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The role of laser technology in eye surgery
Laser technology enables procedures to be continued in minutes, with the laser system process counted in seconds. Currently, laser technology enables eye surgery to enhance vision in just a few minutes. The main challenges are the cost of the procedure and the patient’s courage to undergo the laser treatment.
According to the World Health Organization, about 1.3 billion people have some form of vision disturbance; uncorrected refractive error is considered to be one of the most common causes. Possible solutions are eyeglasses and contact lenses, which are not always effective. Laser system eye therapy is an excellent option.
How laser surgery works
Laser surgery for the eyes provides a more lasting remedy for vision issues. The laser system-assisted in situ keratomileusis is regarded as one of the most common surgical procedures in eye treatment. This laser technology was first introduced at the beginning of the 1980s, and over 40 million procedures by laser beams have been performed globally since 1991. The principle of laser system operation is based on the creation of a flap in the corneal tissue, after which a laser beam reshapes the cornea through ablation.
Modern advances in laser surgery
Although the fundamental principle of laser technology has not changed, contemporary advanced technologies enable the use of a femtosecond fiber laser rather than a surgical blade to create the flap in newer methods. “The flap creation takes about 20 seconds, while the process of laser beam ablation is 15 to 20 seconds. The entire procedure itself takes 5 to 10 minutes per eye, with two eyes taking 15 to 20 minutes”.
Results and limitations of the procedure
Compared to traditional techniques, the application of a laser system makes the ablation process faster. Laser beam surgery is not a perfect procedure; that is why there is a range of accessible results, usually varying at around minus or plus 0.25 or 0.5. It is impossible to provide a perfect zero, but it is not the main purpose. The main purpose is to escape the need for glasses due to laser technology and to become as close to zero as possible.
Eligibility for laser eye surgery
Laser beam eye surgery from laser systems is available only for patients over 18 with healthy eyes (no infections or conditions affecting the eye aside from the refractive disorder) and excludes pregnant or currently breastfeeding women.