ABSTRACT
Modern lamellar refractive surgery has its roots in the pioneer work of Professor José Ignacio Barraquer of Colombia. In 1949, Barraquer suggested that by adding or removing corneal tissue, it was possible to manipulate surgically the curvature of the air/tear film interface, where the two thirds of the refractive power of the eye is located (1). From the very beginning, he realized the importance of preserving each layer of the cornea, and so corneal lamellar techniques started to develop.
