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Dr. Arturo Chayet

Dr. Arturo Chayet, Ophthalmologist

Cornea, Cataract and Refractive Surgery Specialist


In 1985, as a second-year Resident at the Instituto de Oftalmologia Conde de Valenciana in Mexico City, Dr. Chayet witnessed the impact that a simple refractive surgery could have on a person’s life. At that moment, he turned his career toward vision.

In 1987, he chose to enter a Fellowship in Cornea and Refractive Surgery at the prestigious UC San Diego Department of Ophthalmology. His reputation quickly grew as a skilled and knowledgeable surgeon, as did his gift for innovation.

Early Career

From 1987 to June of 1994 – when he performed his first LASIK procedure – Dr. Chayet explored the benefits and drawbacks of the most successful competing surgical methods: Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) and Automated Keratomileusis (ALK). The former used an Excimer Laser to remove a very precise amount of cornea tissue to create a refractive correction in the eye; the latter employed a steel blade to create a flap (microkeratome), followed by a second pass with the same instrument to create the refractive correction. PRK had the advantage of precision, but the disadvantage of prolonged healing, while ALK had the converse, quick healing but less precision.

A Breakthrough Discovery

Dr. Chayet’s study of these methods led to his first breakthrough discovery in 1995. 

His position was that as the Excimer Laser used in LASIK was extremely accurate. The technology could also replace the blade in the microkeratome technique for a drastic improvement in patient outcomes. He recommended this be the focus of a start-up firm that was attempting to innovate in the field. After initial studies using the Picosecond Laser to create a flap, Dr. Chayet’s work with the start-up came to revolutionize the way laser vision correction is delivered to the patient. 

The idea known as IntraLASIK or All-Laser-LASIK was born. In 2001, using a new Femtosecond Laser, Dr. Chayet began his initial studies of custom flaps, a technique that is now considered to be the premier procedure in refractive surgery. Today, Dr. Chayet has completed over 40,000 surgeries for vision correction with laser.

Another Breakthrough 

His second breakthrough occurred in 1997 when Dr. Chayet invented Bitoric LASIK for the correction of the most complex cases of Astigmatism (Mixed Astigmatism). Bitoric LASIK has since become the universal procedure of choice when dealing with the most complex refractive errors. Using the Bitoric formula, surgeons are able to treat patients beyond those with standard refractive errors, making LASIK treatment an option for many more people.

In light of these achievements and several more, the International Society of Refractive Surgery awarded Dr. Chayet with the LANS Lecture Award in 2000; an utmost honor and recognition from his peers in refractive surgery from around the world.

Dedicated to Patient Outcomes

Since the beginning of his career, Dr. Chayet has been influenced by the importance of vision in each individual’s life and the effectiveness and efficiency with which refractive surgery can quickly make an enormous improvement to the quality of life. The looks on the faces of his patients when they can clearly see the smiles of their loved ones has impacted his own life and reinforced his commitment to this field. 

Patients’ after-reports inspire him too, such as their descriptions of the colors they can now see clearly as they stretch to the horizon or their ability to see pavement on the road at night without glare. Dr. Chayet’s life work has culminated in principles and practices he employs each day and teaches to the doctors on the CODET team, even before they arrive and are accepted into the program.

One of these guiding principles is the proper patient selection with the use of the most sophisticated diagnostic equipment available.

A Visionary Leader Delivering World-Class Care

Dr. Chayet draws on his more than 34 years of second-to-none refractive surgery expertise to select doctors, equipment, and staff and continuously invest in CODET Vision Institute’s modern building for two reasons: maximum safety and efficacy. These are the two key elements that every patient should consider when choosing a refractive procedure and a refractive surgeon.

There is one other thing about Dr. Arturo Chayet that patients should know. Whether someone is a world-renowned colleague in the field of refractive surgery, a fellow guest at one of the symposiums to which Dr. Chayet is invited to speak each year, or a brand new patient from America, Mexico, or anywhere else in the world, each individual comes away knowing they have met someone who truly enjoys learning about another person’s life, their expectations and needs, someone whose own life dream involves helping others achieve their dreams.

As the founder of CODET, Dr. Chayet is a world-renowned eye surgeon and has been a leading innovator in the field of laser technology for over 30 years. Under his leadership, patient care, doctor education and training, clinical research, and medical technology innovation have elevated CODET to the level of the most elite eye centers in the world.

Schedule an appointment with our specialists today!