If you live in Mission or McAllen, Texas, and would like to know more about LASIK, contact eye surgeon Pankajkumar Shah (Pankaj G. Shah).







Shah Eye Center
2025 E. Griffin Parkway
Mission, Texas 78572
(956) 583-0202
Map and directions

Shah Eye & Lasik Vision Center
8607 McPherson Rd, Suite 102
Laredo, Texas 78045
(956) 753-0202
Map and directions

Monday to Friday: 8 am to 5 pm
Saturdays: By appointment only
Sunday: Closed

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Rolando Benitez
Physician Assistant

"Some people buy a Corvette and lose tons of weight during their mid-life crisis; I changed my hair and got LASIK surgery (with Dr. Shah)."

IntraLase® and Custom Wavefront™ LASIK in Mission and McAllen, Texas - About LASIK Surgery

In the last decade, more and more Americans have chosen to reduce or eliminate their dependence on glasses and contacts by undergoing the new all-laser LASIK with IntraLase® or custom Wavefront™ LASIK surgery. The Shah Eye Center, based in Mission and Laredo, Texas, and serving McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley, offers both custom LASIK surgery and other vision correction options to accommodate each patient's needs.

Free Yourself from Glasses and Contacts

The first laser eye surgery was performed in 1987, marking the most important advance in vision correction since the invention of eyeglasses in the 13th century. For over seven hundred years, nearsighted and farsighted people were dependent on glasses to be able to function, but with the advent of the excimer laser and LASIK eye surgery, those days have come to an end.

Every nearsighted or farsighted person knows firsthand how easily glasses and contacts can be lost or damaged. Packing for a trip nearly always brings worries of what might happen if these important items were misplaced. McAllen-area patients of Dr. Pankaj Shah now have the option of LASIK surgery to free themselves from their dependence upon glasses and contacts.

To become one of the many people who have changed their lives through Intra-LASIK or custom Wavefront™-guided LASIK surgery, Mission and McAllen, Texas residents may contact the Shah Eye Center to schedule a consultation with Dr. Pankaj G. Shah.

Marsha Green Garza
Marketing Director

"Dr. Shah answered all my questions and put to rest all my fears. I have better vision than with my contacts. I highly recommend Dr. Shah and his office for all your eye needs."

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Causes of Nearsightedness and Farsightedness

Nearsightedness and farsightedness are nearly always caused by imperfections in the shape of the eye. Normally, light enters the eye through the cornea, the clear cover on the front of the eye, before passing through the pupil. It is then focused by the lens onto the back of the eye where the retina turns it into signals the brain can interpret.

If any of the eye's vital parts are slightly out of alignment, the result is blurry, unfocused vision. Glasses and contact lenses have traditionally been used to refocus the light coming into your eye. Now LASIK surgery can reshape your eye's cornea so light is refocused on the retina without the aid of glasses or contacts.

Mary R. Ozuna
Insurance Agent

"I am so happy to be able to wake up and see my beautiful children with out my glasses or contacts. A huge thanks to God and Dr. Shah for making it possible for me to see."

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LASIK Laser Eye Surgery

LASIK is short for "laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis," which basically means "a laser used to reshape your cornea." In the LASIK surgery procedure, your eyes are numbed with special anesthetic eye drops, a small incision is made on the top layer of your cornea, and a flap is folded back. The excimer laser then quickly and precisely reshapes your cornea until it has the desired contour. After it is replaced, the cornea flap heals by itself, requiring no stitches. The LASIK procedure usually takes about five to ten minutes per eye, and while you may have some blurred vision, this should fade within a day or so as your eyes heal. To find out if you are a good candidate for all-laser LASIK or Wavefront™-guided LASIK, contact the Mission or Laredo office of Dr. Shah today to schedule a free consultation.

Cynthia Flores
Social Services Manager

"Excellent! I am thrilled with my results!! LASIK is a huge convenience. A HUGE thank you to all of you (the Shah Eye Center staff)."

Custom Wavefront™-guided LASIK

Custom Wavefront™ LASIK is a revolutionary yet proven technology that allows our Mission and McAllen, Texas patients to achieve even more precise results. Wavefront™ technology carefully measures the shape of the eye, rendering visible even the minutest imperfection. This makes it possible to perfectly tailor your LASIK surgery to treat each eye's individual needs.

