Laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery combines high-ablation precision and minimized collateral tissue effects to nonthermally dissociate dense corneal tissue. The procedure has benefited millions of patients and sparked increased interest in the principles and research behind it. This Spotlight discusses femtosecond-laser-assisted LASIK surgery and its three primary components: wavefront detection, femtosecond-laser flap creation, and excimer-laser cornea correction.