Though most likely born with the nevus, Kevin, 29, did not notice its presence until it began to grow at age 16.
“That’s when people started noticing it,” remarks Kevin, who works as a cloud engineer in Montreal. “People made comments about it, and I soon became self-conscious. During conversations with people, I noticed they weren’t paying attention to me because they were looking at my eye. I’d look at myself in the mirror and think how much better I would have been without it.”
Almost 10 years ago Kevin looked into getting surgery but the procedure cost well over $10,000 and did not seem perfected. However, a decade later, technological advancements perfected by Dr. Assil and after-pictures of his patients showed me the time had finally come.
An eye freckle (choroidal nevus) is a benign cluster of melanocytes (pigmented cells) on the choroid — the layer of blood vessels and connective tissue between the retina and the sclera (the white part of the eye). Much like a birthmark or freckle on the skin, an eye freckle is typically harmless but should be monitored by a professional.
A nevus (plural: nevi) can in some rare instances progress to choroidal melanoma — a form of eye cancer. If cancer is suspected, the nevus can be surgically removed and biopsied, but a nevus can also be removed for cosmetic reasons. Dr. Kerry Assil and the Assil Gaur Eye Institute (AGEI) staff can remove nevi with a non-invasive procedure. This procedure is quick and safe and typically results in minimal discomfort and a short recovery time.
Kevin’s approach to Assil Gaur Eye Institute (AGEI) came through testimonials on, of all things, TikTok. Like many of his peers, Kevin enjoys cruising around the popular application. On a stroke of pure luck, Kevin stumbled across several short videos on eye surgery. After that, he watched a video on eye freckle removal.
“I thought doing that procedure would not be such a big deal anymore,” he says. Next up was a woman, a patient of AGEI, touting the surgery as brief and non-invasive.
“She had pretty much the same story I have,” says Kevin. “And she was taken care of by Dr. Assil and the team at AGEI. The clinic seemed trustworthy.”
Kevin then studied the AGEI website, watching all the videos, reading the FAQs, and delving deep into the surgical processes. “That gave me a lot of confidence,” he says.
On a Thursday afternoon in early April 2023, Kevin called AGEI while at work. The woman who answered the phone, Diana, made Kevin feel comfortable about the eye nevus removal and told him what to expect and how long it would take. Kevin booked a flight to Los Angeles that night.
Friday morning, he was welcomed into the office and seen by three of the medical staff.
“The doctors made me feel calm,” remembers Kevin, who adds that they walked him through the procedure.
Kevin went immediately into the eye nevus removal that day. Removing cosmetic nevus is straightforward. Dr. Assil uses a mild thermal brushing technique to extract the pigment from the surface of the conjunctiva, a thin, transparent membrane that protects the eye.
“The procedure went well after I received numbing gel to prevent any pain,” Kevin says. “There was just a little pressure, but I could see everything.”
Ten minutes after his brief surgical procedure, Kevin was given a mirror to look at his clear eye.
“It was an emotional moment,” says Kevin. “It was a lot to take in. I nearly cried.”
Under Dr. Assil’s leadership, the Assil Gaur Eye Institute has assembled a team of top ophthalmology specialists from around the country who continue AGEI’s tradition of offering patients the highest quality of specialist eye care in the United States. In keeping with AGEI's founding healthcare principles, our doctors have managed to keep their clinics comfortable and familiar, much like family-run medical practices used to be.
Today, AGEI is nationally recognized for its compassionate, patient-centric care, commitment to pioneering advances in ophthalmology, and dedication to supporting its patients' eye health and the community's health and well-being.
State-of-the-art treatments are available for all ocular conditions, including glaucoma, cataracts, macular disease, ocular melanoma, floaters, dry eye, and diabetic eye conditions.
Our ophthalmologists are also highly trained in cataract surgery, laser eye surgery (LASIK), and refractive lens exchange. Please call (866) 945-2745 or make an appointment online.
We are conveniently located for patients throughout Southern California and the Los Angeles area in or near Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Culver City, Hollywood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Malibu, Manhattan Beach and Downtown Los Angeles.