For anyone that has a problem with their quality of vision, the chance to improve it through corrective eye surgery is highly attractive. Of course there is always the option of continually using prescription glasses, but on the other hand, surgery can be very effective, whether by laser or through a wide range of optical procedures.

There are a number of procedures in use today with refractive lens replacement surgery one of the most common. Its use of implantable contact lenses means that problems with vision are completely curable. However, treatments did not begin with such high tech and successful procedures and instead were developed slowly over time.

Below is a list of procedures that together map the impressive progression of eye surgery over the last 30 years.

Radial Keratotomy (RK)

Radial Keratotomy was a daring surgery that was developed in the 1980s in the US and involved making incisions in the eye to flatten it in an effort to treat myopia. However, patients who were high prescription lens wearers often complained of regression and fluctuating vision, amongst other ailments, following surgery. These problems ensured that it was quickly made obsolete once more reliable alternatives were developed.

Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK)

Once PRK came along, surgeons were only too happy to do away with RK, and the procedure is still commonly used today. It was the first laser treatment to be considered a success, removing the tissue from the eye in order to alter the curvature of the cornea. Though it too emerged in the 1980s, it has survived because of the fast nerve regeneration rate following PRK surgery.

Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK)

This is the most popular procedure today. It is quick and effective on a wide variety of conditions, including myopia, presbyopia and astigmatism. The procedure is simple, and quite similar to PRK, reshaping the cornea through lasers, but a key difference is that a small flap must be made into the eye which can become infected if not handled properly. Initially developed in 1990 in Europe, it makes use of kermatomileusis which was also developed in 1990, though in Colombia.

There are several variations of the procedure, with LASEK dealing with the epithelium - the thin outer covering of the eye, EpiLASIK which uses a different cutting implement, All-Laser or Bladeless LASIK and the Wavefront LASIK, which uses excimer lasers to correct the smallest vision errors.

Conductive Keratoplasty, CK

The technology used in CK procedures includes low heat radio waves to correct near vision for farsighted individuals. It has only been used since 2002, but it is particularly good in presbyopic sufferers. It is also used by some people after cataract or LASIK surgery to improve their near vision.

Implantable Lenses, IL

The implantable lens has made several conditions completely curable, with little fear of regression. It has been used in Europe since the late 1990s. The fact that a lens can now be implanted inside the eye, replacing the old, faulty lens, increases the chances of long term successes, and the technique is applicable in a number of procedures. Special lenses, such as multifocal lenses, have been developed in recent years serving to correct nearsightedness and farsightedness amongst other visual conditions.

Refractive Lens Exchange, RLE

There is one crucial difference between RLE and cataract surgery, which is that RLE removes a lens that is misshapen and replaces it with a synthetic lens. The procedure is based on the fact that the lens is not flexible enough, something that is generally related to the elderly. It is very popular as a solution to severe conditions.

Cataract Surgery

This procedure, which is also the most recent, also involves changing lenses, with the development of implantable contact lenses around 15 years ago. While RLE will replace a lens with a prescription lens, cataract surgery usually involves replacing a cloudy lens with a clear non-prescription lens.

The world of eye treatment has changed dramatically with refractive lens exchange surgery one of the major breakthroughs with the ability of altering the performance of the eye through implantable prescription lenses. Using these advanced types of surgical techniques can help people to once more enjoy perfect eyesight, even after they have suffered a serious eye condition.