Posters

Clinical results in cataract surgery using the LENSAR femto cataract laser at the eye hospital Bellevue in Kiel

Poster Details

First Author: D.Holland GERMANY

Co Author(s):    M. Poelzl   T. Herbst   J. Förster   D. Uthoff     

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Cataract surgery using the Femto Laser technology aims to be the next step in surgery concerning safety, predictability and efficacy. The LENSAR Laser System&trade integrates proprietary automated biometry, advanced ocular imaging and measurement technology, 3D-CSI&trade (Confocal Structured Illumination) with an advanced ultra-short pulse laser. This technique enables the system to perform corneal incisions, limbal relaxing incisions, capsulorhexis and lens fragmentation. The authors report on the first results with the new LENSAR Femto laser compared to standard cataract surgery with standard 2.4mm clear cornea incision and manuel capsulorhexis.

Setting:

To report about the clinical experience after more than 800 eyes treated and in an ongoing prospective study with the LENSAR Femto Laser at the eye hospital Bellevue in Kiel/Germany in the early learning curve.

Methods:

Femto Laser treatment was performed by one surgeon. Phacoemulsification was performed by two surgeons with the same phaco system (Oertli, Switzerland). The follow up is up to one year.

Results:

In all eyes of the ongoing study no intraoperative complications induced by the laser occurred. Suction time for diagnostic imaging, rhexis and nucleus fragmentation has decreased (after learning curve effect) to around 2,0 minutes. The rhexis was complete, round and centered to the pupil as planed 99%. Only in one % a forceps has to be used to loosen a punctual adherence. Nucleus fragmentation was completed regarding the different planned pattern. Total phaco time was on average 1,56 seconds (standard phaco on average 4,88 seconds). Mean endothelium cell loss was 3,8% (standard phaco on average 6,3%). In the first 20 cases a reduction of astigmatism with the corneal relaxing incisions was noted. In 4 cases a tear of the rhexis lead to a rupture of the posterior capsule. The results regarding refractive outcome and visual acuity are comparable in both groups.

Conclusions:

The results are promising regarding the safety and efficacy of the new Femto Laser technique in the first year using the LENSAR platform. The complications regarding a rhexis tear may be induced by the learning curve. Furthermore, less endothelium cell loss and less use of ultrasound energy have been determined compared to standard phaco. The possibility of treating the corneal astigmatism in the same operation in a standardized way is another advantage of this new technology. FINANCIAL INTEREST: NONE