Cataract surgery is one of the most common surgeries performed in the world today, and both traditional and laser-assisted cataract surgery are recognized as safe and effective treatments. But which type of cataract surgery is safest? Let's take a closer look at how each procedure works to restore vision and the factors that can help you decide which is right for you. Traditional cataract surgery uses portable instruments, such as a razor and tweezers, to cut incisions and remove the lens. Laser-assisted surgery, on the other hand, allows the surgeon to develop a thorough understanding of the eyes and cataracts before making the first incision. This higher level of precision reduces the risk of complications and most patients require less recovery time afterwards. In a prospective, randomized cohort study with the objective of analyzing manifest postoperative refraction and deviation from objective refraction, 100 eyes from 100 patients were treated with femtosecond laser cataract surgery; the other 100 eyes underwent conventional phacoemulsification.
Six months after the operation, 196 eyes were included and analyzed. At 6 months, 90 eyes (92%) of the femtosecond laser group and 70 eyes (71%) of the conventional group were within ± 0.50 D of the objective refractive result and 98 eyes (100%) from both groups were within a range of ± 1.00 D.He concluded that femtosecond laser cataract surgery is a safe and accurate procedure, but it improves visual results only minimally. However, there was an advantage in favor of the laser in the early postoperative visual recovery period (up to 1 week) over conventional surgery. In addition, the refractive result stabilized earlier in the femtosecond laser-assisted group. Creating an accurate, safe and reproducible capsulotomy is a prerequisite for successful cataract surgery and intraocular lens implantation.
Effective phacoemulsification time (EPT) was significantly shorter in laser cataract surgery in eight of the eight studies analyzed. The purpose of this review is to provide the reader with samples of data from the large amount of literature on some crucial aspects of SCL compared to conventional cataract surgery by phacoemulsification. It is probably also possible to some extent to prevent this most common complication after cataract surgery by using the laser to perform a primary subsequent capsulotomy (fig.). There is currently sufficient evidence to declare that laser cataract surgery is the least traumatic method for corneal endothelium. Whether laser-assisted cataract surgery is right for you, or the most advanced, depends on many factors. These are factors that can only be evaluated by your laser eye surgeon.
Both procedures are extremely safe and common and have a high success rate. As with any new technology, the price of laser cataract surgery is likely to decrease over time. Scheduling a free consultation at Dougherty Laser Vision can help you take the first step toward expert cataract removal. If you would like to learn more about any of our cataract surgery procedures, contact the trusted experts at Dougherty Laser Vision today.
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