An introduction to excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy.

Laser research has rapidly expanded in the area of corneal sculpting in the past few years. Lasers with specific wavelengths in the ultraviolet and infrared ranges are best suited for ablating corneal tissue without disturbing clarity of the surrounding matrix. This is essential in laser refractive procedures. The excimer laser is an ultraviolet dimer laser with a wavelength of 193 nm. Excimer laser research has progressed rapidly and FDA-approved clinical trials are presently underway. This paper covers various aspects of the excimer's history, qualities of excimer laser ablation, mechanisms of damage, various laser delivery systems, and FDA-approved clinical trial results.