[Refractive surgery: a solution for elimination of glasses?].

Refractive surgery corresponds to all surgical methods designed for correction of refractive errors called ametropia (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and presbyopia). This area in ophthalmology, recently opened, is in continuous progress concerning techniques of treatment and also of diagnosis. These innovations allowed spectacular performances making possible the corrections of all refractive defaults. Two main categories can be distinguished depending on the corneal or intraocular location of the surgery. The first group includes incisions, excimer photoablation, laser thermokeratoplasty and intrastromal segments. The second group represents implantation of intraocular lens in front of natural lens (phakic IOL) or taking the place of the lens after its removal (pseudophakic IOLs).