Editing LASIK (section)

=== Implementation in the United States ===
The LASIK technique was implemented in the US after its successful application elsewhere. The [[Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA) commenced a trial of the excimer laser in 1989. The first enterprise to receive FDA approval to use an excimer laser for photo-refractive keratectomy was Summit Technology.<ref name="fda.gov">{{cite web |url=https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/lasik/fda-approved-lasers-prk-and-other-refractive-surgeries |title=FDA-Approved Lasers for PRK and Other Refractive Surgeries |website=U.S. [[Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA) |access-date=10 December 2011 |archive-date=14 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914194129/https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/lasik/fda-approved-lasers-prk-and-other-refractive-surgeries |url-status=live }}</ref>
In 1992, under the direction of the FDA, Greek ophthalmologist [[Ioannis Pallikaris]] introduced LASIK to ten VISX centers. In 1998, the "Kremer Excimer Laser", serial number KEA 940202, received FDA approval for its singular use for performing LASIK.<ref name="Reference A">{{cite web |url=https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/lasik/list-fda-approved-lasers-lasik |title=List of FDA-Approved Lasers for LASIK |website=U.S. [[Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA) |access-date=10 December 2011 |archive-date=14 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914194129/https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/lasik/list-fda-approved-lasers-lasik |url-status=live }}</ref> Subsequently, Summit Technology was the first company to receive FDA approval to mass manufacture and distribute excimer lasers. VISX and other companies followed.<ref name="Reference A" />
[[File:MEL60-UOC.jpg|thumb|The excimer laser that was used for the first LASIK surgeries by I. Pallikaris]] [[Ioannis Pallikaris|Pallikaris]] suggested a flap of cornea could be raised by microkeratome prior to the performing of PRK with the excimer laser. The addition of a flap to PRK became known as LASIK. The use of a femtosecond laser to raise the flap of cornea was discovered after a graduate student at the [[University of Michigan]] suffered an accidental laser eye injury in 1993. Tibor Juhasz and Ron Kurtz developed this approach and went on to found [[IntraLase]] to perform bladeless LASIK surgery.<ref name="nsf.gov">{{cite web |url=https://new.nsf.gov/science-matters/invention-impact-story-lasik-eye-surgery |title=Invention to Impact: The story of LASIK eye surgery |website=U.S. [[National Science Foundation]] (NSF) |date=15 March 2024 |access-date=15 October 2024  }}</ref>