How did LASIK eye surgery become so popular? New technologies in the eye care industry have evolved. Radial Keratotomy (RK) evolved and became Wavefront technology and Refractive Intraocular surgery. Ophthalmology communities have been involved with refractive surgery for over a 100 years. These recent technologies have generated the most success and incredible results. Modern refractive surgery has successfully improved vision and lifestyles of refractive surgery patients. Today, LASIK patients do not require eyeglasses anymore after the surgery. LASIK patients believe the LASIK surgery is beyond amazing.

The basic principles of Radial Keratotomy (RK) were explored by L. J. Lans in 1898. L. J. Lans explored RK in his home country of the Netherlands. RK was explored even further in the 1940's by K. Akiyam and T. Sako of Japan. Some of the concepts generally involved radial incisions on the cornea's surface. In the 1960's in the former USSR, Slava Fyodorov increased the safety dramatically of RK by placing multiple incisions on the eye's anterior surface. Which left a clear central optical zone. From his observation, he predicted results that could only be obtained by using steel surgical blades and a standard formula of correction. The interest in RK was spreading to the United States in the late 1970's. This prompted a nationwide PERK study , which was sanctioned and established by the National Eye Institute. The study results showed the effectiveness of RK. The PERK study noted that a percentage of patients with a progression of surgical effect and a fluctuated daily vision.

In 1978, Radial Keratotomy (RK) was introduced in the United States. RK involves cuts in the cornea to correct refractive errors and change its shape. This technique was also used by Dr. Fyodorov who had perfected almost a 100 years prior in the Soviet Union. Radial Keratotomy was far from being a perfect procedure but it did decrease dependency of wearing eyeglasses. Afterwards, when RK and PERK was introduced, doctors corrected farsightedness, astigmatism, nearsightedness using various forms of incisions on the cornea. Doctors created Astigmatic Keratotomy (AK) to correct astigmatism with nomogram patterns that dealt with irregularities. Ultra thin diamond cutting blades, computer database and microscopic systems improved RK. The computer databases tracked the results and the nomograms. From these results, this help popularize the procedure in the early 1990's. Dr. Charles Caspere, who ran the Caspere Research Foundation educated the public of its awareness.` The general public's interest peaked during this time period.

In the 1980's a new laser was developed called the "excimer laser". This was a revolutionary laser. Excimer Laser was originally used to make computer chips. Ophthalmologists began to use this laser in refractive surgery. The excimer laser successfully removed amounts of tissue from the surface of the eye. Excimer lasers were revolutionized by doctors when it provided precision and degrees of safety which wasn't attained with previous techniques. In 1985 and 1986 two companies form, VISX and Summit Technology. The excimer laser was then introduced to the United States in the Ophthalmology community.

After many clinical studies were performed, the United States approved the use of Summit Technology's Excimer laser for PRK correction of nearsightedness in 1995. VISX's excimer laser approval was granted in late 1996. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were the ones who approved the usage of the lasers in the United States. The FDA approved the excimer laser for PRK (photorefractive keratotomy) in October of 1995, for the sole purpose of correcting nearsightedness. The PRK procedure reshapes the cornea. Which uses the laser's energy to the cornea's front surface, which produced a flattening effect. The approval was based on a series of clinical trials on 1,600 eyes for three years.

In 1978, Josef Billie, Ph.D., first developed wavefront technology. Billie was a director of the Institute for Applied Physics at the University of Heidelberg. Wavefront distortions were measured when light traveled through the atmosphere. The light traveling would enter through a telescopic lens. Wavefront technology removed aberrations and visual distortions from the atmosphere. Which allowed Astrophysicists to accurately view images of planets and stars.

Wavefront technology is utilized to record information in great detail about the visual characterizations of the eye. The wavefront scans the light that processes through the optical system. Previously, Corneal topography was only a standard measuring device. It measured the front surface of the cornea. Wavefront technology has replaced Corneal topography.

Epi-LASIK involves cutting a thin flap from epithelium (tissue that covers the front of the cornea). The cut from the flap is so thin that it never penetrates into the cornea. After the flap is cut, it's lifted and folded back carefully. The excimer laser is used. The epithelial flap is repositioned gently on the surface of the eye. After having Epi-LASIK, the patients find discomfort in the healing process. Close attention is required after the operation.

Refractive surgery or Clear Lens Exchange for patients without cataracts. Patients without cataracts can choose a multifocal lens to correct, nearsightedness, farsightedness and presbyopia. The multifocal lens gives the patients quality vision like they had in their youth. Presbyopia is a condition that affects people in their forties when their vision can no longer allow them to see well up close. Presbyopic patients have difficulty with daily activities like reading and using the computer. Clear lensectomy, which has similarities to cataract surgery, replaces the natural lens with a multifocal lens. Refractive surgery patients have to pay all costs of the refractive surgery procedure.

Multifocal lenses do not guarantee dependency from wearing eyeglasses. Multifocal lenses were designed to provide independence from eyeglasses. Multifocal lenses also do not guarantee complete independence from needing a form of correction (eyeglasses, reading glasses).

LASIK Eye Surgery has come a long way. The popularity of the procedure has skyrocketed over the course of a decade. The costs of LASIK has gone down and it has become more affordable. More LASIK eye doctors and LASIK eye centers are growing in size. Which makes LASIK more accessible and in high demand.