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First Cataract Surgery with a Femtosecond Laser in the United States Performe
From Cataract & Refractive Surgery
By Stephen Daily
Product Releases
The first cataract surgery in the United States using a femtosecond laser was performed by Stephen G. Slade, MD, on Feb. 26 at his office-based ambulatory surgery center in Houston.
Dr. Slade used the LenSx (LexSx Lasers Inc.), one of three femtosecond lasers currently approved for cataract surgery in the United States.
“The surgeries turned out even better than I expected. We have done 8 cases and all were 20/25 or better at day one. Although anecdotal, both my partner and I independently felt that the corneas at day one were exceptionally clear,” said Dr. Slade in an interview with Advanced Ocular Care.
LenSx received the first femtosecond laser clearance for a cataract surgery indication in August 2009 for anterior capsulotomy, followed by a clearance for corneal incisions in December 2009.
First introduced as an alternative to automated blades used in LASIK, femtosecond technology has garnered a lot of attention in the ophthalmic industry in recent months because of its newly implemented use in removing a cataract and its ability to create a perfect capsulorhexis, along with making cataract and limbal relaxing incisions.
In Dr. Slade’s procedures, 100% of capsulotomies performed were perfectly centered and achieved diametric accuracy of ± 0.25 mm, according to LexSx. Precise corneal incisions were effectively created by the laser, and all were self-sealing postoperatively.
Dr. Slade presented his experience at the 2010 Dulaney-AIRS Aspen Invitational Refractive Symposium on March 9.
Although there are obstacles to the adoption of femtosecond lasers in cataract surgery, such as cost and logistics, Dr. Slade said he believes femtosecond laser technology will become the preferred method of cataract surgery and its acceptance will be driven by both surgeons and patients.
“I believe patients will benefit from a lower complication rate and from improved refractive results,” Dr. Slade said. “The ability of the laser to make reproducible corneal incisions and capsulotomies will allow us to optimize the lens position and astigmatism now. In the future, we will be able to make corneal astigmatic incisions to deal with pre-existing or induced cylinder.”
Lola Anderson of Houston, the first US patient to experience laser cataract surgery with a premium IOL, described the surgery as “an awesome experience.”
“I didn’t feel a thing. It gave me great confidence to know that my surgeon had the very latest laser technology for my cataract surgery,” she said in a LenSx news release.