What is a cataract?
A cataract is the gradual thickening of the eye lens which occurs with age and distorts vision. Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss in adults 55 and older.
How many people have cataracts?
Cataracts affect more than 20 million Americans age 40 and older. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, by age 80 more than half of all Americans have cataracts.
Is cataract surgery common?
Yes. Each year, eye surgeons perform 3 million cataract surgeries in the United States, making it the most common surgical procedure in this country.
What is the LenSx laser?
The LenSx laser is a bladeless, computer-controlled eye surgery tool that ensures the highest-precision surgical incisions for cataract surgeries. The laser replaces the traditional hand-held blade to optimize all incisions for enhanced, reproducible surgical performance. This technology breakthrough provides the surgeon with real-time, three-dimensional visualization for
true customization of the patient’s lens replacement procedure. Our surgeons can use LenSx to customize a patient’s surgery by using the LifeStyle intraocular lens to eliminate blurred vision caused by astigmatism (irregular eye shape) and presbyopia (loss of flexibility in the eye’s lens and surrounding muscles), allowing the patient to see clearly from all distances without glasses or contact lenses.
How does the LenSx laser work?
In traditional cataract surgery, surgeons make several tiny manual incisions with a blade, then removes or aspirates out the cloudy lens (cataract) using ultrasound vibrations and replaces the lens with a synthetic implant called an intraocular (IOC) lens.
Using the LenSx femtosecond laser control system, Dr. Cibik and Dr. Nairn make incisions with a significantly higher degree of precision. Along with LenSx’s real-time image-guided feature, the surgeon can see activity taking place in the eye during surgery, which helps him or her perform:
- Anterior Capsulotomy – An incision that opens the clear, cellophane-like capsule which wraps the eye’s natural crystalline lens.
- Lens Fragmentation – Softening and breaking up of the eye’s cataract lens.
- All Corneal Incisions – All incisions of the cornea (eyeball covering) associated with cataract surgery.
What is a femotosecond laser?
The femtosecond laser is one that emits pulses with durations between a few femotoseconds
[1 quadrillionth (1/1,000,000,000,000,000)] of a second and hundreds of femtoseconds.
What are the advantages of the LenSx laser compared to traditional cataract surgery?
The benefits of LenSx are improved surgical precision and control, and better patient safety.
With respect to precision, LenSx automates the most challenging procedures in cataract surgery by creating the highest level of precision available with a cool laser instead of a blade.
As for control, LenSx offers real-time images that guide the surgeon for proper alignment and better management of astigmatism (irregular eye shape that produces blurred vision) than traditional methods allow.
How does LenSx reduce or eliminate astigmatism?
The LenSx laser places incisions on the cornea (eyeball covering) in specific areas to “relax” the eye to a more round shape, like a basketball. The precision of using a laser instead of a blade results in better outcomes.
How long does the LenSx procedure take?
At AIO, bladeless cataract surgery lasts an average of 10-15 minutes, depending upon the complexity of the procedure.
Does health insurance cover bladeless laser cataract surgery?
While traditional cataract surgery is fully covered by most private medical insurance and Medicare, bladeless cataract surgery requires patients to pay out-of-pocket for the portion of the procedure that insurance does not cover. For this expense, we offer interest free financing options through Care Credit.