Cataract Laser Surgery

How Cataract Laser Surgery Is Constantly Developing

Cataract laser surgery offers the most technologically advanced solution to the problem of cloudy vision caused by cataracts, a condition which affects millions of people worldwide and which is likely to be found in at least half of those who live to the age of eighty. The problem of cataracts has been around for many years, but the incidence is growing as the average age of the population becomes higher. The development of the new surgery is allowing a greater percentage of this population to benefit from the treatments which are available to them.

Not all cataract operations are carried out using laser technology, in fact the majority of operations are still carried out using traditional surgical techniques. In the developing countries virtually all of the operations are carried out this way as there is simply no money to invest in laser equipment or to train surgeons in its use. The traditional operations still have a high success rate and few complications, but they obviously set up more of a strain upon the body and demand a higher use of anesthetic. It is to be hoped that laser technology will at least gain a foothold in the developing world at some stage.

The introduction of laser surgery even in the West was not instant, as surgeons had to retrain to be able to use this new advanced technology. Many who had achieved excellent results with the previous technology did not feel they needed to change. There is an incredibly high level of skill needed to operate the laser in the small space inside a human eye, knowing that the slightest mistake could negatively impact the patient's vision for the rest of their life. Once the skill is learned, of course, the surgeon has it for life, and it can even be adapted to further developments in laser technology.

The latest development in cataract laser surgery is the enhancement known as phacoemulsification, which has cut out a great deal of the risk involved in cataract surgery. The patient can be operated on with a local anesthetic, and the cataracts can be removed with only a minuscule incision. Both of these factors greatly reduce the risk of complications or of lasting damage, and they make the surgery possible for those with a frail constitution who would otherwise have to live with their cataracts permanently.

Now, there is the promise of an even less invasive technology thanks to new developments within the laser industry. A tool known as a femtosecond laser is capable of operating on the human eye in a completely non invasive way, reducing risk and potential complications still further. This tool has only been in use since the year 2010, so it is still in it infancy as far as its use in live cataract operation is concerned. The potential is there for this technology to obsolete everything which has gone before, but of course there are practical and financial considerations too.

The future of cataract laser surgery appears to be heading firmly in the direction of techniques which will demand exceptional skill on behalf of the surgeon, but which will deliver incredible benefits to the millions who will need this surgery at some point in their lives. The only limits to the usefulness of the technology are going to be paying for it and developing the skills of the surgeons who will need to use it. There may be a knock on effect for the developing world, in that if the Western hospitals have to invest in new machines they will need to sell the old ones, and this could give the developing world a cheap introduction to cataract laser surgery.

Elizabeth Rowley

 

 

 

 

Articles

• Cataract Laser Surgery
• Cataract Lens Replacement
• Cataract Removal
• Cataract Lens
• Cataracts Surgery Complications
• Cataracts Treatment
• Cataract Extraction
• Cataract Surgeon
• Types Of Cataracts
• What Is A Cataract
• Cataract Surgery
• Cataract Surgeries
• After Cataract Surgery
• Cataract Surgery Procedure
• Cataract Eye Surgery
• Cataract Drops
• Cataracts Surgery Cost
• Cataract Causes
• Cataracts Eye Drops
• Cataract Symptoms



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