; this layer may be replaced after LASEK. Sacramento patients may choose LASEK over traditional PRK. As with the customized LASIK procedure, the WaveLight® ALLEGRETTO WAVE® system can be used in PRK and LASEK procedures at our Sacramento area office, ensuring that the exact irregularities of your eye are treated. Epi-K is a type of LASIK surgery which also does not involve the creation of a flap in the cornea. This kind of LASIK procedure can benefit nearsighted patients with thin corneas who may not be good candidates for traditional LASIK surgery. For the Epi-LASIK procedure, Dr. Meister uses special instruments to isolate a thin layer of the tissue covering the surface of the eye. The cornea will then be reshaped with the excimer laser and the tissue will be replaced. Because this surgery does not involve penetrating the cornea, many of LASIK’s side effects are diminished. ASA, or advanced surface ablation, is one of the newer types of laser vision correction that improve upon conventional LASIK. Rather than using a corneal flap, the ASA procedure utilizes a solution of diluted alcohol to loosen and remove the epithelium, or surface skin cells, to provide the laser with access to the cornea. Since ASA does not necessitate the use of a microkeratome, and no flap is created, it is generally regarded as a viable alternative to patients at higher risk for post-LASIK complications. The Visian ICL™ and Verisyse™ LensThe latest and most promising method of correcting refractive errors without use of the excimer laser involves the placement of a phakic intraocular lens (or “phakic IOL”) in the eye; for this procedure Dr. Meister uses the advanced Visian ICL™ or Verisyse™ lens. Sacramento-area residents who are unable to have traditional forms of laser refractive surgery due to severe refractive errors may be able to see clearly without glasses by surgery to implant a Visian ICL™ or Verisyse™ lens. The Visian™ lens used by our Sacramento-area practice for phakic IOL implantation is essentially a surgically implantable contact lens. It has the potential to correct many of the severe refractive errors that preclude certain patients from laser surgery. Unlike the IOLs that have been used in cataract surgery for decades, phakic IOLs do not require the removal of the eye’s natural lens, making it an even more attractive alternative for those patients who are not candidates for LASIK. Younger patients who don't need reading glasses are then able to maintain their ability to change focus from distance to near by retaining the natural lens. Learn more about the Visian™ and Verisyse™ lenses and other phakic intraocular lenses which can improve your vision. Contact Dr. Richard Meister's office to find out if implantation of a Verisyse™ lens at our Sacramento-area office can help you see more clearly. Presbyopia SurgeryPresbyopia, Greek for “old eye,” is an inevitable part of the aging process. With age, the lens of the eye loses its flexibility, resulting in increased difficulty in focusing on objects close to the eye. In the past, reading glasses and bifocals were considered the best lines of defense against presbyopia; however, presbyopia can now be treated with refractive surgery at our Sacramento office. You can learn about the types of presbyopia treatment our office provides during a complimentary consult. ReSTOR® and ReZoom™ Multifocal Intraocular Lens ImplantsReSTOR® and ReZoom™ IOLs are designed to help cataract surgery or other patients by decreasing or eliminating dependence on glasses and increasing the ability to see at varying distances and at near to read. Using advanced technology, ReSTOR® and ReZoom™ IOLs improve vision by distributing light over the retina so it can accommodate different focal points, allowing patients to see objects both up close and at a distance. Additional information about ReSTOR® and ReZoom™ intraocular lens implants and other IOLs for presbyopia and cataract patients may be found on our website. To learn more about ReSTOR® and ReZoom™ IOLs and how they can benefit you, contact our Sacramento-area practice today. Crystalens® Intraocular Lens ImplantsCrystalens® IOLs are designed to bend and change shape like the natural lens to allow for one to change focus from distance to near. This may eliminate or reduce one's need for glasses. If you are interested in discovering more about surgical reversal of presbyopia or other types of refractive surgery, contact our Sacramento office for a complimentary eye care consultation. |
"One of the best decisions I ever made,
having LASIK eye surgery. I'm outside a lot on the baseball field and the dust
can be quit irritating, especially when I wore contacts. Now, I
blink a few times, put some drops in my eyes, and my eyes are fine."
"It's Like Being Handed A New Life! Before I was minus 12 and my world beyond 5 inches was a blur. How can I describe
the feeling of sitting up after a 10 minute procedure and being able to read
a sign that was a big blob earlier. I almost cried!"
"It's
Totally Amazing To Me that in a few seconds a painless procedure,
my entire lifestyle changed! My vision is greatly improved! I had
the procedure on Friday and I was back to work on Monday. You owe
it to yourself to check it out. It is honestly one of the best decisions
I have made!" 
"Best Call I Ever Made –
getting laser eye surgery at Pacific Laser Eye Center. I now have the freedom
to pursue all my activities without wearing any vision corrections."
"Racquetball
Is My Exercise of Choice. I'm having a lot more fun now
that I'm swinging at just one ball. I thought about laser eye surgery
for a very long time. After twenty years of glasses I now know that
seeing is believing." 
"I
Came To Dr. Meister because I wanted the very best for
my eyes. Although I was fearful, Dr. Meister's bedside manner put
me at ease. Years later, I am still overjoyed at the results. I
no longer have to preach with glasses. I see wonderfully. I know
from my heart it was God who worked through Dr. Meister to heal
my eyes and give me new sight." 
