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Femtosecond laser has potential across subspecialties
SAN DIEGO — Femtosecond laser has the potential for multiple applications across subspecialties, offering excellent safety and reproducibility, including possibly in glaucoma and retina treatments, a physician said here.
Richard L. Lindstrom, MD, spoke at Glaucoma Day preceding the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meeting in the Cataract/Cornea Crossover Topic. He said femtosecond laser platforms are clinically well-established for LASIK flap creation on five platforms.
"Advances will come in both the imaging and diagnostics technology that would allow us to have applications to other fields, and I firmly believe glaucoma will be one of those," he said. "We will have to sort out, certainly, and understand better the demand and the business model, but I firmly believe that the 78 million baby boomers will probably find this very, very attractive. And the early surgeons who have adopted this technology are not finding much difficulty generating significant interest from their patients as to this alternative, if you will, to manual surgery. So lots more to learn."
For laser refractive cataract surgery, four companies are developing platforms: Alcon LenSx, LensAR, OptiMedica and Technolas Perfect Vision. Three companies, Abbott Medical Optics, Schwind and Carl Zeiss Meditec, are in undisclosed stages of development. The technology offers excellent precision, smaller incisions and enhanced IOL performance, Dr. Lindstrom said. It creates a safer, more predictable and reproducible procedure.
- Disclosure: Dr. Lindstrom is a consultant for Abbott Medical Optics, Alcon Laboratories and LenSx.