Jose Barraquer first discovered the beginning concept of laser surgery in 1950 when he developed the technique of cutting thin flaps in the cornea in order to alter optical measurements. Barraquer initially performed this procedure using his own invention, an instrument with an oscillating blade designed to make precision cuts about 100 to 200 micrometers thick, called a microkeratome. Over the following decades, several new instruments, including the laser, were introduced, transforming Barraquer’s original methods into the advanced laser surgery we know today, known as Lasik (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis).
In 1970, the Excimer- or exciplex- laser was developed by by Nikolai Basov, V. A. Danilychev and Yu. M. Popov. This laser uses a combination of inert gas and ultraviolet light to execute refractive surgery. This method allows delicate eye tissue to disintegrate into the air, rather than being sliced or burned. Although the Excimer laser was a revolutionary discovery, it wouldn’t be introduced in the US until 1987. Many developments have been made over the years in order to make this laser the powerful equipment we see used today.
In Russia during the same year, Dr. Fyodorov was treating a young patient who suffered an injury that sliced a thin layer off of his cornea, resulting in an improvement in his preexisting myopia. This revelation inspired him to conduct further research on this procedure, resulting in the discovery of radial keratotomy, which is corrective surgery for myopia, or nearsightedness.
The development of LASIK was given a jumpstart by American funding. U.S. Patent #4,840,175, “Method for modifying corneal curvature,” was granted in 1989. In the same year, Dr. Stephen Trokel, Charles Munnerlyn, and Terry Clapham founded VISX CORPORATION. Dr. Trokel had been the first to suggest that the Excimer laser coule be used to perform corrective vision surgery, and developed a procedure called photorefractive keratotomy in 1983. The VISX laser was the first to treat a human eye in that same year.
Originally using a procedure called PRK, laser surgery in the U.S. was off to a slow start. Only when a Greek opthamologist named Dr. Pallikaris determined the benefits of performing the surgery under a raised flap was LASIK developed and put to use in patients. LASIK soon became an ideal choice for patients requiring corrective surgery, as it was much less discomforting than PRK.
Today, Lasik is generally performed by opthamologists using a laser to correct astigmatism, myopia, and hyper myopia. While its effectiveness varies and several minor complications are to be expected, it is a widely used method for vision correction and has proven helpful to many patients. Although the time it took to development this procedure was extensive, its benefits have been worth the wait.
Photo via notsogoodphotography
