LASIK

History

The LASIK technique was made possible in 1960 when the first microkeratome was developed, used to cut thin flaps in the cornea and alter its shape, in a procedure called keratomileusis.

In 1981, it was discovered that an ultraviolet excimer laser could etch living tissue in a precise manner with no thermal damage to the surrounding area. The phenomenon was called Ablative Photodecomposition or APD for short. Srinivasan and his co-inventors ran tests using the excimer laser and a conventional, green laser to etch organic matter. They discovered that while the green laser produced rough incisions, damaged by charring from the heat, the excimer laser produced clean, neat incisions. In 1983, Srinivasan collaborated with an ophthalmic surgeon to develop APD to etch the cornea.

LASIK surgery was developed in 1990 by Lucio Buratto (Italy) and Ioannis Pallikaris (Greece) as a melding of two prior techniques, keratomileusis and photorefractive keratectomy. It quickly became popular because of its greater precision and lower frequency of complications in comparison with these former two techniques.

In 1991, LASIK was performed for the first time in the United States by Stephen Brint and Stephen Slade.

Today, faster lasers, larger spot areas, bladeless flap incision, and wavefront-optimized and -guided techniques have significantly improved the reliability of the procedure as compared to that of 1991. Nonetheless, the fundamental limitations of excimer lasers and undesirable destruction of the eye's nerves have spawned research into many alternatives to "plain" LASIK, including all-femtosecond correction (FLIVC), LASEK, Epi-LASIK, wavefront-guided PRK, and modern intraocular lenses.

The Procedure

During the LASIK procedure, which we perform in our office, a device called a microkeratome cuts a thin flap in the surface of the cornea. Patients are given numbing eye drops so they can't feel the instruments. The flap is then lifted and an excimer laser beam reshapes the cornea's curvature (steepened for far-sighted patients, flattened for near-sighted patients) to improve vision. The flap is then closed with no stitches needed. Then, a clear contact lens may or may not be applied.

Recovery

The entire procedure takes only 15-30 minutes for both eyes and patients are often ready to leave within forty-five minutes.

A common complaint after the LASIK surgery is sensitivity to light, but this will subside. Antibiotic eye drops will be prescribed for a few days, along with any other post-operative instructions. The best part about

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