need treatment. "Bilateral could represent time and cost savings," he
says. "Plus, it's a better patient experience. They only need to take one
day off, arrange a ride to and from surgery on one day."
While concerns have been raised about the safety of sequential bilat-
eral cataracts, and Medicare will only reimburse half for the second
eye if it's done on the same day, there's no proof that the existing stan-
dard is better. "There is no data supporting the efficacy or safety" of
requirements that the cataracts be removed in separate surgeries on
separate days, he maintains. "It's based instead on tradition and
dogma. What's best for patients is held up by arbitrary regulation."
Sequential bilateral cataracts have become the standard of care for
self-pay patients, he notes, anticipating future studies on the process.
"Data will be the driving force that shows this makes sense," he says.
6. Lasers (and
phaco machines)
here to stay.
Experts agree: The
femtosecond laser will
play a key role in the
ophthalmic OR of the
future. "Laser cataract
surgery will become
the standard of care in
the U.S. within the
next decade," says Dr.
Waring. And, once
developed, "more
compact machines
J U N E 2 0 1 6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 7 1
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