How long has LASIK been performed?
LASIK has been performed internationally for approximately 10 years. It was first performed in clinical trials in the U.S. in 1995. It is important to note that the major components of the procedure have a long history. Ophthalmologists have been reshaping the cornea for over 50 years, creating a protective layer of tissue for over 35 years, and using the excimer laser since the 1980s.
LASIK uses both the Excimer Laser and a microkeratome together. The Excimer Laser has been used since the mid 1980’s and in 1995 received the FDA approval for PRK, a procedure where the cornea or front surface of the eye is reshaped. Physicians have been creating a protective flap of tissue for over thirty years. In 1991 these two techniques were combined to create the LASIK procedure for use in refractive surgery. The LASIK procedure has been used most widely outside the United States, where government regulatory oversight is not as stringent. It has been under investigation by the FDA since 1995 and is now approved.
