1. A computer system for determining the applicability of a treatment pattern for manipulation of a cornea of an eye using a laser, the computer system capable of: (a) receiving input data corresponding to a desired refractive correction and developing a treatment pattern from the input data; (b) developing an actual volumetric profile from the treatment pattern; (c) receiving a theoretical volumetric profile wherein the theoretical volumetric profile is based on the input data and developed from a basic theoretical model; and (d) comparing the actual volumetric profile with the theoretical volumetric profile to determine whether the actual volumetric profile is within specified tolerances on the basis of the theoretical volumetric profile.