Chris W. Heichel

Chris W. Heichel, M.D., serves as Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology of Cornea, Cataract and Refractive Surgery for the UCSD Department of Ophthalmology at the Shiley Eye Institute.  He is a  Board Certified Ophthalmologist in Cornea, Cataract and Refractive Surgery and completed both his residency and fellowship at University of California, San Diego.

Dr. Heichel has dedicated his career to maximizing every patient’s vision and he is experienced in the most advanced techniques in refractive surgery including Custom and “all laser” laser vision correction procedures. In addition to laser vision correction, Dr. Heichel specializes in other vision correction procedures including, the treatment of mild hyperopia and presbyopia, INTACS for the treatment of keratoconus and corneal ectasia. As a corneal specialist, Dr. Heichel’s goal of improving patient quality of life by restoring and improving their vision, is not only met through laser vision correction, but also through cornea and cataract surgery. 

Dr. Heichel’s clinical interests include corneal transplantations and keratoprostheses, challenging cataract and IOL surgeries, LASIK, Intacs, & Visian ICL, advanced techniques in laser and refractive surgery, keratoconus, ocular surface tumors, and limbal stem cell transplantation.

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