Preface

Refractive surgery, meaning any procedure that corrects or minimizes refractive errors, has gained popularity worldwide in recent decades. This book provides essential information about the refractive error most commonly encountered in clinical practice, myopia. Today, laser refractive surgery is recognized as an effective and safe procedure for correcting low and moderate refractive errors, and it has evolved beyond the traditional LASIK procedure. A systematic approach to potential complications is essential to enable refractive surgeons to improve visual outcomes and prevent vision-threatening problems. New keratorefractive techniques such as lenticular extraction (SMILE, SmartSight, CLEAR) are gaining popularity in clinical practice, showing excellent results compared to the standard LASIK technique, but avoiding flap creation and maintaining the biomechanical stability of the cornea.

The chapter on cataract surgery discusses recent progress in surgical techniques, the introduction of a variety of intraocular lenses, advanced optics and the management of specific cases, including options for refractive correction in patients with high residual refractive errors after keratoplasty. With the merging of technologies evolving in the two ophthalmic subspecialties of cataract and glaucoma surgery, good refractive results with minimal spectacle dependence can now be achieved for glaucoma patients.

The goal of this book's editors has been to provide clinically relevant overviews incorporating new developments as well as future perspectives in the fields of refractive, cataract, and combined surgery. We hope that researchers, ophthalmology specialists, and trainees with an interest in refractive surgery will find it interesting and useful. Finally, we acknowledge the support of our outstanding authors, and the time and care they have devoted to their chapters to enable the completion of this book.

> **Maja Bohač and Mateja Jagić** Refractive Surgery Department, University Eye Hospital Svjetlost, Zagreb, Croatia

**1**

Section 1

Introduction

Section 1 Introduction

#### **Chapter 1**
