[Treatment of corneal and scleral diseases with the excimer laser. A preliminary report of experiences].

The excimer laser has a wavelength of 193 nm and has been used mainly to achieve refractive changes in the cornea. We treated certain corneal and scleral diseases with this laser: a malignant melanoma of the conjunctiva involving superficial scleral and limbal layers (1 eye), primary pterygia (19 eyes), recurrent erosion (45 eyes), persistent epithelial defect after keratoplasty (1 eye), and herpetic keratitis (6 eyes). The disease, treatment procedure, and its success rate are described in selected cases.