Patient Testimonials

 

 Dustin Sullivan I'm a young actor who had just recently saved enough money from some gigs to finally try and rid myself of my ridiculously poor eyesight. I discovered it was difficult to ascertain just who the "best" laser eye surgeon in the city was because everyone advertises amazing results. After some research I decided on Dr. Chynn, and it would seem I chose very wisely. The surgery itself was quick and easy, and the ensuing recovery time, while lengthy (I opted for LasEk, which takes longer than traditional LasIk) has been smooth and worry-free. What I really hadn't counted on was how great my care would be post-surgery. I figured they'd see me one more time (inclusive in the up-front cost of surgery) and that would be that; it's now several months after the fact and I am going in every couple weeks so they can keep fine tuning, making things even better than I could have hoped for. It's been so wonderful to know that they are this dedicated to my well-being. And it feels so good to be performing without contacts! There are few things more annoying than being in a scene and suddenly feeling like something is about to fall out of your eye. No longer! Plus, especially outdoors, everything looks really crisp. It's good times

 

 Dave Gibson I had LASEK with Park Avenue Laser whcih was great!
Here is a link to my youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-leXMQPBw2k

 

 Carly Lagoda I recently had LASEK on both of my eyes from Park Avenue Laser Vision and I LOVE IT!!! The staff was very helpful and comforting. All of my worries and concerns were put to rest and Dr. Chynn is the BEST hands down. The entire procedure for both eyes was over really quick and I didn�t feel a thing. The recovery was quick and painless and they are constantly developing new and better methods of making the procedure smooth and more comfortable for their patients. Already my siblings and their significant other are all eager to get theirs done.

 

 John Baran Hi my name is John Baran, and being a Baruch student myself, Park Ave Laser asked me to contact you about my experience with my eye surgery. My entire family (Dad, Step mom, step siblings and siblings) have all had it done. They live in Pennsylvania so they all went to see a different doctor but my Dad was very adamant about the quality of care that I had to choose here in NY. After looking at a few websites and making a few phone calls, it was obvious that Park Avenue was one of if not the best place in the city. Everyone who works there is very professional and well trained. Even the technicians who assist with the procedures are professionally trained to do Lasek themselves. That's not something that you will find at most other places. Throughout the pre-op, operation, and post-op, they have continually impressed me with their knowledge and service. I had it done on March 7th and my eyes are getting better every day. It is virtually painless, as long as you follow the directions that they give you. For about 3 to 5 days after the surgery there is some slight discomfort but it's more like an itch rather than pain, The only bad thing is you can't scratch your eyes ! With the Lasek procedure it takes a little longer to heal than with the old method, but it's much safer and better. By April 7th, I will most likely have better than 20/20 vision. In the end, you have to ask yourself one question... What kind of care do I want? And if you consider that you have only been given one set of eyes, the answer to the question is easy... the best!!! You can get the best by going to Park Ave. If you have any questions just email me, I will be happy to tell you more about my experience.

 

Jim Ku To everyone thinking about getting rid of their glasses or contacts: My name is Jimmy, and I had laser vision correction by Dr. Chynn a decade ago! Everybody wonders whether the procedure is safe, if their eyes are too bad to fix, and if the results will be permanent. My experience answers all these questions. First of all, my laser surgery was easy, and my vision is still great! My eye were terribly bad before Dr. Chynn operated on them--the prescription was actually worse than –9.00! This is really bad, as most people in contacts have a prescription of -5.00 or less--which means my eyes were twice as bad! If Dr. Chynn can fix my eyes so easily and well, trust me--he can certainly fix yours! I have been suffered with very thick and heavy eyeglass since I was teenager. After Dr. Chynn had surgery for me on 1998, I really felt my life was renewed. I felt and acted more confident, which helped me both at work and in my personal life. It's been a decade since my procedure, and my vision is still great! So don't worry--the vision you have 1 month after surgery is the vision you will have the rest of your life! Dr. Chynn is able to treat higher corrections safer than any other surgeon in NYC, because he is the only one who performs exclusively the more advanced, no-cut, no-flap, all-laser LASEK and epi-LASEK procedures (he stopped performing LASIK in 2004). This means that for every patient, even those without a high prescription (like I had) or thin corneas (like others might), their eyes will be stronger afterwards (without a flap). Dr. Chynn is the #1 non-cutting laser surgeon in New York City with a medical degree from ColumbiaUniversity, ophthalmology residency from Harvard, and over 10,000 procedures performed. I will highly recommend Dr Chynn to everybody. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions and I will be happy to reply. If you are thinking about doing this, you should at least call them to set up your free consultation, where they will examine you and explain everything to you. Good luck!
If you have any questions email me: jimku@stevemadden.com

