Lamellar Refractive Surgery, currently known as LASIK, PRK, LASEK, started in the mid twentieth century when Dr. José I. Barraquer Moner, in trying to solve the problems of patients with keratoconus, observed the considerable reduction of the myopic defect after placing on those large cones a lamellar corneal graft of 12 mm in diameter. The refractive change resulted from the subsequent flattening of the cornea.

He then began the clinical observation of the refractive changes occurring with the different corneal diseases as a result of surgical or accidental scars, as well as of ametropias that are often associated with extreme corneal curvature values (hyperopia in cases of flat corneas, myopia in cases of very steep corneas), confirming the possibility of correcting refractive defects by modifying the corneal curvature radius.

This led him to manually alter the shape or thickness of donor tissues in lamellar keratoplasties, thus confirming the validity of his hypothesis

The observation of corrected ametropias or keratoplasty-induced ametropias, led the author to propose 1) the use of lamellar methods on the cornea in order to modify refraction in ametropic eyes, in his paper “Refractive Keratoplasty” published in 1949 in 4 languages ( Spanish, English, French and German) in the Ophthalmologic Studies and Reports of the Barraquer Institute, and 2) the possibility of modifying refraction using intralamellar inserts in the cornea. -J.I.Barraquer (Spain)

- Preservation of corneal transparency in anterior lamellar grafts with modification of corneal lamellar parallelism.
- Cutting of grafts with a diopter value by modifying the shape of cornea with a plano section.
- Development of the cryolathe.
- Possibility of producing lathe-cut grafts with a precise refractive value in a frozen cornea.
- Preservation of transparency in lamellar grafts cut from frozen corneas at -79° C.
- Possibility of modifying refraction in the desired direction using refractive grafts.
- Technique for anterior lamellar grafts and autologous grafts with dioptric value.
- Possibility of using corneal tissue lenses for intralamellar insertion to modify refraction - J.I. Barraquer - (Colombia)

By 1963, and continuing with his research:

-Preservation of intralamellar corneal lenticular inserts.
-Repopulation and survival (with no resorption) of intracorneal lenticles, with changes in lamellar parallelism.
-Repopulation of dead lenticle inserts.
-Development of the microkeratome.
-Keratophakia. Initial clinical developments.
-Drs J.I. Barraquer M, Francisco Barraquer Coll, Mr. Francisco Vidaller (Colombia)

In 1964
-Relation between corneal curvature and corneal thickness. - Keratomileusis.
-Introduction into the OR of a lathe for corneal curve shaping.
- Use of electronic calculators (Friden 132) - J.I. Barraquer ( Colombia)

In 1969
-Use of programmable calculators.( Olivetti 101)- J.I.Barraquer ( Colombia)

In 1970
- Development of wave front technology for applications in astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany.
-Publication of the book entitled “Refractive Keratoplasty” Jose I.Barraquer, editor. (Colombia)

In 1977
- First course on Refractive Keratoplasty. Seventeen of these courses were held until 1984 - Barraquer Institute(Colombia)
- Development of calculations for keratomileusis in a Texas Instruments (TI-57) programmable calculator with doctors José Miguel Varas Torres and Angel Hernandez Lozano – Barraquer Institute (Colombia)

In 1978
Application of wavefront theories in ophthalmology (Germany)

In 1979 – Electronic programmable lathe - J.I Barraquer (Colombia)
-Programming of an Apple II computer in order to run the calculations for refractive surgery with doctors José Miguel Varas Torres and Angel Hernandez Lozano – Barraquer Institute (Colombia)

In 1980 – First book published "Keratomileusis and Keratophakia” – author Dr J.I.Barraquer ( Colombia)
-Design of Epikeratophakia. Doctors Theodor Werblin, Margerite McDonald, H.Kauffman (USA)

In 1983, first publication on Excimer Laser for refractive sugery by doctor Stephen Trokel - (U.S.A)
- Teaching courses of Epikeratophakia and commercial availability of pre-cut lenticles to perform the procedure
Dr H,Kauffman, Margerite McDonald – (New Orleans)

In 1985 – Electric-freezing computerized lathe – Parabolic cut - J.I.Barraquer (Colombia)
-Development of Planar Keratomileusis (no freezing) known as BKS from Barraquer- Krumeich - Swinger. (Germany and U.S.A)

In 1987 – Development of In Situ Keratomileusis, doctor Luis A.Ruiz (Barraquer Institute - Colombia)
-Commercial development of the first Corneal Topographer - Corneal Modeling System - doctors Maguire and Gormley (U.S.A)

In 1988 – Development of the Automathed microkeratome named A.C.S. by Enginier Lenchig and Dr Luis A.Ruiz ( Colombia)
- Diffusion of the In Situ Keratomileusis technique.Dr Luis A Ruiz

In 1989 – Second book published “Corneal Refractive Surgery” together with doctors Carmen Barraquer Coll and Alejandro Arciniegas Castilla, and engineer Luis E. Amaya - Barraquer Institute (Colombia)
-First Excimer Laser surgery in a patient using the superficial technique (PRK) - Dr Margarite McDonald (U.S.A)
Since then, dissemination, development and evolution of Excimer Laser Keratomileusis with both the superficial and stromal techniques (PRK and LASIK, respectively).

In 1995 – Development of the pivot microkeratome by doctors Cesar Carriazo and José I. Barraquer - Barraquer Institute (Colombia)

In 1998 – Commercial development of aberrometers for measurement of ocular wave fronts.

In 2001 – Development of the Pendular microkeratome - Doctor Cesar Carriazo.- (Colombia)
-Development of software for customized ablations (U.S.A.- Germany -Switzerland)

In 2003 – Commercial development of the Femtosecond Infrared laser for lamellar corneal incisions in ophthalmology (Germany - Switzerland -U.S.A)