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