excimer laser, laser surgery, laser PRK, eye laser, PRK surgery, laser eye surgery, refractive surgery, laser myopia, laser hyperopia.

THE EXCIMER LASER

The excimer laser is a sophisticated computer guided instrument equipment capable of ablating several thousandths of millimeters (microns) with extreme precision from the corneal surface, it practically remodels the corneal surface by removing microns (one thousandth of a millimeter) with extreme precision from the corneal surface.

When treatment is performed for myopia the laser is applied on the central area of the cornea flattening the shape of the cornea.

On the contrary, when treatment is performed for hyperopia the laser remodels the cornea in the middle periphery of the cornea that tends to make the shape of the cornea steeper. Furthermore, the excimer laser can be used on the corneal surface as in PRK or in the thickness of the cornea as in LASIK.

Other laser techniques such as LASEK and Epilasik have intermediate characteristics between Lasik and PRK.