Excimer Laser Technology

Doctors have been routinely treating nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism with incisional procedures such as radial keratotomy and astigmatic keratotomy for over 25 years. By the early 1980s, 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.

Human hair etched with Excimer laser technology

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 so 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 breaks molecular layers

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.

The Excimer laser does not
damage surrounding tissue