Abstract
Femtosecond laser’s ultra-fast pulse duration results in a precise cut with low thermal energy. This precise and directed energy with low collateral tissue damage has been shown to be advantageous for ocular surgery with proven safety and reproducibility. The history and science, of femtosecond lasers as well as their evolution in eye surgery is discussed. The practical and current use of femtosecond laser in eye surgery is presented including its application in laser assisted cataract surgery, laser assisted ketatomileusis flap creation, intracorneal ring segment placement, femtosecond lenticle extraction, small incision lenticle extraction, creation of tunnels for presbyopic correcting corneal inlays, and femtosecond laser assisted penetrating keratoplasty. In each of these applications, the benefits and risks of the femtosecond laser procedure are reviewed and potential future applications of femtosecond in the field of Ophthalmic Surgery are discussed.