CALL (949) 631-4780
CALL (949) 631-4780
Most lens decisions are locked in before surgery begins. The Light Adjustable Lens (LAL) works differently: it is, per its manufacturer RxSight, the first and only IOL that can be customized after cataract or lens replacement surgery, once your eye has healed and your vision is real rather than predicted. Feinerman Vision is among the few practices in California offering this technology.
The LAL is made of a photosensitive material that responds to targeted UV light. After surgery, its power can be fine-tuned in a series of brief office treatments, then locked in permanently.
In the FDA clinical study of roughly 600 patients, those who received the Light Adjustable Lens were twice as likely to achieve 20/20 distance vision at six months without glasses as those who received a standard monofocal IOL.
OUR 2025 RESULTS, PUBLISHED IN FULL
In our 2025 outcomes, 98% of all Light Adjustable Lens eyes finished within 0.50 diopters of their target prescription, and 91% of distance-targeted eyes saw 20/20 or better without glasses. See the complete data, including our post-LASIK results, on our results page. For the story behind the numbers, read our 2025 success-rate breakdown.
Our own numbers are published too: in our 2025 series of 137 eyes, 98% finished within 0.50 diopters of target and 91% saw 20/20 or better. Dr. Feinerman has served as principal investigator in numerous FDA clinical trials of new ophthalmic lenses and therapies, and that trial-grade rigor shapes how outcomes are measured here. See our published results and the full LAL report.
1
Cataract Removal and
IOL IMPLANTATION
The first step is to have your cataract(s) safely removed. After the cataract has been removed the adjustable IOL is implanted. The cataract removal and IOL implantation procedure is similar to any other type of non-adjustable IOL surgery. The cataract procedure, performed by Dr. Feinerman, is virtually painless and takes about 15 to 20 minutes per eye.
2
LENS ADJUSTMENT AND
OPTIMIZATION
When your eye has healed, you test-drive your vision in the real world and return for a series of brief, painless light treatments (typically one to three, a few days apart) that fine-tune the lens power based on what you actually experience. Dr. Corvacho, our optometrist certified on the RxSight Light Delivery Device, performs these adjustment sessions. Once you are happy with your vision, two quick lock-in treatments make your prescription permanent. Between surgery and lock-in you wear UV-protective glasses to keep sunlight from adjusting the lens prematurely; most patients wear them for a few weeks.
Gregg Feinerman, MD
Eye Physician & Surgeon | Feinerman Vision
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the Light Adjustable Lens and Light Delivery Device for patients with pre-existing astigmatism of 0.75 diopters or more who are undergoing cataract surgery. Other commercially available IOLs may be available for the treatment of your cataracts and your doctor will help you determine which lens is right for you.
| Standard monofocal IOL | Light Adjustable Lens (LAL) | |
|---|---|---|
| Lens power decided | Before surgery, from measurements | After surgery, from your healed vision |
| Adjustability | None once implanted | One to three light treatments, then locked |
| Prior LASIK or PRK | Calculations less predictable | Adjusted after the eye declares itself |
| Visits required | Standard follow-ups | Standard follow-ups plus adjustment sessions |
| UV-protective glasses | Not required | Required until lock-in |
| Insurance | Cataract surgery with a standard lens is generally covered | Premium lens; out-of-pocket upgrade |
If you had LASIK or PRK years ago and now face cataract surgery or lens replacement, the LAL deserves particular attention. Prior laser correction changes the corneal shape in ways that make standard lens-power calculations less predictable, which is why post-LASIK patients have historically been harder to hit exactly on target. The LAL sidesteps the problem: rather than committing to a calculated power before surgery, Dr. Feinerman adjusts the lens after your eye has healed, based on your measured result. This is why the LAL is our lens of choice for most patients with prior LASIK. Read more about cataract surgery after LASIK, cataract surgery, and refractive lens exchange.
For the complete candidacy and evidence picture, read Can You Get the Light Adjustable Lens After LASIK?
Had RK instead? Those eyes are the hardest of all to predict, and the same adjustability advantage applies. Read Can You Get the Light Adjustable Lens After RK?
The LAL may be a strong option if you had LASIK, PRK, or RK in the past, if you have demanding vision goals and want input after surgery rather than a one-shot calculation, or if your measurements put you near a boundary where small errors matter. It requires the discipline to wear UV-protective glasses until lock-in and to attend the adjustment visits. Whether it fits your eyes and your lifestyle is exactly what your evaluation determines: lens choice at Feinerman Vision is personalized to your anatomy, your goals, and your imaging from our iTrace, Pentacam, IOL Master, and OCT scans, never one lens for everyone.
Wondering how long any new lens takes to feel natural? The Light Adjustable Lens asks for less neuroadaptation than a multifocal, and that post explains why.
Just starting your research? Begin with the first question Dr. Feinerman asks everyone: fixed or adjustable?
Check out this detailed overview of the RxSight™ Light Adjustable Lens.
No. Sessions are brief, painless, and performed in our office with your eyes dilated.
Typically one to three adjustments plus two final lock-in treatments, spaced a few days apart. In our 2025 results, 46% of eyes needed only a single light treatment. The number depends on how precisely you and Dr. Feinerman want to tune the result.
Until the prescription is locked in, the lens material remains sensitive to UV light. The glasses prevent uncontrolled changes; once lock-in is complete, they are no longer needed.
Cataract surgery itself is generally covered by insurance or Medicare with a standard monofocal lens. The LAL is a premium lens upgrade paid out of pocket. We review exact costs at your consultation.
Yes. Prior-LASIK patients benefit most from its adjustability, but the LAL may be a candidate lens for anyone who wants their final prescription tuned after healing rather than predicted before surgery.
Yes. After the final lock-in treatment, the lens power no longer changes.
If you are weighing lens options for cataract surgery or refractive lens exchange, schedule your consultation with Dr. Feinerman. Call (949) 631-4780 or book online at FeinermanVision.com. Your imaging and exam will show whether the Light Adjustable Lens, or another lens in our portfolio, fits your eyes.
This quiz is educational and does not diagnose any condition or guarantee candidacy for any procedure. Candidacy is determined only by a comprehensive evaluation, including corneal imaging and a full eye exam, performed by Gregg Feinerman, MD, FACS. Feinerman Vision · 320 Superior Ave, Suite 390, Newport Beach, CA 92663 · (949) 631-4780 · FeinermanVision.com