Excimer Laser

The Excimer Laser was developed in the Soviet Union and perfected by IBM in the 1970's to etch computer microchips. In the laser cavity, Argon and Fluorine gases are mixed together and subjected to a high voltage electrical discharge to produce a cold, pulsing, ultraviolet beam of laser light. The Excimer Laser is used in refractive surgery to break the molecular bonds that hold the corneal tissue together and literally vaporizes it in a controlled fashion without damaging surrounding tissue. The laser removes .25 micron of corneal tissue with each pulse. It is so precise that it will make notches in a human hair.

Since 1987 the Excimer Laser has been used to correct vision in Europe and Asia. The first procedure to be used is known as Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK). Later, in 1991, a second, more refined procedure was developed known as Laser Intrastromal Keratomileusis (LASIK). Canadian surgeons began using the laser for vision correction and in October 1995 the FDA approved the laser for vision correction in the United States.