The Excimer laser is a precise computer directed device which emits a cool beam of laser energy. The laser energy is designed to remove microscopic layers of corneal tissue in very tiny controlled increments. Each laser pulse reshapes the corneal surface by approximately 15 microns (a human hair is around 125 microns in width). The patient’s refractive error is programmed into the laser computer system before the procedure. This information directs the laser to either flatten or steepen the corneal surface as necessary to achieve the best possible visual result. Please see “wavefront” link for more information regarding wavefront guided excimer laser treatment.