Posters

Efficiency of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery compared to standard phacoemulsification surgery

Poster Details

First Author: F. Goes BELGIUM

Co Author(s):                        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To compare the efficiency of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery and standard phacoemulsification techniques for the removal of cataracts.

Setting:

Goes Eye Centre, Antwerp, Belgium

Methods:

Patients were enrolled consecutively into the 2 groups, femtolaser-assisted cataract surgery (group 1) with the CataLys Precision Laser System (Abbott Medical Optics) or traditional phacoemulsification (group 2) with the WhiteStar Signature Phacoemulsification System (Abbott Medical Optics). In each group, nuclear density was graded from 1 (very soft) to 4-5 (hard to very hard). Effective phaco time (EPT) and total ultrasound time (UST) were recorded. Only eyes with at least grade 3 nuclear density were included in the analysis.

Results:

Mean EPT in group 1 (67 eyes) was 17.02 ± 14.34 sec and 24.04 ± 19.41 sec in group 2 (28 eyes) (P < .05). Mean UST was significantly lower in group 1 (1.00 ± 0.59 min) compared to group 2 (1.33 ± 0.50 min) (P=0.004). EPT (p=0.02) and UST (p=0.006) were significantly lower in grade 3 eyes in group 1 compared to group 2.

Conclusions:

Femtosecond laser pretreatment for cataracts allowed for a significant reduction in EPT and UST compared with manual standard phacoemulsification techniques in eyes with medium nuclear density. The femtolaser helps to make the procedure more efficient by using less phaco time and energy.

Financial Disclosure:

NONE