 

Steven McGuire I came to Park Avenue Laser vision for a consultation and felt so comfortable with Dr. Chynn and the staff at Park Avenue Laser that I booked the surgery the same day. Now after I had the surgery, I am so pleased with the outcome and recommend it to whomever is thinking of having it done. I am in training to become a fire fighter and you need to have good vision for that field of work. They will not accept you if you don’t have good eyesight. For me, this was one of the best investments of my life for now and my future.

 

Swan Chen I am one of those people who started wearing glasses and contact lenses by the time I was 13 years old. People with high myopia can sympathize with me because I could only see hand motion without contact lenses or glasses. I have been thinking about the procedure since 2001. Every time when I heard that a relative or friend had LASIK, I would research about the procedure. But I was a “scaredy cat” and afraid of getting my cornea cut. After years of struggling with contact lenses, I had the epi-LASEK procedure performed on my eyes by Dr. Emil Chynn on April 30, 2008. I finally took the plunge based on the thoroughness of Dr. Chynn’s evaluations after years of indecisiveness. I was very impressed by Dr. Chynn’s credentials. He is a Columbia and Harvard-trained physician who also elected to further his formal education with a one-year refractive surgery and corneal fellowship at Emory University, where he studied under Dr. George Warning MD, one of the world’s leading authorities on refractive surgery. Now, I can finally see the way I used to see as a young child. Having my vision permanently corrected has been one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself! From waking up in the morning and being able to se the clock, to driving, watching television, even putting on make-up! Being able to see clearly with out wearing glasses is truly amazing! Seeing is believing! Dr. Chynn – Thank you for making this incredible difference in my life!! You have my deepest gratitude. To anyone who is myopic and considering laser vision correction, I would highly recommend Park Avenue Laser Vision. At Park Avenue Laser Vision, you are always assured of the best equipment, the highest standards of quality control and excellent physicians, which optimizes your chances for an excellent result .

 

Christine B. Whelan, Ph.D.

I wore glasses or contact lenses for 10 years, and after your Lasek surgery I've got better than 20/20 vision! In the last few years, my contact lenses were irritating my eyes and giving me headaches. After Lasek surgery, I can see clearly and my headaches are gone! My perfect vision developed slowly: After two weeks I was close to 20/20, but not quite there yet. After two months, I'm on my way to better than perfect vision -- 20/15 vision! Now, when I get home I can see so clearly that I often think I need to take out my contact lenses before I go to sleep... until I realize that contacts are a thing of the past for me. No more solutions, no more painful itching and dryness. WOW! Your team is very professional, answered all my questions and made me feel comfortable at every stage. As a researcher and writer, I read all day long. Dr. Chynn used a monovision technique to enable me to be able to read without glasses for years longer. I look forward to several decades of perfect vision.

Thanks again!!
Best,
Christine B. Whelan, Ph.D.
New York, NY

 

  Raymond Wong

I am extremely happy with my LASEK operation performed by Dr. Chynn. I have been wearing glasses for most of my life and always hated it, and now I can see better than 20/20. As US Marine and having deployed to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom II, I know the dangers of having bad eyes and having to depend on glasses. It is life or death situation if I lost my glasses while engaged in combat operations, which is why I always carried several pairs with me. Even then, it is a constant worry for me that I would not be able to see when the situation is at its most critical. Glasses do not fit under my gas mask and I needed to buy expensive prescription sunglasses for my deployment to Iraq, and while there, I had to constantly switch between my prescription glasses and my prescription sunglasses. It was then that I decided that it was time to get my eyes fix. Dr Chynn came highly recommended to me, and I never looked back since. Now with my improved vision, I shoot better on the rifle range, and can actually see what I am doing when doing combat swimming qualifications. Getting LASEK was the best investment I made and I will do it again in a heatbeat.

