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Surgeon looks at titratable, adjustable LRIs
NEW YORK — Using a femtosecond laser to create limbal relaxing incisions that are "titratable" is an idea offered by a presenter here.
"LRIs — the ability to treat astigmatism — is the No. 1 rate-limiting factor that keeps many ophthalmologists away from the premium IOL channel," Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD, said at OSN New York 2011.
"The ability to treat astigmatism is just so important today," Dr. Donnenfeld said, suggesting that the manual ability to perform LRIs is good but that the use of femtosecond technology to create LRIs is inevitable. Furthermore, he suggested that LRI incisions be "opened up" after the first incisions are made and adjusted to achieve optimal outcomes.
The key to creating LRIs is deciding where to put them, Dr. Donnenfeld said. Either the keratometric axis or the topographic axis would suffice, but the first step is to calculate surgically induced cylinder from the incision, "because the cylinder you use for cataract surgery can shift your axis," he said.
"Femtosecond LRIs are a huge step above manual LRIs," Dr. Donnenfeld said, adding that they provide faster, safer, easier, customizable, adjustable and fully repeatable arcuate incisions.
"Removing inconsistencies in the procedure will improve understanding and accuracy of all corneal incisions," Dr. Donnenfeld said.
- Disclosure: Dr. Donnenfeld is a consultant for Alcon, AMO and LenSx.