Femtosecond laser delivers accuracy, speed to cataract surgery

Kansas City, MO-The femtosecond laser brings a new level of precision to multiple steps of cataract surgery and improves the accuracy, predictability, and safety of patient outcomes, said John F. Doane, MD, FACS.

"It is hard to look at the femtosecond laser and not think that it will have a tremendous impact in the future," said Dr. Doane, in practice at Discover Vision Centers, Kansas City, MO. "Even now, new windows for its use continue to open.

"The femtosecond laser won't make cataract surgery cheaper, but it will eventually make it faster, and we hope patients will see that it is better," he said. "Improved safety and the ability to provide better refractive outcomes will be the selling points of this technology for surgeons and patients."

However, after cataract surgery or refractive lens exchange with implantation of a pseudophakic IOL, only about 50% of eyes are within 0.5 D of refractive target, Dr. Doane said.