Traditional vs Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery
In the past, surgeons would make many steps of cataract surgery with a manual hand-held blade and hand-held instruments. These steps included the incisions for instruments to enter the eye, the capsulorhexis (opening made into the bag that holds the lens of the eye) and limbal relaxing incisions for reducing astigmatism.
With laser-assisted cataract surgery, many of these steps are now performed with the precision of a computer-guided femtosecond laser. This new method of performing cataract surgery can make the procedure more precise, more predictable and better than ever before.
Sweeney Eye Associates Now Offers Laser Cataract Surgery with LENSAR®
At Sweeney Eye Associates, we offer laser assisted cataract surgery using the LENSAR® Laser System. This technology is specifically designed for cataract surgery, this femtosecond laser allows our cataract surgeons to create the optimal corneal incision, gently fragment your cloudy eye lens and remove it in a more precise and efficient manner than the traditional manual method. The cloudy lens is removed and the new intraocular lens (IOL) is placed through the same corneal incision.
What is LENSAR Technology
Your Sweeney Eye Associates surgeon has access to superior imaging capabilities with this advanced cataract surgery process. LENSAR’s superior Augmented Reality™ technology provides a highly-detailed, 3D image of your eye so your treatment can be planned and performed with surgical confidence. Your doctor has access to an unprecedented level of biometric data including precise measurements of the location, length and depth of your cataract. This also allows for more precision when your new IOL is placed into your eye.
Next, Sweeney Eye Associates surgeons use LENSAR to create a circular opening for accessing and removing the cataract. Clinical studies have shown that this opening is approximately 10 times more accurate when performed with LENSAR than what is achievable by hand.1,2 LENSAR then softens and breaks up the hard cataract into tiny pieces, allowing for gentler, easier cataract removal.
Depending on the patient’s pre-operative vision and desired visual result, Sweeney Eye Associates surgeons may recommend a tailored treatment plan that could include creating ultra-precise laser incisions in the cornea and a specific clear lens type, such as a multi-focal lens. This tailored treatment may reduce a patient’s need for glasses or contacts after surgery.
What are the benefits of LENSAR Laser Technology?
- Precise and accurate cataract removal and IOL placement
- Highly customized cataract surgery treatment
- May help reduce astigmatism for some patients
- Potential for improved vision results after surgery
- Possible reduction of post-surgery complications
- More comfortable procedure
