Laser Cataract Surgery

In April 2011, Island Eye Surgicenter became the first surgical center on the East Coast, and only the fourth center in the United States, to acquire the latest LenSx femtosecond laser for laser cataract surgery. The LenSx laser is the first laser approved by the FDA for use inside the eye and features computer and digital image-guided precision that has revolutionized key steps of cataract surgery.

Although "no-stitch" cataract surgery remains the standard procedure with high success rates and an extremely low occurrence of complications, laser cataract surgery is becoming increasingly popular due to its increased safety, efficiency and precision. It makes an already safe and excellent procedure even better.

In standard cataract surgery, all steps, including the creation of the initial, self-sealing incision and the breakup and removal of the clouded lens, are performed manually with advanced mechanical instruments. In laser eye surgery, these steps are performed with a laser that is guided by 3-D imaging.

The LenSx laser is a customizable, 3-D surgical platform that performs three essential steps of cataract surgery:

1. Creates the corneal incisions (the self-sealing incision created on the surface of the cornea)
2. Performs anterior capsulotomy (open the front part of the capsule that houses the eye's crystalline lens)
3. Performs the lens fragmentation (break up the eye's natural lens for easy removal)

During laser cataract surgery, a 3-D image of the eye is taken, which helps the surgeon determine the thickness of the cornea and the distance between the cornea and the lens. This information is then used to guide the femtosecond laser to create customized and extremely precise incisions, thereby improving surgical control and accuracy. In fact, the precision achieved through the use of the femtosecond laser is 10 times greater than with the manual technique, according to a pilot study conducted at Stanford University.

The final step of cataract surgery, which is the implantation of an artificial lens, remains unchanged in laser cataract surgery.

When compared to other types of cataract surgery, laser cataract surgery offers several benefits, including shorter treatment times, greater precision, safer recovery and increased chance of achieving optimal visual outcomes post-surgery. Currently, Island Eye is the only center on Long Island where "All Laser" cataract surgery is available. We are proud to have been chosen to be one of the first five centers in the nation offered the opportunity to acquire this technology.

Learn more about LenSx and other technology utilized and Island Eye Surgicenter.

Please use the Physician Locator to get in touch with an attending Island Eye laser cataract surgeon.

In clinical trials, Crystalens provided more than 88 percent of custom cataract surgery patients with a full range of corrected vision without the need for glasses or contact lenses.