Herzig Eye Institute in Refractive Surgery on July 26, 2016

With new advancements in refractive cataract surgery and premium intraocular lenses, many patients can have better vision after Advanced Refractive Cataract Surgery than they had before they developed a cataract.

Herzig Eye Institute is one of the first to offer its patients Refractive Femto Laser Assisted Cataract Surgery (FLACS), the new standard in precision cataract surgery with the Catalys®Precision Laser System.

Using Catalys®, Herzig Eye Institute’s world-class surgeons are able to provide a gentle, highly customized cataract procedure with precision that is not achievable with traditional manual techniques.

WHAT IS CATALYS® AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

The Catalys® laser combines a state-of-the-art femtosecond laser and advanced 3D Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) imaging to complete many of the critical steps of cataract surgery that were previously performed manually with hand-held instruments.

The laser can be used for corneal incisions, astigmatic correction, the central opening in the anterior capsule, and the fragmentation of the cataract. Lasers increase precision, accuracy, and safety during cataract surgery.

Every eye has a unique size and shape. Catalys® advanced 3D imaging technology builds a real-time map of the eye and tailors the treatment to that map. This enables Herzig Eye Institute surgeons to create a customized treatment plan that matches the unique characteristics of the eye.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES TO LASER ASSISTED CATARACT SURGERY?

There are many advantages to laser assisted cataract surgery over traditional procedures.

  • The laser can correct astigmatism more accurately with precisely placed curved corneal incisions. These incisions known as astigmatic keratotomy (AK) can be combined with a toric intraocular lens (IOL) to more finely tune astigmatic correction, or the AK can be done on its own.
  • The circular opening made in the patient’s lens with the laser is 10 times more accurate than an opening made manually, more accurately predicting the IOL position in the eye, and assuring a more predictable refractive result. Using the laser for this step also makes the operation safer with more complex cataracts.
  • The most important benefit of laser assisted cataract surgery is that it is gentler on the eye. The laser is used to fragment the cataract into microscopic pieces resulting in 95% less ultrasound energy being necessary to complete the procedure. This prevents excessive trauma and potential damage to the cornea, which is the most important lens in the eye.

Your eyes are complex and precious. Cataracts are a vision problem that nearly all of us will face.

If you are concerned that you or someone important to you may have cataracts, ask your ophthalmologist or optometrist for a referral to the Herzig Eye Institute.

If you prefer, simply contact us for a consultation. We’ll examine your eyes and make a recommendation for your best course of action.