a system and method particularly suited for controlled ablation of the cornea , using ultraviolet laser radiation , with the cornea sculpturing action resulting from a computer driven digital programmed distribution of excimer flux density across a controllable liquid crystal matrix mask to achieve a desired volume and shape of ablation for the correction of the curvature of the cornea . the optical mask , in one embodiment , is based on an arrayable matrix of individual optical pixel cells with two optical states between fully transparent to fully opaque or mirror like to the uv light . the system provides a highly versatile system for correcting known corneal defects in both regular and irregular corneas by simply executing computer customized patterns in very short time and with great precision and detail .