In this debut volume in a planned series, Azar (ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School) and Koch (ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX) introduce how LASIK (laser- in-situ keratomileusis) has re-shaped initial professional apathy/ hostility toward refractive eye surgery. Azar overviews this innovative surgical technique of reshaping the cornea to correct refractive errors with a laser beam, its epidemiology, and alternatives. The 35 contributions discuss such topics as the history of LASIK, basic aspects of lasers in LASIK, adjunctive instrumentation, pre- and post-operative considerations, LASIK for specific vision disorders, and management of complications. The final paper addresses safety, vision quality, and patient acceptance issues in determining LASIK's future. Includes color and b&w images. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
