History of LASIK Eye Surgery

LASIK eye surgery is taking the world by storm. It has been growing increasingly popular since the mid 1990's when the first clinical studies took place. However, LASIK eye surgery has been in existence for many more years. The process of LASIK eye surgery is two fold. It involves making a flap of the Cornea, whereby the surgeon can then reshape the lens of the eye and correct deformities or irregularities. The reshaping of the lens is the procedure known as Keratomileusis (which is part of the acronym: LASIK).

During the 1970's, a Colombian doctor, Jose Barraquer created the first Microkeratome. The Microkeratome is a metal-based tool that has been used to create the Cornea flap. Today, newer technological advances are replacing the use of the Microkeratome with lasers. However, that does not negate the fact that Dr. Barraquer's development led the procedure for over 40 years. In fact, located in Bogotá, Colombia is the Barraquer Clinic, the world's leading LASIK surgery clinic worldwide.

During the 1990's two doctors, Dr. Lucio Buratto from Italy, and Dr. Ioannis Pallikaris from Greece combined the techniques used to perform the procedure and unveiled a newer, quicker form. In 1991, the United States unveiled the first modern day LASIK surgery. Clinical trials ensued and with the FDA's approval, LASIK eye surgery has been growing in popularity and in technological advances and strides.

Today, the history of LASIK eye surgery is unfolding before our eyes. In the past 16 years, new technological advances have occurred making LASIK surgery safer, quicker, and more effective. The Femtosecond Laser, allowing for greater accuracy and fewer complications with the procedure, is replacing the Microkeratome. Use of Wavefront technology has allowed for mapping each individual eye before beginning the surgery as well. In fact, since the onset of new technologies, the success rate of LASIK eye surgery continues to rise and fewer complications are noted.

If you are considering LASIK eye surgery, you should not be put off by the fact that it is a relatively new procedure. The science behind modern day LASIK surgery has been in practice for over fifty years. Lasers have been used to reshape the cornea for over 20 years, and as technology continue to advance, so does the effectiveness of LASIK surgery. Before deciding if LASIK surgery is right for you, you will need to have a consultation with an ophthalmologist to determine if you are a good candidate for the procedure.