excimer laser

This is a laser used in LASIK surgery.  The laser “beam” produced by this laser has a very short wavelength which is outside of the visible spectrum (so it can’t be seen with the human eye).  Rather than burning or cutting tissue, this laser produces such intense energy that it actually disrupts molecular bonds and essentially disintegrates tissue.  This is useful in LASIK surgery where corneal tissue is ablated (disintegrated) off the surface of the eye and allowed to “blow away in the breeze” … without causing burns or scars on the clear cornea underneath.