Lasers have the following applications in ophthalmology:
Periorbital skin rejuvenation.
Treatment of vascular and pigmented
eyelid lesions.
Reshape the
cornea in vision correction to improve nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
Refractive surgical procedures include LASIK.
Remove/reduce certain superficial
defects such as band keratopathy in the cornea. The procedure is called phototherapeutic keratoplasty.
Place a window in a membrane
called the posterior capsule if it opacifies following cataract surgery.
The capsule holds the intraocular lens implant in place. The procedure is called YAG capsulotomy.
Create a hole in the peripheral iris
to prevent or treat an acute attack of narrow angle glaucoma. The procedure is called laser peripheral iridotomy.
Place spots in the meshwork
("drain" of the eye) to lower eye pressure in open angle glaucoma. The procedure is called laser trabeculoplasty.
Place spots in the ciliary body
(produces fluid in the eye) to lower eye pressure in severe glaucomas. The procedure is called diode laser cyclophotocoagulation.
Place spots in the peripheral
retina to treat proliferative diabetic retinal disease. The procedure is called panretinal photocoagulation.
Place spots in the central retina
for leakage in diabetic macular edema. The procedure is called focal retinal photocoagulation.
Place spots in the peripheral
retina for progressing retinopathy of prematurity. The procedure is called retinal photocoagulation.
Treat certain types of wet
age-related macular degeneration, a disease characterized by distorted central
vision and damage to the central portion of the retina. One procedure is called focal retinal photocoagulation, and one procedure is called photodynamic therapy.