SMILE Pro for San Diego Patients | Christmas SMILE
San Diego is about 125 miles south of Beverly Hills, a drive most people know well: the I-5 past Camp Pendleton and San Clemente, then the 405 through Orange County. It is not an errand. So when someone from La Jolla, North Park or Chula Vista asks about SMILE Pro at Khanna Vision Institute, the first conversation is less about lasers and more about logistics.
Start with a virtual consult
The Free VIP consult is available in office and virtually. For San Diego residents the virtual option is the sensible first step. You can talk through your history, your current glasses or contacts, and what you hope to change, without a five-hour round trip. If the conversation suggests you may be a candidate, the team schedules in-office measurements, which are required before any recommendation.
Planning the trip north
Most San Diego patients plan their visits as short trips. Leaving very early or after 10 a.m. avoids the worst of the I-5 and 405 traffic; the Pacific Surfliner from Santa Fe Depot to Union Station is another option for appointments that do not require dilation or treatment. On treatment day, a companion needs to drive. Many people stay overnight near the office so the first follow-up is easy, and the team can help you map the timing of the later visits.
Ask at the consult how follow-ups will work for you before you commit. That is a fair question for anyone traveling a long way.
Why travel for this?
Patients make the drive for different reasons: a referral from a friend, a preference for a surgeon with more than 25 years of experience and 25,000+ procedures, or interest in SMILE Pro specifically. Rajesh Khanna, MD has always been clear that distance is not a reason to choose a procedure. If an option closer to home makes more sense for you, the team will say so.
Ocean days and recovery
Coastal San Diego lives in the water: Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, the coves in La Jolla. After SMILE Pro, swimming, hot tubs and the ocean wait for about 2 to 3 weeks, and your surgeon's clearance. A winter treatment means the long summer surf season is untouched. Sunglasses with real UV protection are worth wearing year round anyway, especially on bright days near the bay.
SMILE Pro at a glance
The ZEISS VISUMAX 800 creates a small lenticule inside the cornea that is removed through a small opening, with no flap. It treats eligible nearsightedness, with or without astigmatism, in adults 22 and older. Corneal shape, thickness, dry eye and prescription stability decide candidacy. Results vary from person to person. See the SMILE Pro page for more.
A gift for someone in San Diego
Family members in Los Angeles sometimes give a gift certificate toward SMILE Pro to a relative down south, in whatever amount they choose. It is a gift from family, not a promotion. Pairing it with a virtual Free VIP consult is the easiest place to begin.
What to bring to the first visit
Bring your current glasses, the box or prescription for your contact lenses, and any records from your San Diego eye doctor. Soft contacts usually need to come out for a period before measurements, and the team will tell you how long when you book. Arriving with that history saves a second long drive if numbers need to be compared.
San Diego FAQ
How far is the Beverly Hills office from San Diego?
About 125 miles, roughly 2 to 3 hours each way depending on traffic.
Can my first consultation be virtual?
Yes. Start virtually, then come in for the measurements that confirm candidacy.
How soon can I surf after SMILE Pro?
Usually after about 2 to 3 weeks, once your surgeon clears you.
Request a virtual Free VIP consult or call (310) 482-1240.