The Wavefront™ system creates a map of your eye by measuring the distortions in light that goes into your eye and then is reflected back. This map is very detailed, highlighting each individual imperfection. Rather than treating your eye using the traditional three categories of refractive problems - nearsighted, farsighted, and astigmatic - Wavefront™ diagnosis allows your LASIK surgery to be tailored to individually treat each problem in your eye.

Tony Pena
Department of Justice

"My vision was -8, I had LASIK, and (now) I am absolutely thrilled with my results. Having LASIK is the best decision I've made. The staff at the Shah Eye Center is friendly and professional. I highly encourage anyone considering LASIK surgery to come to the Shah Eye Center."

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All-laser LASIK with IntraLase®

Dr. Shah is pleased to announce that he is now offering the latest technology in Lasik: all-laser LASIK with the IntraLase® FS60. While the traditional LASIK method involves the use of a microkeratome blade to create a thin flap in the cornea, IntraLase® allows Dr. Shah to make an accurate incision on the surface of the cornea with small, rapid pulses of laser light. This remarkable laser system provides exceptional vision correction results with fewer corneal flap complications.

If you have considered LASIK eye surgery but avoided the procedure due to anxiety about the use of microkeratome blades, all-laser LASIK with IntraLase® could be right for you. Please contact Shah Eye Center in Mission or Laredo, Texas to schedule a consultation with Dr. Pankaj G. Shah and learn more about the advantages of Intra-LASIK.

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Iris Registration

No matter how motionless a patient remains during LASIK surgery, normal motions such as breathing and microscopic muscle movements can affect the way laser pulses reach the cornea. Iris registration technology was developed as a way to accommodate for these types of movements, and is the most accurate delivery method to date.

"The technology replaces previous methods of attaining precise alignment," says Pankaj G. Shah, M.D. In the past, physicians used manual methods to align the treatment to the eye. This resulted in vision correction that was adequate, but had a higher instance of unwanted side effects such as the appearance of haloes around bright light sources.

"Unlike manual methods, iris registration technology automatically aligns the laser to the cornea," Dr. Shah continues. "This allows me to center the treatment accurately, so that a patient's breathing, or other normal movements, won't affect the treatment." As a result, iris registration technology can provide potentially better custom Wavefront™-guided LASIK outcomes for McAllen and Mission, Texas Shah Eye Center patients.

"This is an exciting advancement in the CustomVue™ procedure," says Dr. Shah. "VISX® iris registration technology makes it easer than ever to achieve accurate alignment with a fully automated, touch-free method of measuring and marking the eye."

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CustomVue™

At Shah Eye Center, we pride ourselves in the quality of our patient education. At an initial consultation, you'll have opportunities to ask questions and learn about VISX® iris registration technology and the CustomVue™ treatment. You'll also be able to meet the staff responsible for your care during LASIK surgery. During the consultation, Dr. Shah will determine if you are a good candidate for CustomVue™ treatment based on your WaveScan™ test findings.

"The WaveScan™ test is a part of the initial consultation. It captures unique imperfections in each individual's vision and is 25 times more precise than standard measurements for glasses or contact lenses," says Dr. Shah.

"WaveScan™ technology produces a detailed map of the eye, much like a fingerprint. No two maps are alike; in fact, each treatment is tailored to the unique characteristics of the individual's eye," says Dr. Shah. "Then, the WaveScan™ digital information is transferred to the laser, providing a new level of precision and accuracy."

Custom Wavefront ™-guided technology means that LASIK is better than ever before. Serving McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley from Mission and Laredo, Texas, Dr. Shah can help you determine whether LASIK surgery is right for you. To find out whether you might be a candidate, email the Shah Eye Center or call 1-866-91-LASIK or 956-583-0202.

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Results

Dr. Shah uses the VISX S4 CustomVue® to perfectly customize your LASIK procedure. With Wavefront™ technology, patients are much more likely to achieve 20/20 vision. One study found that 96 percent of patients achieved 20/20 vision with Wavefront™-guided LASIK, as opposed to 86 percent with conventional LASIK. An amazing 85 percent even achieved 20/16 vision when Wavefront™ technology was used.

These numbers are given as a general indicator of the results possible with custom Wavefront™ LASIK technology. Because everyone's eyes are different, your outcome may be affected by your medical history and the existing condition of your eyes. Dr. Shah can discuss your probable LASIK outcome during your free consultation.

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Elizabeth Rodriguez
Teacher

"…I definitely need LASIK…I called on a Wednesday and that same day I was able to get the information I needed. I was given affordable options to pay the surgery without interest rates (1 year)."

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