|
Doctors have been routinely treating nearsightedness,
farsightedness and astigmatism with incisions for over 25 years. By
the early 1980’s, they began looking at lasers to improve the
precision and predictability of altering the shape of the cornea.
Researchers found that IBM’s new Excimer laser, used initially for
etching computer chips, had medical applications as well. Now in its
second decade of use, the technologically-advanced Excimer laser has
added a tremendous amount of precision, control and safety to
treating nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
Its ability to remove corneal tissue with accuracy up to 0.25
microns (0.00004 of an inch) with each pulse makes the Excimer laser
well suited for correcting vision. Often, only 50 microns of tissue
(about the thickness of a human hair) are removed to achieve the
proper amount of correction.
Excimer
Laser Treatment On A Human Hair
The Excimer laser produces a "cool" light beam that
does not damage surrounding tissue. High-energy photons from the
laser break the molecular bonds a few layers at a time.
|
