In recent years, the laser has made an amazing impact on eye
surgery. Not only are surgical procedures quicker and safer when
operating with laser technology, but the healing time has been
dramatically reduced from weeks or months to just days in many
cases. Because of the well-advertised success of laser eye
surgery, an increasing number of people have decided to toss
away their glasses and undergo vision correction. In fact,
almost one million people have the procedure each year. The most
popular laser procedures include PRK (P-R-K) and LASIK (LAY-
sick), both designed to correct nearsightedness and
farsightedness, which use specialized lasers to change the shape
of the cornea and restore perfect vision without the need for
glasses or contacts. Lasers are also involved in other eye
surgeries, such as cataract removal, glaucoma treatment, and
cosmetic improvements. Scientists are constantly searching for
new applications of lasers in all areas of medicine but, so far,
their use in the optical arena has create