Laser therapy for eye disorders

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Since the first application of lasers in medicine in the early 1960s, laser therapy has had remarkable success in several specialties including ophthalmology. Lasers are ideally suited to ophthalmic work because of the precision possible with the finely focused high-energy beam. The dramatic results that can be achieved in this field are probably best characterized by argon laser photocoagulation of proliferating retinal vessels, which prevents blindness in diabetic patients. Dr Mensher describes how lasers are currently being used to save vision in diabetic retinopathy and other eye disorders.