Laser Eye Surgery – Peeping In To Its Existence

Laser treatments have become integral to the refractive eye surgery procedures although they were not used for ophthalmology initially. It is said that the first laser was developed at Bell Labs in 1958. The researchers were working on microwaves and wanted a way to see the molecules more clearly. The first working laser was demonstrated on 16 May 1960 by Theodore Maiman at Hughes Research Laboratories. It used a ruby crystal that generated a red light at 694 nanometers wavelength. Since then, lasers have become a multi-billion dollar industry.

A laser is an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.
All lasers are man-made lights. Lasers are graded according to the medium used to generate them i.e. either solid, gas, or semiconductor state. Laser light is usually consistent, which means that the light either is emitted in a narrow, low-divergence beam, or can be converted into one with the help of optical components such as lenses. Light and heat energies travel in waves which have specific wavelengths and frequencies. Each laser has its specific wavelength which gives it a specific color and temperature.

Laser eye surgery is believed to be originated in 1890s when the basic principles of keratotomy (corneal incisions) to correct refractive error were explained by a Dutch professor Lans. Laser surgery is a surgery that uses a laser to cut tissue instead of a scalpel. Techniques used in Laser surgery include LASIK, which is used to correct near- and far-sightedness in vision, and photorefractive keratectomy, a procedure which permanently reshapes the cornea using an Excimer laser to remove a small amount of the corneal tissue. It gives high accuracy and fewer complications. Excimer laser was developed in 1973 at the University of California.

Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) makes use of the excimer laser by a precise reshaping of the front corneal surface, removing microscopic layers. No heat is generated using laser and hence there will be no tissue damage. This surgery is widely popular worldwide.

LASIK (Laser Assisted In-situ Keratomileusis) is a new entry in the field of laser eye surgery. The surgeon or the ophthalmologist uses a blade (microkeratome) to cut a thin flap of the cornea and then an excimer laser is used to remove and reshape the tissue underneath the flap. Compared to PRK, this surgery helps in faster recovery and is more comfortable with the patients.

The recent progress made in the field of Laser eye surgery include the Wavefront technology that leads to quicker healing and lower risks of side effects, the Epi Lasik (Lasek) which removes a much thinner layer of the corneal tissue, or the latest, refractive lensectomy that involves implanting a multifocal lens inside the eye to give the patient a clear vision at all distances.