Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss, especially with ageing. Cataract surgery is the most common way to remove the eye’s cloudy lens with artificial IOLs for better vision. There are two types of safe and effective procedures available for cataract surgery: traditional or & manual or conventional cataract surgery and femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery or FLACS.
FLACS stands for Femtosecond laser assisted cataract surgery, a new approach introduced in 2010, performed without the traditional blades or scalpels. It includes laser to create incisions and break up the cataract. It offers greater precision and repeatability for few steps of conventional cataract surgery.
A femtosecond laser is used to craft a round, centered and reproducible hole in the front of the lens capsule and break up the cataract using high-tech, ultra-precise laser technology. As a result, it has shown to reduce surgical time. A femtosecond laser uses ultra-short pulses of near-infrared light to disrupt tissue with micron accuracy and reduces collateral tissue damage. Here are the following steps followed in the FLACS procedure.
In Femtosecond laser cataract surgery, an opening is created in the cornea, similar to the traditional cataract surgery, but here the cut is made with a specific laser, not with a surgical knife. It gives precision as the laser is planned for the exact size and depth of the incision.
Now the laser creates an opening in the capsule bag surrounding the lens, called a capsulotomy. It allows your surgeon to access the cataract without a needle.
Lastly, the cataract is fractured with a femtosecond laser to assist the traditional ultrasonic device for the final removal.
This procedure takes significantly less time and provides desired results.
Safety of the commercial femtosecond laser systems are well established, and FDA approved for refractive surgery, including use in the creating of corneal flaps in LASIK surgery and in cataract surgery.
It does not carry any added risk compared to non-FLACS conventional phacoemulsification cataract surgery. In addition, it offers higher precision and repeatability for forming tissue planes than manual practice.
FLACS takes less than 30 minutes for the complete procedure. Patients may experience little or no discomfort while awake during the process. Surgeons may use eye drops to numb the eye and a mild sedative before the surgery that calms the nerves.
Eye usually settles down in a weeks’ time but 4-6 weeks are required for complete recovery as the eye’s tissues stabilize and adjust. As the laser involves less energy than ultrasound for breaking the cataract, it also lessens the risk of corneal swelling that can impact vision. So, your eyes can heal faster if you have less corneal swelling with less energy usage.
For the best treatments and detailed information about FLACS, feel free to speak to Mr. Rajesh Deshmukh’s team. Book an appointment today and get the best consultation.
References
Agarwal K, Hatch K. Femtosecond Laser Assisted Cataract Surgery: A Review. Semin Ophthalmol. 2021 Nov 17;36(8):618-627. doi: 10.1080/08820538.2021.1890792. Epub 2021 Jun 4. PMID: 34082659.
Kanclerz P, Alio JL. The benefits and drawbacks of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery. Eur J Ophthalmol. 2021 May;31(3):1021-1030. doi: 10.1177/1120672120922448. Epub 2020 Jun 7. PMID: 32508179.
Ang RET, Quinto MMS, Cruz EM, Rivera MCR, Martinez GHA. Comparison of clinical outcomes between femtosecond laser-assisted versus conventional phacoemulsification. Eye Vis (Lond). 2018 Apr 23;5:8. doi: 10.1186/s40662-018-0102-5. PMID: 29713653; PMCID: PMC5911953.
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