Intra LASIK - History

History

Intelligence Surgical Laser (ISL) approached Arturo S. Chayet M.D. (Mexico) in 1994 with the idea of using a picosecond laser as an alternative to the excimer laser for the correction of refractive errors. Soon enough, however, after a series of clinical trials, Chayet concluded that the picosecond laser was not well suited for refractive corrections, but rather for the creation of corneal flaps, which at the time were created with the mechanical microkeratome (Chayet is credited with the conception of Intralasik). The creation of the corneal flap with the picosecond laser, in conjunction with the use of the excimer laser for the corneal ablation, was the first step to creating a spin-off of LASIK. Researchers at the University of Michigan, however, realized that the picosecond laser was inadequate for Chayet's idea and discovered that the femtosecond laser would work more effectively. In 2000, a corneal flap created by the femtosecond laser along with a refractive error corrected by the excimer laser was conducted on a patient for the first time, in which case Intralasik or All Laser LASIK was conducted for the first time.

The term IntraLASIK is derived from IntraLase, the name of the first manufacturer to achieve Food and Drug Administration approval of a femtosecond laser for use in the United States, and the surgical procedure 'LASIK'. Although additional femtosecond laser manufacturers have entered the US market, the name IntraLASIK is commonly used.