Laser and non-laser surgery

While the terms 'laser eye surgery' and 'refractive surgery' are commonly used as if they were interchangeable, this is not the case. Lasers may be used to treat nonrefractive conditions (e.g. to seal a retinal tear), and radial keratotomy is an example of refractive surgery without the use of a laser.

Types of eye surgeries

• Cataract Surgery to remove the cloudy human lens which can be replaced with a plastic lens implant
  • Intracapsular
  • Extracapsular
    • Phacoemulsification

• YAG Laser Capsulotomy is used to clear the back implant surface of the cloudy posterior capsule which surrounds the lens implant

• Glaucoma Surgery to allow escape of excess fluid from the eye to lower intraocular pressure
  • Goniotomy
  • Iridotomy
    • LPI
  • Trabeculectomy
  • Trabeculoplasty
    • ALT/LTP
    • SLT
  • Trabeculotomy

• Refractive surgery aims to correct errors of refraction in the eye, reducing or eliminating the need for corrective lenses
  • Keratomilleusis
  • ALK
  • LASIK
  • LASEK
  • Epi-LASIK
  • PRK
  • LTK
  • CK
  • LRI
  • ACS
  • AK
  • RK
  • HK
  • Epikeratophakia
  • Corneal ring segments (Intacs)
  • Implantable contact lenses
  • Scleral expansion bands

• Corneal Surgery
  • Penetrating Keratoplasty (i.e. Corneal Transplant Surgery) is used to remove a cloudy/diseased cornea and replace it with a clear donor cornea]
  • PTK
  • Pterygium Removal

• Vitreal-Retinal Surgery
  • Vitrectomy
    • TPPV
  • PRP
  • Retinal Detachment Repair
    • Scleral Buckle
    • Pneumatic Retinopexy
  • Macular Hole Repair
  • Sclerochoroidectomy

• Strabismus Surgery
  • Weakening Procedures
    • Recession
    • Tenectomy
    • Tenotomy
  • Stengthening Procedures
    • Resection
  • Transposition Procedures

• Oculoplastics
  • Blepharoplasty
  • Eye Removal
    • Enucleation
    • Eviseration
    • Exenteration