It’s obviously always difficult to predict the future, but the next great push in refractive surgery is moving towards “wavefront” technology. Current technology creates an “off-the-rack” laser ablation to correct whatever glasses prescription that is entered into the laser’s computer.
It is very rare for anyone to have a perfectly smooth cornea without measurable peaks and valleys. These can be shown on a corneal topographic map like the one below and to the left. The areas of similar color should be perfectly circular, but as you can see, there are undulations and differences. This cornea would actually be considered to be quite regular, most are not this regular. Current LASIK surgery flattens the cornea, but any irregularities that were present before surgery will be present after surgery.
An example is at the lower right. You can appreciate the center of the corneaso develop a polymer substance that would replace the lens.
Other research is going toward different surgical procedures to stretch the area of the sclera where the lens attaches giving the lens more room to maneuver. In either case, much more work is yet to be done.
