Forget about flying cars! The future is now, and the future is medical lasers. (Fun fact: The word laser is actually an acronym for “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.” ) Medical lasers are for more than just tattoo and hair removal. (Though they can be used for that too, which is great!) They can do a ton of really cool things that you may not have known about! Here are just a few:

They can fix your eyes!– Okay, so maybe you’ve already heard of Lasik. But it’s still amazing to consider that a doctor can manipulate the inside of your eye without invasive surgery, just with the power of concentrated focused light! Using the medical laser, the technicians reshape the cornea to remove any dents or imperfections that could be affecting the refraction and reflection of light. Science is a miracle.

They can alleviate chronic pain!– If you’re one of the 1.5 billion people across the world who lives with chronic pain, this could mean good news for you. Medical lasers can be used to stimulate cell healing and growth, allowing you relief from your serious pain without the need for seriously invasive surgeries. Laser therapy is basically like acupuncture without the needles. (And the laser therapy device won’t actively poke you!)

They can help your pets with their pain!– Here’s the coolest part: there are even veterinary lasers! So instead of having to worry about putting your pet under for pain-management surgery, or making them take prescription drugs, you could try veterinary laser therapy. Since the sessions only last for 10 to 20 minutes, it’s easy on your pets, and easier on you. These procedures work extra efficiently on larger animals like horses.

So go do some more research and find out if there are any ways you can take advantage of all the things medical lasers can do!