Thanks again,
Lcpl Raymond Wong

 

  Diane Castelucci

On July 23, 2008, I had LASEK and epi-LASEK eye surgery to correct my vision, and Dr. Chynn at Park Avenue Laser Vision gave me something I've never had as an adult – the ability to see without corrective lenses. When I was four years old, I had sinus surgery and shortly after recovering, after dealing with terrible headaches, I found out that I needed glasses. From that day, I wore glasses for everything. I wasn't one of those people who could get away with only putting on my glasses to read or see things far away, I felt completely functionless without them. I kept my glasses on for every shower, every day in the pool, every nights' sleep, since I was four, until I was seventeen, when I started wearing contacts. Since I have large pupils and a high prescription, I could never get contacts that were quite the right fit to correct my vision and comfortably sit in my eyes. I always saw halos around lights and couldn't read the board in school as well with contacts on instead of glasses, and I was never happy with having to wear glasses. This May, I graduated from NYU's Steinhardt School of Education with a B.S. in Childhood Education and Special Education. Dr. Chynn, an NYU graduate, donated a complementary LASEK surgery to a graduating senior, and I was lucky enough to win the raffle held at our graduation fair. I would not have even considered having my eyes fixed at this point in my life, I'd thought about doing it when I was older, settled into a job with some extra money, so winning LASEK eye surgery now was really fantastic! I now get to begin the next chapter of my adult life with perfect vision! I met the staff of Park Avenue Laser Vision in early May and by my second appointment, they already knew me by name and I was excited to go back for each of my subsequent work-ups. I attended a LASEK seminar in June, and after watching someone else have their vision corrected right in front of me, I felt much more confident about going under the laser with my own eyes. The day of my surgery began with a series of drops and pills to get my body ready and kick start the healing process that was about the begin. There are quite a few pills and drops to take, but Park Avenue Laser Vision has very helpful charts and great color coded sheets that make it easy to remember and make sense of all the bottles and packs. As a seminar patient, my friends and family, as well as other NYU students and potential patients who were interested in LASEK gathered around the office to support me and watch the surgery. As I settled into the chair, I remembered some thoughts I had while watching the other seminar patient a month before. I wasn't convinced I wouldn't feel anything, surely I had to feel something. I thought I would feel the small metal spreader that's used to keep your eyes from blinking, but I didn't feel it at all. I didn't “feel the laser” or any of the other supplies used during the surgery either. Honestly, the only thing I felt was the cool water used to rinse out my eyes afterwards, and even that was just the feeling of the temperature change. The actual surgery was so quick that I still barely believe I went from wearing a -7.50 contact in my left eye and a -7.00 in my right eye to being 20/60 a few minutes after surgery and 20/25 less than a week later when I came in for my second follow-up visit! For a few days after the surgery, I kept my eyes closed as much as possible and caught up on some sleep – something that I could always use a little extra of. As hard as it was not to text message and check my email ten times a day like I usually do, I resisted and relaxed. I felt some minor sensations in my eyes, like dryness and a bit of burning, but the bandage contacts that Dr. Chynn put in helped my eyes to heal quickly. The contacts were both removed during my four day post-op follow up. I'm seeing better now that I EVER saw wearing contact lenses, and my eyes are still healing! I'm writing this at the ten day point, and the doctors estimate that you will see at your new vision level after two to three weeks, so there is still even more clarity in my future. I cannot thank Dr. Chynn, Dr. Almedia and the rest of the wonderful staff at Park Avenue Laser Vision for what really is the best graduation present I could have ever asked for – perfect vision for the rest of my life!

Thanks Dr. Chynn!

 

  Johnny Thompson

I can honestly say that the LASEK surgery was the best eye care decision I ever made because I love never having to wear eyeglasses ever again. I am a motorcycle rider. Every weekend, I race my motorcycle at race tracks all over the country. It is great that speeding at 180 miles an hour in a quarter mile I have no fear that my glasses or contacts will fall off. This makes my ride so much more pleasurable.

 

  Laura Dahl

I opted to have one eye lasered 3 years ago with great success.  I recently got my second eye done and am happy to report that I have better than 20/20 vision now.  Dr. Chynn literally changed my life!  No more fussing with contacts or glasses (which is extra important to me as a designer). 

