Have you ever wondered how LASIK eye surgery became the most popular and trusted vision correction option? Since its FDA approval over 25 years ago, LASIK has transformed millions of lives worldwide by offering freedom from glasses and contact lenses. With developments like iris tracking, wavefront treatments, topography-guided LASIK, and flapless alternatives (i.e. SMILE), LASIK is one of modern medicine’s safest and most effective procedures.
When Did LASIK Begin? The Early Foundations (1948-1965)
LASIK’s origin story begins in 1948 with the Polish missionary priest and eye surgeon Father Waclaw Szuniewicz. A founding father of refractive surgery, Father Szuniewicz studied the ability of corneal incisions to correct vision problems. His ideas were radical at the time but provided the foundation for radial keratometry, a precursor to LASIK.
In 1964, Professor José I. Barraquer further developed the field of corneal refractive surgery by introducing “keratomileusis,” which means sculptured cornea in Greek. His technique of removing, reshaping, and reattaching corneal tissue established the core principle behind the laser vision correction we know today.
The Technical Evolution – The Building Blocks of Modern LASIK Eye Surgery
The development of LASIK technology gained momentum in the 1970s and 1980s. It was an exciting time for refractive surgery, with several technical advancements.
- Between 1973 and 1983, a team at IBM developed the first excimer laser with pulses of ultraviolet light—technology that would become the cornerstone of vision correction procedures. Excimer lasers can create patterns in living and non-living material with microscopic precision, as depicted in this image of an excimer-treated human hair.
- In 1983, a key preclinical milestone, scientists performed the first experimental LASIK procedure on a cow’s corneal tissue.
- In 1985, a German ophthalmologist made history as the first surgeon to use an excimer laser on human eyes, opening a new chapter in vision care.
- Dr. Steven Trokel introduced photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in 1987 and patented the first excimer laser specifically designed for vision correction. Dr. Trokel performed the inaugural surgery on a human patient that same year.
- In 1989, Dr. Gholam Peyman described a revolutionary surgical method for modifying corneal curvature by creating a corneal flap, retracting the flap, and reshaping the exposed surface with an excimer laser. This technique would become the foundation of LASIK eye surgery.
The Birth of Modern LASIK (1990-1999)
The name “LASIK” was coined in 1990 by Dr. Ioannis Pallikaris of Greece, who combined the revolutionary flap creation and excimer laser treatments to perform life-changing vision correction for his patients. He created the acronym LASIK – laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis – to describe this exciting new approach. Other milestones followed this dawn of LASIK, such as:
- Health Canada approved the excimer laser for correcting myopia and astigmatism in 1990.
- Drs. Stephen Slade and Stephen Brint performed the first LASIK procedure in the United States in 1991, bringing LASIK eye surgery to American patients.
- The FDA approved PRK in 1995, which was initially developed for myopia and was later refined to treat farsightedness and astigmatism, too.
- In 1999, LASIK received official FDA approval, making its formal introduction to mainstream ophthalmology and dramatically increasing access to this vision-transforming procedure for patients across the country.
Refining LASIK Eye Surgery With Technical Advances (1997-2003)
The history and evolution of LASIK eye surgery didn’t stop with FDA approval. Numerous technological advancements have improved the procedure’s safety and effectiveness:
- From 1997 to 2001, newer and gentler microkeratomes (flap-creation devices) were designed to create very thin LASIK flaps, making the procedure possible even for patients with fragile corneal surfaces.
- In 2001, Femtosecond technology emerged as the superior alternative to mechanical flap creation. This “all-laser LASIK” or “bladeless” approach eliminated the need for a microkeratome device, allowing patients with thinner corneas, larger pupils, or higher prescriptions to undergo LASIK. Femtosecond LASIK is safer and more accurate than its mechanical predecessor, making it the gold standard of LASIK flap technology.
- In 2003, the FDA approved Customized Wavefront LASIK, which creates detailed corneal maps of one’s eyes, enabling personalized treatments not possible with contacts and glasses. Wavefront-optimized and wavefront-guided technology significantly improves vision outcomes compared to standard LASIK, quickly becoming today’s most common type of laser vision correction.
- In 2016, the FDA approved SMILE (small incision lenticule extraction) to treat myopia and astigmatism. This flapless alternative to LASIK leverages the same femtosecond technology of all-laser LASIK to perform minimally-invasive vision correction. SMILE has become increasingly popular worldwide, with the ten-millionth surgery performed in 2024. Dr. Corsini is the Philadelphia area’s leading SMILE surgeon, having performed the revolutionary procedure on military pilots during his military service.
Did You Know? LASIK eye surgery’s history represents over 70 years of progressive research and innovation in refractive surgeries. Enhanced screening protocols help identify ideal candidates with greater precision, advanced eye-tracking systems compensate for eye movement during procedures, and improved surgical techniques have reduced recovery time and post-operative discomfort.
Start Your Clear Vision Journey Today
Are you considering LASIK eye surgery to achieve freedom from corrective lenses? Schedule your complimentary, no-hassle consultation with our team, or call us at (484) 580-2166 to learn how our personalized approach to LASIK can transform your vision.