Keratomileusis

Corneal sculpting surgery wherein a microkeratome is used to expose the collagen layer (“stroma”) for optical sculpting purposes. Before the development of excimer lasers, surgery of this type was performed by (a) removing completely a superficial disc of cornea (called the “cap”); (b) placing the cap in a microscopic lathe; (c) freezing the tissue; (d)lathe-carving the desired optical correction into the inside surface; (e) thawing the tissue; and (f) suturing the cap back in place. Modern LASIK is much more elegant, more precise, and less invasive.