The human eye is one of the most robust organs in the body, able to deal with infections and injuries through rapid self-healing properties.
But there are certain vision problems that can only be dealt with through the use of corrective lenses or other visual aid devices.
Thankfully, surgical procedures have evolved over the past few decades, making it possible to correct many vision problems through surgery.
One of the earliest forms of eye surgery is cataract removal which was performed in a very primitive way as early as the 6th century BC.
Modern cataract surgery has been practiced in the U.
S.
since the 1940s with fairly good results.
However, until recently it was common for cataract patients to develop new cataracts within a few years of having the original ones removed.
New methods of cataract surgery, which use ultrasonic waves to disintegrate the affected portion of the lens, have proven successful to the extent that the correction can be permanent in many cases.
The most common form of eye surgery practiced today is LASIK eye surgery.
This procedure uses medical-grade lasers to correct such vision problems as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
LASIK eye surgery was first invented by a Spanish ophthalmologist in the early 1950s.
His concept was later developed in the Soviet union in the 1970s and still further at Columbia University in the 1980s.
LASIK was granted a U.
S.
patent in 1989 and FDA approval in 1998.
Since then it has become one of the most successful and popular eye surgeries on the market.
Due to the fact that most vision problems are caused by issues with the mechanical parts of the eye, such as the lens and cornea, efforts to correct such problems through surgery are generally successful.
As to the permanence of these corrections, the jury's still out.
Some LASIK patients report a return to their former vision problems within 10-12 years of having the surgery.
Likewise, some cataract patients will develop further vision issues in future years.
While no surgical procedure is perfect, technological developments in eye surgery are making such procedures more viable and successful every day.