Experimental corneal studies with the excimer laser

The excimer laser is potentially capable of achieving wide area central corneal reprofiling because of its extreme precision and limited penetration into adjacent tissues. A beam modifying system designed for this application is described. Initial clinical studies in monkeys and in ten human patients with blind eyes were performed. Long-term clinical data and interim histologic analyses are available from these studies. The results indicate that following ablation with an ultraviolet laser in both humans and primates, the ablated tissue shows a normal healing reaction resulting in a mild to moderate stromal interface haze. The effects of this healing on best corrected vision must be elucidated through additional research. Some loss of refractive effect was seen early in the healing process with apparent stabilization.