Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery: Evaluation of Functional Results in Contralateral Comparative Single-Center Study

Holzer, Mike

Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery: Evaluation of Functional Results in Contralateral Comparative Single-Center Study

Saturday, April 26, 2014: 4:05 PM

Room 151B (Boston Convention and Exhibition Center)

Mike P. Holzer, MD, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

Ramin Khoramnia, MD, David J Apple International Laboratory for Ocular Pathology and International Vision Correction Research Centre (IVCRC), Department of Ophthalmology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

Anna Fitting, MSc, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

Mary Safwat Aziz Attia, MD, University Clinic, Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

Florian N. Auerbach, MD, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Baden-Wuerttembe, Germany

Gerd U. Auffarth, MD, David J Apple International Laboratory for Ocular Pathology and International Vision Correction Research Centre, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

Narrative Responses:

Purpose
Evaluation of functional results in patients after cataract surgery comparing one eye with femtosecond laser cataract surgery and one eye with conventional surgery (manual continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis and phacoemulsification).

Methods
This is a prospective, contralateral, comparative, randomized, single-center study including a minimum of 60 eyes (30 patients) in course of cataract surgery. On one eye of each patient capsulotomy and lens fragmentation is performed with the VICTUS Femtosecond Laser Platform (Bausch+Lomb/Technolas Perfect Vision). In the fellow eye the capsulorhexis is accomplished manually. Examinations are performed preoperatively and 1 day, 1 week, 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery. The main outcome measures are uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), manifest refraction, flare and intraocular pressure (IOP).

Results
So far 17 patients have been included in the study. Three months postoperatively median UDVA was 0.20 logMAR (range: 0.72 to -0.08 logMAR) in the femtosecond laser group and 0.16 logMAR (range: 0.96 to -0.20 logMAR) in the manual group. Median CDVA was -0.02 logMAR (range: 0.18 to -0.20 logMAR) and -0.02 logMAR (range: 0.16 to -0.20 logMAR). No statistically significant difference was found between both groups in terms of achieved vs. target refraction (+0.13 vs. +0.37 D) and IOP (both groups 12 mmHg). One week after surgery the flare values showed no significant difference (17.60 vs. 13.20 p/ms).

Conclusion
Initial results indicate femtosecond laser cataract surgery technique to be safe, effective and precise. Further investigations regarding this new laser refractive cataract surgery procedure compared to the conventional manual method are on-going.