The development of LASIK eye surgery is a fascinating journey that has its roots in various scientific discoveries and technological innovations.
Spectacles have a long history as a means of vision correction and were the most common method before the advent of modern refractive surgeries.
Concave lenses were used to correct nearsightedness (myopia) by diverging incoming light, while convex lenses corrected farsightedness (hyperopia) by converging light. Cylindrical lenses were employed for astigmatism.
Contact lenses, both rigid gas permeable (RGP) and soft lenses, provided an alternative to glasses for vision correction.
RGPs, made of hard plastic, offered better visual acuity but required adaptation. Soft lenses were more comfortable but had limitations in correcting certain refractive errors.
RK was one of the earliest surgical methods for vision correction, primarily used to treat myopia.
It involved making radial incisions in the cornea, flattening it to reduce nearsightedness.
RK was effective but had limitations, including long-term stability issues and the potential for under or overcorrection.
PRK was developed as a precursor to LASIK in the 1980s.
In PRK, the corneal epithelium (outer layer) was removed, and an excimer laser was used to reshape the cornea to correct vision.
Visual recovery was slower compared to LASIK, and postoperative discomfort was a common complaint.
Ortho-K involved the use of specially designed rigid contact lenses worn overnight to reshape the cornea temporarily.
It was primarily used for myopia control in children and myopia management in adults.
Phakic IOLs were implanted in the eye to correct refractive errors while leaving the natural lens intact.
These were often used for individuals with high myopia or other refractive issues that couldn’t be fully corrected with corneal procedures.
LASIK Eye Surgery had its roots in the development of excimer lasers in the 1970s. These lasers emitted precise ultraviolet light, making them ideal for reshaping the cornea without generating heat or damaging surrounding tissue. LASIK, developed in the early 1990s, combined the principles of PRK and the advantages of creating a corneal flap. This innovative approach allowed for rapid visual recovery, reduced discomfort, and precise corneal reshaping, making it a groundbreaking advancement in vision correction.
In summary, LASIK eye surgery has come a long way since its inception in the 1980s. Advances in technology, surgical techniques, patient selection, and postoperative care have made LASIK a safer, more precise, and highly effective procedure for vision correction. Its evolution over the last four decades has improved the lives of millions of individuals by providing clearer, more comfortable vision.