The Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded today to Gérard Mourou, PhD and Donna Strickland, PhD,  two physicists who helped to develop laser technology used in LASIK laser eye surgery. In granting the award, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences noted Dr. Mourou and Strickland developed laser chirped pulse amplification, a technology which allowed laser energy to be compressed into incredibly short time intervals, increasing the intensity of the laser in each ultra short pulse. The Academy emphasized this laser technology’s “benefit to humankind”:  “Its uses include the millions of corrective eye surgeries that are conducted every year using . . . laser beams.” In particular, ultra short pulse laser technology led to the development of femtosecond lasers. Femtosecond lasers are used in LASIK to create the LASIK flap and also are used in a different corneal refractive laser eye surgery technique known as “SMILE”. Femtosecond lasers are now also being used in cataract surgery as well. Dr. Strickland was the third woman in history to win the Nobel Prize in physics, joining Marie Curie.