ABSTRACT
The most widespread medical application for laser technology in medicine has been in ophthalmology. Since the introduction of the ruby laser more than three decades ago, ophthalmic laser applications have experienced rapid growth with use of the argon, krypton, argon pumped dye, Nd:YAG, and, most recently, diode lasers. Lasers have achieved remarkable clinical successes in the treatment of retinal diseases, glaucoma, and lens capsule opacification following cataract surgery. The 1990s saw another period of rapid growth of ophthalmic laser technology with the then newly devised excimer and midinfrared lasers.
