Laser sharp

LIGHT amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (LASER) sounds like something an extra in Star Trek or Doctor Who might say, but in reality it is a technology which has revolutionised surgery in both humans and animals. Of the veterinary species, the horse is particularly well suited to laser surgery, with the technology lending itself to so-called minimally invasive surgery (such as keyhole surgery), which is often performed inside the animal.

A laser generates an intense beam of light, created when electrons in the atoms in optical materials like glass, crystal, or gas absorb the energy from an electrical current. All atoms have electrons surrounding their centre, and these electrons are in different orbits, a little like moons around a planet.