Femtosecond Laser Cataract Surgery

What is Femtosecond Laser?

Femtosecond laser technology, which represents the latest advancement in cataract surgery—a procedure to treat cataract, a condition where the eye’s natural lens loses transparency due to aging—enables significant portions of the surgery to be performed under computer control without direct human contact. This technology also shortens the recovery process.

Femtosecond Laser Cataract Surgery Turkey

First introduced in ophthalmology clinics in 2001 for the surgical treatment of myopia, femtosecond laser has been used in cataract surgeries since 2008. The key feature of this technique is that the laser beam replaces the scalpel traditionally used in cataract surgery. The laser beam can focus on different layers of eye tissue without damaging normal transparent tissues, enabling a safe cataract surgery.

Femtosecond laser technology allows cataract surgeries to be performed in a much safer and more comfortable manner compared to the standard technique, known as phacoemulsification, which mainly uses ultrasound energy. In this method, the incision in the patient’s cornea is made with laser light instead of a scalpel, allowing precise and clean incisions for the lens’s outer membrane. The cataractous lens can then be broken into pieces with the laser, making it easier to remove.

Who is Suitable for Femtosecond Laser Cataract Surgery?

Whether a patient is suitable for femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery is determined after a detailed examination. An expert ophthalmologist assesses the patient with advanced technological devices. If the patient's pupils do not dilate sufficiently, there is partial whitening of the cornea, or if there is a structural alteration in the lens, this method may not be feasible. Apart from these rare cases, femtosecond laser can be used for all cataract patients. This technique is especially beneficial for delayed or challenging cases with a high surgical risk, enhancing the success rate.

How is Femtosecond Laser Cataract Surgery Performed?

In femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery, the ophthalmologist uses a computer-controlled laser device. Based on preoperative assessments, the shape, angle, and size of the incisions on the cornea are programmed into the computer. Next, the necessary settings for opening the lens’s outer membrane with laser beams and fragmenting the cataract are uploaded. Afterward, a specialized lens is applied to the eye, and the femtosecond laser procedure is carried out. In standard phacoemulsification, these steps are done using mechanical instruments, reliant on the surgeon’s experience.

What Can Be Done for Near and Distance Vision Problems?

The precise creation of the space for the artificial lens during cataract treatment with femtosecond laser directly impacts the success of special intraocular lenses used to correct refractive errors. With this technology, multifocal (distance-near) and toric lenses for astigmatism can be precisely positioned, providing clearer vision and freeing patients from the need for glasses—a significant benefit for patients.

Advantages of Femtosecond Laser Cataract Surgery

Femtosecond laser technology allows essential steps in cataract surgery to be performed under computer control without any direct human contact. This enables a bladeless and safer surgery, accelerating the recovery period. Alongside high patient safety and comfort during surgery, it minimizes unexpected postoperative risks and side effects.

Depending on the cataract’s hardness, ultrasound energy use in femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery can be reduced by 0-40%. Using less ultrasound energy reduces the risk of unintended eye damage during surgery. Additionally, minor astigmatic errors can be corrected with laser-made arcuate incisions on the cornea. In standard phacoemulsification, the cavity for the artificial intraocular lens is created with micro-surgical blades, but in this method, the incision is made extremely smoothly using laser. This enables the successful application of multifocal or toric intraocular lenses for patients with refractive errors like myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism, providing sharp distance and near vision, and reducing dependence on glasses.

• Provides clearer and better vision.
• The surgeon’s skill in using the technology plays a significant role in the success of this technique.
• Patients recover quickly and return to their daily activities in a short time.