Abstract

Recently, ultrafast lasers have received increased attention in a variety of biomedical applications, including refractive corneal surgery. The laser-tissue interaction with ultrashort laser pulses is based on laser-induced optical breakdown (LIOB), which results in the generation of a microplasma. Due to the expansion of the hot plasma a shock wave and a cavitation bubble are generated. As a result of this process, termed photodisruption, tissue in the focal volume is destroyed. LIOB can be achieved at significantly smaller threshold energies when using femtosecond laser pulses [1]. Furthermore, shock wave and cavitation bubble effects are reduced for the shorter pulses [2], allowing for minimally invasive and well localized corneal surgical procedures.

© 1998 IEEE