Refractive Surgery

Andrew L. Sorenson, M.D. is a fellowship-trained specialist in refractive surgery, corneal transplantation and cataract surgery.  After graduating from Stanford University, he obtained his medical degree from the University of California, San Diego and completed ophthalmology residency training at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.  To complement his training, Dr. Sorenson completed a year-long Cornea and Refractive Surgery fellowship at Duke University Eye Center and was awarded the Duke Eye Center Hornaday Fellow Award for excellence in patient care and resident education.  Dr. Sorenson returned to Berkeley where he joined his father, brother and niece in their comprehensive ophthalmology practice which has been serving patients in the East Bay Area since 1952.

Dr. Sorenson’s refractive surgery offerings include LASIK, PRK, PTK, Intralase, Wavefront-guided treatments, ICL implantation, refractive lens exchange, corneal inlays and other vision correction procedures.  

Dr. Sorenson is an Assistant Clinical Professor at UC Berkeley School of Optometry, serves as the Medical & Surgical Director of the Refractive Surgery Center, is the Chief of Ophthalmology at Alta Bates Medical Center in Berkeley, and is heavily involved with international eye care in Guatemala through La Hospital de la Familia.

Mira Lim, M.D. is a fellowship-trained ophthalmologist specializing in cornea and refractive surgery.  She earned her medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston and completed ophthalmology residency training at Weill-Cornell University in New York , where she was awarded the Distinguished Housestaff Award for all-around excellence.  To complement her training, Dr. Lim completed a year-long Cornea, Refractive Surgery, and External Disease fellowship at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, where she trained on the latest bladeless/Intralase LASIK technology.  

Dr. Lim’s refractive surgery offerings include LASIK, PRK, PTK, Intralase, Wavefront-guided treatments, ICL implantation, refractive lens exchange and other vision correction procedures.

Dr. Lim is an Assistant Clinical Professor at UC Berkeley School of Optometry and for ophthalmology residents at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.  She is actively involved in teaching the ophthalmology residents at Highland Hospital in Oakland.  She performs cataract, corneal transplantation, and other cornea surgeries at Alta Bates Hospital in Oakland and at John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek.

Dr. Lim shares a cornea-based private practice, Northern California Cornea Associates, with her partners Dr. David Vastine and Dr. David Demartini.  She splits her time between two offices located in Oakland and Walnut Creek.

Dr. Kathy Tran received her Doctorate of Optometry in 2005 from the UC Berkeley School of Optometry. She then completed a residency specializing in Cornea-Contact Lenses with a minor in Ocular Disease before joining the faculty in 2006. Dr. Tran is Chief of the Refractive Surgery Center. She has extensive experience in the care of patients undergoing refractive surgery and laser vision correction. Dr. Tran also serves as Chief of the Cornea and Contact Lens Service at the Meredith Morgan University Eye Center. She has a background in specialty contact lens fitting, including for keratoconus, post-corneal transplants, irregular cornea, prosthetics, orthokeratology, astigmatism, and presbyopia.

Dr. Tran is an Associate Clinical Professor teaching third and fourth year optometric interns and residents in patient care at the Meredith Morgan University Eye Center. She also teaches ophthalmology residents from California Pacific Medical Center. She lectures on the topics of Refractive Surgery, Contact Lenses, and Dry Eye. Dr. Tran worked in private practice before becoming a full-time faculty member. She performed annual vision screenings for the San Francisco 49ers team from 2006-2013. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. Dr. Tran had successful LASIK surgery in 2003 and is excited to speak to patients about surgical options.

A computer-guided, ultra-fast femtosecond laser creates the corneal flap, replacing the hand-held blade historically used in creating LASIK corneal flaps. This advanced technology provides unparalleled uniformity and precision, biomechanical stability, and an unsurpassed safety profile. In the next step, an excimer laser precisely reshapes the cornea to correct myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Custom wavefront treatment provides personalized treatment resulting in a high level of precision and accuracy for best visual outcomes. 

Some patients may be better suited for Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK). PRK uses an excimer laser to gently and accurately reshape the surface of the cornea. No flap is created and after treatment, a transparent "bandage" soft contact lens is placed over the eye for 1 week to promote healing. Vision is functional after the first week, however, full visual recovery is typically achieved in 2-3 months.  PRK, like LASIK, can correct myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Custom wavefront treatment is also available for PRK. Statistical vision outcomes for PRK are equivalent to LASIK. PRK may be preferred for patients with thinner corneas, dry eyes, and safety concerns due to occupation, sports, and hobbies.    

The main difference between LASIK and PRK are surgical steps to access the cornea and recovery time.  However, both LASIK and PRK deliver similar final visual outcomes.  Both LASIK and PRK are safe and effective laser vision correction procedures.  

LASIK

-Thin flap
-Mild discomfort and pressure sensation for seconds during flap creation 
-Short-term pain and discomfort for 2-3 hours
-Quick visual recovery time

PRK

-No flap complications
-Comfortable during surgery  
-Minimal surgical risks
-Relative pain and discomfort for 2-3 days
-Gradual and slower visual recovery

The Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) for nearsightedness and astigmatism is a refractive lens also known as a phakic IOL. “Phakic” meaning that the natural lens of the eye is in place, and “IOL” meaning intraocular lens, or a lens inside the eye. The EVO ICL is the latest evolution in refractive implants. It is a posterior chamber implant that is introduced through a small opening in the eye and is placed behind the iris (the colored part of the eye), and in front of the natural crystalline lens in order to improve your nearsightedness and astigmatism. It is made of collamer – a biocompatible material that is soft, flexible and provides UV protection. The EVO ICL corrects vision without removing corneal tissue like LASIK and PRK.

Watch a video about EVO ICL

Custom Lens Replacement (CLR) surgery, also known as Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE), is similar to cataract surgery. It replaces the eye's natural lens with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). Like a contact lens or the lens of eyeglasses, an IOL contains a vision prescription customized to your eyes to correct significant refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism or presbyopia. The surgery provides a dramatic reduction in dependence on glasses or contacts and because your eye's natural lens is removed during surgery, you will not need cataract surgery in the future.  Many people don't need to wear glasses or contacts after CLR, or if they do, it's for specific tasks like reading only. CLR is often recommended for people over 50 with good eye health who may not be good candidates for laser vision correction. 

We offer a discount of $500 off to members of major vision plans including Vision Service Plan (VSP), Kaiser Members, UC Berkeley alumni, staff and faculty. We also support teachers, first responders and military with the $500 discount. Currently enrolled UC Berkeley students receive an unparalleled triple discount of $1500 off.

We accept Cash, Personal Checks, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover Card.

Employer Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts are welcome.

We will provide a documented receipt.

We offer complimentary consultations to determine if you are a candidate for laser vision correction.