A Brief Introduction to LASIK

In the second part of the 20th century, developments in the field of ophthalmology have happen very swiftly. Where eye surgery involved invasive procedures and long recovery periods, technological advancements now made it possible for eye surgery to be quick, uncomplicated, and painless. One landmark invention in this field was the use of laser technology. That is how lasik surgery was born. Lasik is an acronym for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, and is today one of the most popular forms of eye surgery.

First developed in 1990 by two doctors from two different countries of origin - Dr. Ioannis Pallikaris of Greece and Dr. Lucio Buratto of Italy - the concept of LASIK first came into being in 1970, with the advent of the microkeratome. A microkeratome is an application that helps alter the shape of a person’s cornea, the one of the main visible components of the eye. This it does by cutting the cornea into thin flaps, using a process called keratomileusis.

The first physician to officially launch the microkeratome was Dr. Jose Barraquer. He was in fact the doctor who first launched the microkeratome. Using this device, he was able to rectify an aberration in the refraction of the patient’s cornea. The refraction of the cornea is a function of the corneal curvature. Dr. Barraquer could correct the refraction by removing a deep corneal lamella, freezing it, altering its curvature, and then replacing the older cornea with the new one with the modified curvature. This theory became key to the functioning of the later application, lasik.

Dr. Ioannis and Dr. Buratto, the two people credited with the development of lasik, fused two techniques to develop their technique – keratomileusis, which we have just discussed, and keratectomy.

What made lasik such a popular technique? There were two reasons that contributed to this fact:
The higher levels of accuracy and success when compared to previously available surgical procedures related to the cornea or the eye and
The simplicity of the procedure, which meant lesser complications compared to the techniques existing at that time.

Surgeons were quick to realize the advantages that lasik offered over other existing conventional modes of eye-related surgery. The first surgeons to adopt this new technique in the United States were Dr. Stephen Brint and Dr. Stephen Blade. They performed the first lasik surgery on American soil in 1991. In the same year, Dr. Tobias Neuhann and Dr. Thomas used an automated keratome to perform the first lasik surgery in Germany

Once physicians came to realize the concrete advantages of lasik, the procedure became hugely popular all across the world. Today, lasik surgery is performed everywhere, and is a commonly offered surgical procedure in eye clinics the world over.
Interestingly, there has been a branch off as far as using lasik is concerned. Nowadays, it is also used for hair removal. Surgeons are using this procedure to remove extra hair from any part of the body. The physicians use laser to destroy the very root of the hair follicle. This means that the process on its own is irreversible. The root follicle, once destroyed does not grow back, which is one of the main reasons that people are opting for this approach.

Lasik Main Menu

Home
Contact
About

More Lasik Information

A Brief Introduction to LASIK

LasikPlus - A Brief History

What are the Risks Associated with Lasik Eye Surgery?

The Lasik Vision Institute

The Lasik Surgery Procedure

Searching for Lasik Eye Surgery: New York