Laser/Application

Generally, lasers are used in biomedical research, medical diagnosis, therapy and treatment. Depending on the type of laser, a specific course of treatment can be conducted which makes a laser an excellent treatment option in certain cases. Lasers first were applied in the fields of opthalmology and dermatology in 1961 when Leon Goldman (founder of the American Society for lasers in medicine and surgery) showed how a red beam emitted from a ruby laser can remove melanomas. After that, the technology of using an argon laser to treat detached retinas had been developed. The main principle of this kind of treatment consists of concentrating a laser beam on the area of detached retina, and the highly localized laser power causes the retina to reattach. Nowadays, eximer lasers (ultraviolet lasers) are widely used in both opthalmology and dermatology for cosmetic surgery and cornea-reshaping operations. Cosmetic surgery has largely profitted because of lasers and its applications in removing wrinkles, birthmarks etc. Lasers are widely used as tools in imaging and diagnosis: for example, in early detection of cancer and other various diseases in patients. In fact, laser-based systems are beginning to replace x-rays as laser imaging poses less risk for the patient and proves to be more accurate. Also, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is already applied in ophthalmology in order to get three-dimensional high-resolution images of the tissues - that enables the ophtalmologist to diagnose retinal disease or glaucoma, for instance. Of course, the list of laser applications in medicine is endless, but one may include in it: - Applications of lasers in dentistry for gum surgery, drilling, diagnostics etc. - Neurosurgey where precision is the key for a successful operation - Urology - Varicose treatment - Kidney stones removal - Removal of the prostate - In vivo miscroscopy - used for locating tumors, observing cell changes in living tissues. With science developments happening almost every year, one can outline possibililties of future laser applications in practical medicine and research: - Area of photomedicine (using light-sensitive chemicals in combination with lasers for patients' treatment and diagnosis) - Personalized medicine: lasers can operate on different wavelength which can be altered depending on patient's needs - for example, skin color - Laser tweezers as a tool for biomedical research - Laser as a replacement of a surgical scalpel

All in all, lasers have proved to be an excellent treatment option and also indispensable means in diagnostics and research. Unfortunately, a lot of new technological advances in respect to lasers are quite costly and cannot be afforded by general public. However, tracking back the history of cosmetic surgery, one should hope that the progress in lasers application in medicine will continue to advance for the benefit of the patients and science.

References: Sian Harris. "Lasers in medicine". In: SPIE Professional, January 2011. http://spie.org/x43738.xml

Garrett CG, Ossoff RH, Reinisch L. "Laser surgery: basic principles and safety considerations". In: Cummings CW, Flint PW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2010:chap 3.

Reinisch L, Garrett CG, Courey M."A simplified laser treatment planning system: Proof of concept."In: Lasers Surg Med. 2013 Nov 19