Introduction
The world is now edging sixty years since the development of lasers and their wider applications in various industries like manufacturing and medicine. Indeed, the advancement of this technology has made a quick revolution, especially in medicine. Luckily, lasers use light photons to perform the intended task. There are different types of lasers. Each type performs its own function. While engineers use lasers in manufacturing products, businesspersons in supermarkets, gynecologists use carbon dioxide lasers for gynecological operations. (Kaplan, pp. 195-196). Thus, people suffering from various defects like gynecology, myopia, astigmatism and hyperopia are in potential, to once again, bear children normally and stop wearing sunglasses respectively. For example, indispensable eye defects occur when the retina cannot focus properly. This is because, the retina relies heavily on the cornea and if the cornea cannot focus light, then a certain defect occurs. The same case happens when the cervix is unable to dispel some cells. The cells can lead to cervical cancer if left in the cervix for a long time. The paper will examine advancements in laser surgery technologies.
Laser Surgery in Ophthalmology
With lasers, doctors can perform surgical operations even on small body organs like the eye with a lot of easiness and correct the defect. For example, laser eye surgery is the most prominent and successive medical technology over the recent years. People suffering from vision impairments can undergo surgical eye surgery and retain their sight. Usually, the operation takes less time to complete. Both government and private hospitals are now using this technology to offer services to their patients. Under this technology, the laser applies the principle of fluorescence to send beams into an eye cornea turning it back into its original position and shape. A type of laser known as Excimer normally does this correction. Under normal situations, the excimer is a source of ultraviolet light. Since laser beams travel in a straight line, doctors place them directly into the eye of a patient vaporizing the eye. (Uhr, pp. 435-438).
Interestingly, since eye defects are mainly erroring on the refractive index, the excimer has the capability to alter any error that might have occurred. Laser eye surgery or Lasik surgery helps doctors to measure the extent of eye defects. The laser-guided beam forms a three-dimensional optical eye figure at the same time highlighting the affected areas. The excimer then works under wave-front technology normalizing all aberrations. Wave-front technology is the most recently developed laser eye surgery where doctors perform a surgical operation of removing the upper eye layer and then an ultra-violet beam directed into the eye. There are many advantages associated with this technology. Any person undergoing this operation, receive more operation better than in the past.
Lasers Surgery in Gynecology
Another development so far realized in the field of laser surgery is the use of lasers in gynecology. Surgical laser gynecological applications continue to help pregnant mothers to deliver easily and evade cervical cancer. Although this kind of laser operation is expensive, its benefits are great. About four years ago, scientists in the United Kingdom developed a new laser surgery technology used in gynecology. Doctors in the United Kingdom use Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) technology to treat a gynecological defect called cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) or simply cervical dysp1asia. What normally happens here is that extra cells from the cervix move downwards towards the vagina and cause a lot of pain. The problem is that nobody can view these cells with the naked eye. Nevertheless, if these cells remain there for a long time, there is a likelihood of somebody developing cervical cancer. Many years back, patients suffering from cervical cancer had to undergo a physical surgical operation in order to heal the disease.
However, with the development of laser surgery techniques, patients suffering from cervical cancer do not need an operation to heal the ailment. Currently, doctors in the United States of America have found this laser technology so important in treating the growing number of suffering women aged below 25 years because; the past cryosurgery done to this type of patient was never effective due to its complicated nature. Interestingly, over the recent years, doctors have been in serious debates on the method to apply when treating CIN. However, since the development of LEEP, many doctors now agree to use this laser technology since it is easier to perform and less time-consuming. With lasers, doctors and especially laparoscopic surgeons find it easier to vaporize the cervix eventually leading to the healing of the patient. (Health Canada, Para. 1-11).
Since the cervix is a more delicate tissue, it offers little choice to doctors on the particular method to use in treating patients suffering from cervical cancer or having genital problems. The most efficient laser type used in this scenario is a carbon dioxide laser. The laser has the potential to destroy all lesions already infected with excessive cells and create normalcy in the affected areas.
Laser for Cancer Treatment
Laser surgery is also paramount in the treatment of liver cancer. Doctors use laser tools that produce magnetic resonance, which kills cancerous liver cells. For example, at the University of Frankfurt Germany, surgeons have treated many patients suffering from liver cancer using this laser technology. The magnetic resonance destroys tumor cells or tissues within the shortest time possible. Furthermore, unlike traditional surgical techniques, the chances of a patient surviving when carrying out laser surgery on the liver are higher as compared to the traditional method. Interestingly, this laser ablation technology applied concurrently with chemotherapy has proved to be more efficient in treating both sides of the liver something the old technique cannot perform. The advantages associated with this technique revolve around surgical operations. Laser ablation on the liver does not involve the use of a scalpel instead, the technology uses magnetic resonance provided by laser equipment. (Wolfensberger, pp. 303-308).
Conclusion
The development of lasers meant development in many scientific areas ranging from manufacturing to business to medicine. Of great concern is how lasers have revolutionized the medical industry. Eye defects like farsightedness and astigmatism can now be corrected using laser beams. millions of patients who are suffering from various cancer and liver diseases making them spend their time in bed and wheelchairs, now have hope to heal due to laser surgical technology. The number of people wearing sunglasses is reducing alarmingly because; laser eye surgery corrects eye abnormalities within hours without undergoing a major physical operation.
Perhaps the only disadvantage associated with laser surgery technology is that it is expensive and many people especially in developing countries cannot afford certain laser treatments. With technology still advancing, there are expectations that much more diseased will be defeated. Governments should ensure laser surgery equipment is readily available and easily accessible to the public. Nevertheless, there are also minor problems associated with this technology. The unavailability of properly trained personnel who knows how to operate laser surgery machines sometimes hampers the output. Overall, many people worldwide acknowledge laser surgery technology as one of the best emerging technology saving the lives of many patients.
Works Cited
Health Canada. Laser Eye Surgery for Vision Correction. Government of Canada Website. Web.
Kaplan, Giler. CO2 Laser Surgery. Journal of Medical Engineering and Technology, 8(4), 1984, 195-196.
Uhr, Barry. History of ophthalmology at Baylor University Medical Center. Hi Proc Baylor University Medical Center, 16(4), 2003, 435–438.
Wolfensberger, Thomas. Jules Gonin. Pioneer of retina detachment surgery. Indian Journal of Ophthalmology, 51(4), 2003, 303-308.