When most of us hear the word laser, we may think of science-fiction movies, futuristic weapons, or a bright red beam of light. But lasers have quietly become an important part of modern healthcare. From correcting eyesight to treating skin problems, removing kidney stones, performing delicate surgeries, laser technology has changed the way doctors diagnose and treat many conditions.
What makes lasers interesting is that they are not really a “new” technology anymore. They have been around for decades, but their use in healthcare has steadily evolved. What started as an experimental idea has now become a routine tool in many hospitals and clinics.
How did it all begin?
The word LASER stands for its physical process “Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation“. The first working laser was demonstrated in 1960. At that time, nobody could have predicted just how useful this unusual form of light would become. The first laser was built in 1960 by an American Physicist Theodore Maiman , based on previous theoretical work by Charles H. Townes and Arthur Leonard Schawlow. Townes along with Soviet Scientists Nikolay Basov and Alexander Prokhov received the 1964 Nobel Prize in Physics for their theoretical work on Maser, precursor of Laser.
Scientists soon began wondering whether lasers could be used in medicine. Light has always interacted with the human body in interesting ways—think of sunlight warming the skin or doctors using light to examine the inside of the eye. Lasers offered something different: a highly concentrated and controllable beam of light, where concentrated light, rather than heat is used to precisely remove diseased tissues.
Lasers changed eye care
Perhaps one of the best-known uses of lasers is in eye care. In 1961, just one year after the laser’s invention, Dr. Charles J. Campbell successfully used a ruby laser to destroy an angiomatous retinal tumor in the eye. Thereafter various scientists such as Beetham, Aiello, Little, Zweng and L’Esperence layed out the general principles of laser retinal photo-coagulation. This technique is useful in treatment of retinal tears, diabetic retinopathy, and ocular tumors.
Various lasers have been used for eye treatments in the past, including ruby (694 nm), argon (488, 514 nm), and krypton (647 nm). Currently the most common lasers are green frequency-doubled neodymium–yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) (532 nm) and yellow semiconductor lasers (577 nm). In ophthalmology, the ability of lasers to target tiny areas of tissue is particularly valuable because the structures of the eye are extremely delicate.
While laser treatment is useful for treating diseases of retina, we can also use it to reshape the cornea—the transparent front part of the eye. This procedure called LASIK (Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis) has become popular for millions of people, who want to reshape their cornea to get rid of spectacles and contact lenses.
Lasers and dermatology and surgery: where technology meets appearance
In 1963, Leon Goldman, also known as the “father of lasers in medicine”, was the first to use the laser in dermatology. Today when we walk into a modern dermatology clinic we are likely to find several types of laser equipment. Lasers are now used for problems such as unwanted hair, certain scars, pigmentation, visible blood vessels, tattoos and some signs of sun damage. They have also become popular in cosmetic procedures designed to improve the appearance and texture of the skin.
Laser technology has also transformed several areas of surgery. In some procedures, lasers can act almost like an extremely precise surgical knife. They may be used to cut tissue, remove abnormal growths or seal blood vessels. In other cases, laser energy is delivered through a thin fiber, allowing doctors to reach areas that would otherwise require larger surgical openings.
Urology is one example. Certain lasers are used to break kidney or urinary stones into smaller pieces, making them easier to remove. Lasers are also used in procedures for an enlarged prostate. In some fields of surgery, laser techniques can mean smaller incisions, less bleeding, reduced discomfort and potentially faster recovery.
The future: smarter, smaller and more personalized
The evolution of laser technology is far from over.
Today’s researchers are working on lasers that can deliver energy with even greater precision. Laser systems are increasingly being combined with imaging technologies, computer guidance and robotic systems. This could allow doctors to see a target more clearly while treating it with extraordinary accuracy.
There is also growing interest in using lasers not simply to destroy tissue, but to stimulate biological processes and support healing. Researchers are studying how controlled light energy might influence cells and tissues in different situations. That journey is still underway—and the next generation of laser technology may make today’s medical lasers look just as old-fashioned as those early machines from the 1960s.