Thanks Dr. Chynn!

 

  Fifi

I was recommended by my fiancé, Bobby to see Dr. Chynn about my poor eyesight. I wore corrective lenses ever since I can remember, and I had eventually developed a resistance to contact lenses due to my prolonged use. My fiancé, Bobby kept telling me how amazing Dr. Chynn was and that he was the most ethical Lasik doctor he ever met. Dr. Chynn performed no-flap, all laser LASEK on my eyes, and I was able to see 20/20 within a few weeks. Dr. Chynn's staff was also amazing as they gave me all the support and expert advise I could have asked for. I truly recommend Dr. Chynn.
Thanks.

 

  Robert M. Milloul

Before I walked in Dr. Chynn's office, my eyesight was completely dependent on my wearing glasses. I hated the look and feel of wearing them, and contact lenses really irritated my eyes. I went to several Doctors and all wanted to operate on both eyes. I then went to Dr. Chynn and he performed no-flap LASEK on my right eye only. He explained that my left eye did not really need to be lasered because I was a good candidate for natural monovision. Not only did he get me to see 20/20, he was honest enough to advise me to do what's best for me. Dr. Chynn is so capable and honest that I had my fiancé go to him to get lasered as well. How's that for trust?

 

Kate Bowe I got LASEK surgery done almost two months ago. I'm still recovering, but I'd love to tell you all about my experience. I started wearing glasses at the age of 9, but quickly switched over to contacts, as I was figure skating and glasses have a tendency to fly off the face in spins and jumps. Contacts were not without problems, and even though I was a responsible child, I still got pinkeye 1-2 times a year. In addition, my vision deteriorated until my final prescription of -8.5 was achieved. Once I was in high school, I heard about LASIK being used to permanently correct a person's vision. I knew that I wanted the surgery as soon as possible, but I wasn't a candidate, as my vision was still changing. In addition, I had a number of conditions that didn't make it desirable to choose LASIK (poor night vision, halos, dry eyes and a high prescription). I was really disappointed and thought I wouldn't be able to get refractive surgery. When my vision finally stabilized at age 23, I started more aggressively researching refractive surgery and looking to see if I could find a surgeon willing to treat me with the lowest risk of adverse side effects. LASIK was out of the question, PRK seemed to be too painful, but LASEK seemed to be the best choice, given my previous conditions. I then found Dr. Chynn's website on a Google search and emailed Dr. Chynn. He responded back right away and answered my questions and concerns about my previous conditions. I decided to call into the office, and was invited to a seminar about 2 weeks later. The seminar was extremely informative, and we were able to see an actual procedure being done. Dr. Chynn explained everything that was going on in the OR, and we were able to ask the patient questions. The seminar gave me more information about LASEK than I was able to find on my own after a year of researching. I highly recommend going to one of Dr. Chynn's seminars if you are even thinking about refractive surgery. I scheduled my free consultation a few weeks later, and it was determined that I wasn't a good candidate for surgery yet. Dr. Schaefer (one of the other Dr's at the office) wanted to treat my dry eyes and give my corneas and eyelids a rest from all the contact wear over the past 15 years. I stayed out of my contacts for over 2 months, got punctual plugs, and used artificial tears religiously. By June, I was ready for surgery. I scheduled my surgery for June 12, a Thursday. My mom drove me into Manhattan, and was my coach for surgery. I remember very little after I had two Valium, but I do remember lots of antibiotic eye drops, and lots of numbing eye drops. I remember that it took all of my concentration to stare at the blinking red light while the laser took off bits of my eye. Dr. Chynn put in the protective contact lenses and before I knew it, the surgery was done and it was time for There was a very extensive regime of drops and medications that I needed to take. I used my gel tears every few hours, and went to see Dr. Chynn for my post op. He said that I was healing well and to continue doing what I was doing. I remained home recovering for the next 6 days, and I tried really hard to keep my eyes closed as much as possible, which was close to impossible. I finally got my bandage lenses off at day 7 and continued with my medication regime. I was able to go back to work on Wednesday, but it was really difficult for me to see the computer screen. Every day got a little better, and before I knew it, I was able to see just as well as I did wearing contacts. At this point, I'm seeing 20/20, and my night vision is even better now than it was before surgery. I only see halos when I'm tired, and my eyes are still a little dry, but they are getting better every day.
Thanks,
Kathleen

