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Femtosecond laser cataract surgery, manual phaco yield similar results in residents’ hands
PHILADELPHIA — Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery and manual phacoemulsification performed by ophthalmology residents yielded similar complication rates and visual and refractive outcomes, according to a study presented here.
Wills Eye Hospital is the first ophthalmic residency program in the U.S. to incorporate femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery during training, Faheem Ahmed, MD, said at the Wills Eye Alumni Conference.
“The complication rates between both techniques are very similar in resident hands. Not only that, but the visual outcomes at postop month 1 and year 1 are similar using femtosecond laser,” Ahmed said.
The retrospective nonrandomized chart review included 80 femtosecond laser-assisted cataract procedures performed by Wills Eye residents and 80 manual phacoemulsification cases performed by age-matched controls.
Visual acuity and refractive outcomes were compared between the groups postoperatively at 1 month and 1 year. Postoperative complications were also compared between the groups.
Persistent postoperative inflammation occurred in significantly more cases in the femtosecond laser group than in the manual phacoemulsification group. However, rates of macular edema and elevated IOP were similar between the groups, Ahmed said.
LogMAR visual acuity was 0.13 in the femtosecond laser group and 0.11 in the manual phacoemulsification group at 1 month and 0.13 in the femtosecond laser group and 0.08 in the manual phacoemulsification group at 1 year. The between-group differences were not statistically significant at either time point.
Mean spherical equivalent was –0.57 in the femtosecond laser group and –0. 42 in the manual phacoemulsification group at 1 month and –0.52 in the femtosecond laser group and –0.37 in the manual phacoemulsification group at 1 year.
Mean change in spherical equivalent from the preoperative target was –0.11 in the femtosecond laser group and 0.02 in the manual phacoemulsification group at 1 month and –0.02 in the femtosecond laser group and 0.02 in the manual phacoemulsification group at 1 year.
“Both techniques were very accurate when it came to achieving their actual spherical equivalence, not only at postop month 1 but also at year 1,” Ahmed said. – by Matt Hasson
Reference:
Ahmed F. Review of visual outcomes of femtosecond laser assisted cataract surgery by novice surgeons. Presented at: Wills Eye Alumni Conference; March 10-12, 2016; Philadelphia.
Disclosure: Ahmed reports no relevant financial disclosures.