| Light can reach almost any internal eye structure | | | | eye's surface tissue. These molecules thus |
| noninvasively. The use of light in the field of | | | | disintegrate into the air, and there is no burning |
| optometry dates back to 1946 when German | | | | involved. Excimer lasers can remove incredibly thin |
| ophthalmologist Gerd Meyer-Schwickerath used | | | | layers of eye material without impacting the |
| light to coagulate human retinal tissue. He did so | | | | remaining tissue. Thus, these types of lasers are |
| by focusing the light of a xenon arc lamp and | | | | often used in precision surgeries. |
| thus producing tiny burns in the retina that sealed | | | | 3. Microkeratome femtosecond laser |
| off retinal tears. This technique would revolutionize | | | | The microkeratome is a mechanical shaver that |
| the world of optometry. After the first laser was | | | | cuts a very thin flap out of the exterior layer of |
| demonstrated in 1960 by Theodore Maiman, it | | | | the cornea to allow for laser surgery. The |
| quickly became an efficient tool in the field of | | | | microkeratome laser was designed to forego the |
| corrective eye treatment. Today's technology has | | | | blade and use ultrashort-pulse femtosecond lasers |
| made it possible to develop a wide variety of | | | | to make the cut instead. This new method can |
| lasers, each with its own technical specifications | | | | minimize risks inherent in the microkeratome blade |
| and uses. The following are five of the most | | | | method. |
| common kinds of lasers used in optometry. | | | | 4. Krypton lasers |
| 1. YAG laser | | | | Krypton lasers are a kind of gas laser created |
| The YAG laser is a solid-state laser and one of | | | | using krypton ions in combination with electronic |
| the most common types of lasers, used in many | | | | discharges. Krypton lasers are commonly used to |
| different fields, including ophthalmology. YAG | | | | treat macular degeneration, a disease that shows |
| lasers have a 1054 mm wavelength and can be | | | | up often in elderly people and results in the loss of |
| operated in pulsed mode as well as continuous | | | | a central field of vision due to a damaged retina. |
| mode. The most common eye surgeries in which | | | | 5. Argon laser |
| the YAG laser is used are cataract surgery and | | | | Discovered by William R. Bennett, the argon laser |
| peripheral iridotomy. YAG lasers with frequencies | | | | can be emitted at various wavelengths in the |
| of 532mm wavelengths are used for | | | | ultraviolet spectrum. Argon lasers are commonly |
| photocoagulation. | | | | used in retinal phototherapy procedures. Diabetic |
| 2. Excimer laser | | | | patients can suffer from diabetic retinopathy. |
| Excimer lasers are probably the most widely used | | | | Argon lasers are used for panretinal |
| kinds of lasers in optometry. Instead of burning | | | | photocoagulation, which can prevent retinopathy |
| through matter, excimer lasers shoot out energy | | | | from doing further damage. Argon lasers are also |
| that breaks apart the molecular bonds of the | | | | used in treating open-angle glaucoma. |