 

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Before and After

 

"I wake up every morning completely and utterly amazed at how perfectly I see.  Thank you."
Before		After
Date of Surgery:	6/19/03	Type of Surgery:	LASIK
Original RX:	-1.50-1.25x92	Category:	Myopia
Visual Acuity:	20/200	Visual Acuity:	20/20

 

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"There is no need for anyone to wear glasses or contacts.  LASIK is the best.  I can watch TV in bed without glasses digging into my head!"
Before		After
Date of Surgery:	3/03/04 L, 4/15/04 R	Type of Surgery:	LASIK
Original RX:	-4.00-0.50x165 R, -3.00-1.75x5 L	Category:	Myopia & Astigmatism
Visual Acuity:	Hand Motion	Visual Acuity:	20/13*
Super Vision - (Better than 20/20 for perfect vision)

 

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"I am very happy with my laser vision correction.  It has been two years now, and I am still seeing 20/20!  Thank you!"
Before		After
Date of Surgery:	11/26/03	Type of Surgery:	LASIK
Original RX:	-3.00-0.75x20	Category:	Myopia & Astigmatism
Visual Acuity:	20/400	Visual Acuity:	20/20

 

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"First of all, the staff is great.  They make you feel less nervous. Definitely listen to Dr. Chynn's orders when following directions on usage of eye drops.  I can't say how much I am thankful for getting my vision restored.  We take sooo many things for granted.  I can finally see my alarm clock and my train-stops for the first time without having to depend on contacts or glasses.  Thank you Dr. Chynn!!!  God Bless."
Before		After
Date of Surgery:	7/22/04	Type of Surgery:	LASIK
Original RX:	-4.25-1.00x170	Category:	Myopia & Astigmatism
Visual Acuity:	20/400	Visual Acuity:	20/13*
Super Vision - (Better than 20/20 for perfect vision)

 

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"I almost forget how bad my eyes were prior to the surgery because I'm so used to being able to see things.  My preparation before and after sleep is cut in half because I don't have to put in or take out my contacts!"
Before		After
Date of Surgery:	5/5/04	Type of Surgery:	LASIK
Original RX:	-6.75-0.75x160	Category:	Myopia & Astigmatism
Visual Acuity:	Hand Motion	Visual Acuity:	20/15*
Super Vision - (Better than 20/20 for perfect vision)

 

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" A true miracle-it's like I never wore eye glasses before !"
Before		After
Date of Surgery:	3/10/04	Type of Surgery:	LASIK
Original RX:	-4.75-1.75x180R, -4.75-1.00x170L	Category:	Myopia & Astigmatism
Visual Acuity:	20/700	Visual Acuity:	20/13*
Super Vision - (Better than 20/20 for perfect vision)

 

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" I don't need the glasses anymore!  I am very happy because I can finally read books without glasses.  I was pregnant during the LASIK process, and now, I look forward to seeing my baby's face "
Before		After
Date of Surgery:	2/12/04	Type of Surgery:	LASEK
Original RX:	-9.00-1.50x175R. -8.75-1.00x175L	Category:	High Myopia & Astigmatism
Visual Acuity:	Hand Motion	Visual Acuity:	20/15*
Super Vision - (Better than 20/20 for perfect vision)

 

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"It's the best decision I ever made!"
Before		After
Date of Surgery:	4/8/04	Type of Surgery:	LASEK
Original RX:	-6.50-0.75x170 R, -3.75-0.75x180 L	Category:	Myopia & Astigmatism
Visual Acuity:	Hand Motion R 20/200 Left	Visual Acuity:	20/13*
Super Vision - (Better than 20/20 for perfect vision)

 

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"Excellent! Everything was perfect - the pre-op, the surgery, the post-op, the entire experience was perfect! Don't be afraid! Just do it! "
Before		After
Date of Surgery:	8/4/04	Type of Surgery:	LASEK- R, LASIK -L
Original RX:	-1.75 R, -1.50-0.50x15 L	Category:	Myopia & Astigmatism
Visual Acuity:	20/70	Visual Acuity:	20/13*
Super Vision - (Better than 20/20 for perfect vision)

