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O P H T H A L M O L O G Y
be perfectly centered to improve a patient's post-op vision.
He explains that inserting a new IOL into a manually created, imperfect capsulorhexis can cause the lens to shift over time. Creating a
predictable, perfectly circular, perfectly centered capsulorhexis with a
laser, however, results in a more predictable refraction with less astigmatism and, says Dr. Wang, more precise vision outcomes. The laser
also offers the potential of eliminating phacoemulsification energy
from the equation (see "Phaco-Free Cataract Surgery"), which
improves the overall safety of the procedure.
David Shoemaker, MD, founder and CEO of Center For Sight in
Sarasota, Fla., says femtosecond lasers deliver on the promise to
deliver more precise and safer outcomes, and will be the driving force
behind the inevitable merger between traditional and refractive
cataract surgeries that's already — albeit slowly — happening.
"The technology will be the catalyst that forces the issue," he
says. "When you consider the demographic shift — 10,000 baby
boomers are turning 65 years old every day — and that patient
demand for the technology is increasing, every surgeon operating
on the lens needs to take a serious look at it."
Why the resistance?
The hefty capital investment — approximately $500,000 for a new
femtosecond laser system — is a significant barrier to widespread use
of the technology. Add annual maintenance costs of approximately
N O V E M B E R 2012 | O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E
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