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Femtosecond laser technology will likely be integrated into an increasing number of procedures
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 Richard L. Lindstrom |
ROME — Femtosecond laser technology has been fully integrated in refractive, corneal and scleral surgery and is likely to be the future of cataract surgery, according to Richard L. Lindstrom, MD, speaking at the annual joint meeting of Ocular Surgery News and the Italian Society of Ophthalmology.
"Femtosecond laser technology is designed to deliver unique precision for capsulotomy and corneal incision, as well as improved IOL performance via effective lens positioning. On the whole, what we get is a more predictable, safe and reproducible procedure," Dr. Lindstrom, OSN Chief Medical Editor, said.
However, considering the high costs of femtosecond lasers and the high standards achieved by conventional cataract surgery, some questions arise with use.
"Do we really need to switch to femto-phaco? Is it worth the extra costs involved?" Dr. Lindstrom said.
Looking at the results of large series over a long span of time, since the introduction of microincision cataract surgery and premium lenses, visual outcomes remain inferior to those obtained by PRK and LASIK, he said. They are also variable and surgeon-dependent.
"There is still ground for improvement: We want to make cataract surgery more reproducible, safer and complication-free, and the way is femtosecond laser," he said.
In the next few years, demand-driven health care will become a more widely accepted proposition, and the added cost will no longer be an issue but rather a way of involving patients in the decision-making process.
"We expect that quite a few of the baby boomers will be prepared to share the cost to have a truly premium, value-added surgical experience," Dr. Lindstrom said.
Dr. Lindstrom was awarded the 2011 SOI Honorary Award in Ophthalmology at the meeting.
- Disclosure: Dr. Lindstrom provides practice management or marketing consulting services to 3D Vision Systems, Abbott Medical Optics, AcuFocus, Adoptics, Advanced Refractive Technologies, Alcon Laboratories, Aquesys, Bausch + Lomb, Biosyntrix, Bradley Scott Inc., Calhoun Vision, Clarity Ophthalmics, Clear Sight, Glaukos Corporation, High Performance Optics, Hoya Surgical Optics, LenSx, OCULAR SURGERY NEWS/SLACK Incorporated, TearLabs Inc. and TLC Vision Corporation.