 

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"It really hit me when I was taking a nap with a movie on; upon waking up I went to reach for my glasses only to realize, with joy, that I didn't need them!"
Before		After
Date of Surgery:	6/30/04	Type of Surgery:	LASEK WAVEFRONT
Original RX:	-1.25-2.00x107 R, -0.75-2.00x81 L	Category:	Myopia& HighAstigmatism
Visual Acuity:	20/100 Left	Visual Acuity:	20/13*
Super Vision - (Better than 20/20 for perfect vision)

 

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"It's the best decision I ever made!"
Before		After
Date of Surgery:	7/17/04	Type of Surgery:	LASEK WAVEFRONT
Original RX:	-5.50-0.75x100 R, -6.25-0.75x 80  L	Category:	Myopia & Astigmatism
Visual Acuity:	Hand Motion	Visual Acuity:	20/13*
Super Vision - (Better than 20/20 for perfect vision)

 

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"I am just so happy with my surgery - I have been singing praises everywhere I go.  Many, Many thanks to everyone in this office!"
Before		After
Date of Surgery:	9/01/04	Type of Surgery:	LASEK - Left Eye
Original RX:	-12.00-1.00x180	Category:	Extreme Myopia & Astigmatism
Visual Acuity:	Hand Motion	Visual Acuity:	20/100
Michelle had amblyopia(lazy eye) and strabismus (crossed eyes) preoperatively.  We had her crossed eyes corrected surgically, before her LASEK, by a pediatric ophthalmologist.  Because of her pre-existing condition, Michelle had her surgery paid for my her medical insurance! Her eyes are now much straighter, will stay straighter, and she has better peripheral vision and stereo vision! All of which means she sees better, looks better, fells better, and is much happier and more confident before her surgery by Dr. Chynn! If you or anyone you know has a "lazy eye" or "crossed eye" and were told that they could not be helped many years ago, PLEASE tell them to visit Dr. Chynn!

 

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Before		After
Date of Surgery:	1/28/04	Type of Surgery:	LASIK
Original RX:	-3.50-0.35x159	Category:	Myopia & Astigmatism
Visual Acuity:	20/400	Visual Acuity:	20/20

 

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Before		After
Date of Surgery:	7/13/03	Type of Surgery:	LASIK
Original RX:	-8.25-1.00x4	Category:	Myopia
Visual Acuity:	20/800	Visual Acuity:	20/20

 

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Before		After
Date of Surgery:	3/16/04	Type of Surgery:	LASIK
Original RX:	-2.75-.50x161	Category:	Myopia
Visual Acuity:	20/400	Visual Acuity:	20/20

 

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Before		After
Date of Surgery:	8/20/03	Type of Surgery:	LASIK
Original RX:	-3.50-.50x9	Category:	Myopia
Visual Acuity:	20/200	Visual Acuity:	20/20

 

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Before		After
Date of Surgery:	6/12/03	Type of Surgery:	LASEK
Original RX:	-8.25-.50x104	Category:	Myopia
Visual Acuity:	20/400	Visual Acuity:	20/20

 

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Before		After
Date of Surgery:	2/12/03	Type of Surgery:	LASIK
Original RX:	-1.25-1.00x165	Category:	Myopia
Visual Acuity:	20/100	Visual Acuity:	20/20

 

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Before		After
Date of Surgery:	3/18/03	Type of Surgery:	LASIK
Original RX:	-5.50-0.25x151	Category:	Myopia
Visual Acuity:	20/500	Visual Acuity:	20/20

 

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Before		After
Date of Surgery:	4/11/02	Type of Surgery:	LASIK
Original RX:	50-50x49	Category:	Myopia
Visual Acuity:	20/400	Visual Acuity:	20/20

 

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Before		After
Date of Surgery:	8/14/03	Type of Surgery:	LASIK
Original RX:	-5.00-50x4	Category:	Myopia
Visual Acuity:	20/250	Visual Acuity:	20/20

 

Questions & Answers with Dr. Chynn

 

Dear Dr. Chynn,

Thanks for the very friendly and personal visit yesterday. I was very impressed as I did not expect to meet the doctor who would perform the surgery at the initial consultation. As a result, I have scheduled my surgery for May 5th. I do have a few questions now that it is sinking in and I really appreciate you giving me your email address and taking the time to read and answer it.

