Dr Roberto Pinelli, a world renowned pioneer and leader in refractive surgery, has brought together some of the most prominent and star-studded personalities in ophthalmology, all of whom are willing to share their experience in LASIK techniques and complications with us. There are numerous chapters wherein each expert has provided instruction in, and the nuances to, his/her own LASIK technique. Complicated cases as well as the detailed medical/surgical approach that led to a successful final outcome, are also presented.

In addition to these medically oriented chapters, there are some other chapters that serve as a “blueprint” for the successful operation of a refractive surgery center, not unlike Dr Pinelli's Istituto Laser Microchirurgia Oculare (ILMO) in Brescia, Italy. These chapters include tips for effective internal and external marketing; how to understand and react to local market forces; insights into the psyche of the refractive surgery patient; and guidelines for proper front desk and technical procedures. Lastly, Dr Pinelli has provided a look at the future by describing both his own PML procedure (Presbyopic Multifocal LASIK), and how best to provide skills transfer to our peers and junior colleagues.

Dr Pinelli has done an enormous service to the refractive surgery community by compiling this unique book, filled with his own invaluable contributions and those of our distinguished and experienced colleagues. In the final analysis, we learn the most from analyzing our failures, and those of the few brave and honest souls who are willing to share their experience with us. As I often tell my residents and fellows: “The most common way to have good judgement is to have had, at one time, bad judgement; we learn best from our mistakes.”

LASIK technique has not only gained popularity and acceptance in the world, but it seems to confirm, along time, its efficacy and safety.

Quick recovery, absence of pain and outstanding outcomes are the reasons of the continuous success of LASIK treatment. Also the Presby-LASIK is now entering in the chapter of presbyopia correction with elegance and scientific evidence, for the treatment of emmetropes-presbyops, myop-presbyops and hyperopic-presbyops.

Finally, the creation of a thin-flap (using mechanical microkeratome or femtosecond laser) has recently gained wide acceptance among the scientific world and the general population.

This book shows the LASIK personal techniques of worldwide experts (Section 2), including a series of clinical cases of LASIK complications and their solution (Section 3).

In this way the reader can have a complete overview of the whole world of LASIK in order to become confident with his surgical technique of refractive surgery.

Thanks to Fabrizio Gabas, Ilaria Sireno and Patrizia Portesi for their competent technical and surgical assistance.

Thanks to Tiziana Busi, Francesca Loda and Linda Zacchi for the realization of the chapters on our Institute in Section 1.

A special thanks to Marguerite McDonald MD, a great friend and a very prestigious colleague, for her precious support in the achievement of this book.