Femtosecond laser crosslinking of the cornea for non-invasive vision correction

The prevalence of myopia has increased worldwide over the last 50 years. Its incidence in the United States and Europe is now almost twice that 50 years ago, and it is even more prevalent in East Asia. Spectacles and contact lenses remain the most common means of vision correction, but the permanent correction of refractive errors, by refractive surgery, has emerged as an attractive alternative. However, such surgery is an invasive procedure that may compromise corneal structure, and post-surgical complications have been reported. We propose a novel, non-invasive approach to permanent vision correction based on a different mode of laser–cornea interaction. Our approach induces the formation of a low-density plasma that produces reactive oxygen species, which react with the surrounding proteins, forming crosslinks and triggering spatially resolved changes in mechanical properties. We show that the proposed method changes the refractive power of the eye, and confirm its safety and stability. Laser-driven crosslinking of molecules at the cornea offers a non-invasive alternative to surgical correction of the refractive power of the eye.