I meet with 100% of my preops and postops, which is the #1 reason people choose us! I am happy to answer all your questions, Michael.

I did read the articles in the papers given to me and I did not realize that for Lasek, it is a solution and not a laser exposing the cornea. That helps but since the healing process is not as quick and there could be more discomfort with Lasek, is it worth considering Lasik? Other questions are as follows:

It is true, there is slightly more discomfort in a lasek, but i really feel that it is totally worth a slight amount of added discomfort for only a couple of days given the vastly greater safety profile. In fact, i may stop offering lasik to my patients by the end of this year! I am attaching a note about the difference between the 2 procedures from one of my former patients for you to read:

Question:	Will my head be held in place by something during the surgery?
Answer:	Yes, don't worry about this, when you think about it, Michael, this problem was probably addressed years ago, since over 1 million americans are getting laser vision correction each and every year now--but i appreciate your help!:)
Question:	Will my eyelids be held open by something during the surgery?  I am a little concern about this as my left eye seems to squint or twitch when something or someone gets close to it.
Answer:	Again, of course, yes!:)
Question:	Does this reaction increase the possibility that something could go wrong during the surgery?
Answer:	Yes, see testimonial above. I suggest the following system to practice before your surgery: Unplug a digital clock or vcr so it blinks when you plug it back in Take off your glasses or contacts Sit 1 foot away from the blinking light (you will be 1 foot away from the fixation light) Cover one eye at a time with one hand (again, this simulates what will happen under the laser) Open both your eyes as wide as humanly possible while staring at the blinking (fixation) light Touch the eyelashes of your uncovered eye with your finger without blinking, flinching, squeezing, or moving your eye or looking away from the (fixation) light. This means ignoring the image of the finger coming at you, and the mild sensation you feel, and just locking in at the (fixation) light Do steps 1-6 several times per day for several days with each eye Once you have mastered the above, ask a friend or coworker or relative or spouse or companion to touch your eyelashes while you are fixating--because it is more difficult not to twitch or flinch when somebody else is coming at your eyes Once you are good at this 2nd step,  you will be fine under the laser I will totally numb up your eyes so you won't feel anything, you should bring in your favorite cd for me to play in the or to relax you, you should bring in a companion to the or to make yourself more relaxed, and we will give you valium for the same purpose--you will be fine!
Question:	Will I be given something prior to surgery to help me relax which would also aid in not trying to move during the procedure?
Answer:	See the answer above.
Question:	If not, could I take something on my own?
Answer:	It's not necessary.
Question:	I believe you will be doing customvue in my right eye and Monovision in my left.  I read in one article that if I see 20/20 with my glasses now, I have a good chance of seeing 20/20 after the procedure.  With the mixed procedure, what could my vision be, i.e., will I have 20/20 in the right and 20/40 in the left?  If so what will the combine vision be?
Answer:	Your combined vision is always slightly better than the vision in the best-seeing eye alone, so in the case above your combined vision would be slightly better than 20/20!
Question:	The procedure will be done on a Thursday.  Will I be well enough to attend my son's T-ball game at 5pm on Saturday or should I put the procedure off until the following week when he has a game on Sunday?
Answer:	You can attend tball but you cannot coach or play and must wear your protective wrap-around shades which we will provide to you.
Question:	One of the main reasons for having the procedure is so I can see while swimming in our pool, especially my kids since they are young.  How long after surgery should I wait before going swimming? Is the chlorine a problem?  I read that I must agree to wear protective UV sunglasses when in bright sunlight for 6 months after the procedure, does that mean no swimming or removing the glasses while swimming even if going under water?  If I plan to be active in the pool this summer, should I hold off until September or so to have the procedure done?
Answer:	You can hang out near the pool with your legs in the water by 10 days, and go in up to the waist by 2 weeks, put your head in the water with your eyes closed or with goggles on by 1 month, and swim with your eyes open under water by 2 months. So i thinky you will be fine.
I apologize for the lengthy email.  Again, thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions and I look forward to having the procedures on May 5th.
No problem, looking forward to operating on you May 5 and getting you back into the pool by the beginning of June!