Introducing Bladeless Laser Cataract Surgery

In today’s advanced ophthalmic industry, technology continues to drive innovation. This has led to tremendous technological breakthroughs in cataract care, like our revolutionary new Bladeless Laser Cataract Surgery procedure.

Our LenSx Laser Cataract Surgery procedure is designed to set new standards in patient safety, accuracy, precision and comfort. It replaces many of the manual components of cataract surgery with computer-guided lasers developed to give cataract patients the best possible vision after surgery.

Cataract surgery is the most common surgical procedure in the USA. Over 3 million cataract procedures are performed annually by ophthalmologists in the United States. With the baby boomer generation there are 10,000 people turning 65 years of age every day.

Even though traditional basic cataract surgery produces excellent outcomes, until recently the major steps of cataract surgery were done using manual techniques. Although reproducible and predictable, manual cataract surgery is simply not as precise or accurate as laser-guided, computer controlled cataract surgery. Today, we are pleased to offer our patients Laser Cataract Surgery.

Our LenSx laser system offers patients a precision-based solution for comprehensive cataract surgery. A bladeless, computer-controlled laser surgery is customized to provide exacting individualized patient specification that is not attainable with other traditional surgical methods. Laser cataract surgery is designed to improve the precision, safety and accuracy of your cataract surgery.

What is the LenSx laser?

The LenSx laser used at our Outpatient Surgery Center location provides patients with computer-controlled precision and the added safety and comfort of a bladeless laser procedure. It automates some of the most challenging steps of refractive cataract surgery. This femtosecond laser replaces the traditional hand-held blade to optimize all incisions for enhanced, reproducible surgical results.

In traditional non-laser basic cataract surgery, the surgeon makes incisions and removes the cataract using surgical instruments and blades. Laser cataract surgery performs several of the most critical steps of the surgical process with an image-guided femtosecond laser.

Is laser cataract surgery better than traditional cataract surgery?

Conventional cataract surgery continues to be among the safest, most common and most successful surgical procedures performed in medicine today. Laser cataract surgery – first performed in the United States in 2010 – simply takes an already safe and effective procedure and makes it even better.

Traditional cataract surgery uses manual instruments and blades for the major steps of surgery. By replacing these hand-held instruments with the precision of a computer-controlled laser, the precision and accuracy of the surgical procedure will continue to improve.

Who is a candidate for laser cataract surgery?

The vast majority of patients undergoing cataract surgery today are candidates for Laser Cataract Surgery. This is especially true for patients with pre-existing Astigmatism, which occurs in the majority of cataract patients. A comprehensive cataract evaluation can determine your candidacy for Laser Cataract Surgery. During your examination with our team of ophthalmologists, we will discuss your surgical options and help you choose the type of cataract surgery that is best suited to your needs and lifestyle.

What does the LenSx laser do during cataract surgery?

Here are the key steps being performed by the LenSx femtosecond laser during cataract surgery:

1. All corneal incisions are made with the LenSx laser.
2. The circular opening made in the capsular structure holding your lens is made with exact precision using the LenSx laser. This is called a Capsulorhexis and studies have shown that with the laser opening the capsule surrounding the cataract, the lens implant position in the eye is more predictable than when the capsular opening is made with a blade or needle. With a more predictable lens position the surgical outcomes are more predictable.
3. The LenSx laser is also used to pre-softened and fragment the cataract, making is easier for removal.
4. To help correct Corneal Astigmatism, the LenSx laser can precisely place surface incisions to reduce and eliminate corneal astigmatism.

Is laser cataract surgery covered by insurance?

Although “approved” for Medicare patients, Laser Cataract Surgery is not fully covered by Medicare or the insurance industry. Medicare and/or your insurance provider do cover the majority of the standard costs associated with Laser Cataract Surgery, but additional costs are associated with the LenSx procedure. We offer a convenient no-interest payment program designed to fit most budgets. To learn more about our payment options – or to schedule your cataract evaluation to learn if you are a candidate for laser cataract surgery – please contact us.

Are other ophthalmology practices offering laser cataract surgery?

Currently, the physicians of Eye Physicians of Florida are among the top 2% of all ophthalmology practices in the United States in terms of offering the benefits of Laser Cataract Surgery to their patients. No other eye centers in Florida offers patients the added benefits of Laser Cataract Surgery performed with the LenSx femtosecond laser system. We believe in providing the latest technology for vision correction surgery for our patients.

What is the future of cataract surgery?

The surgeons of Eye Physicians of Florida strongly believe that laser cataract surgery will soon become the standard of care. Today, we are already helping take cataract surgery to the next level with improved precision, accuracy and safety with cataract surgery. Laser cataract surgery – when paired with the latest lens implant technology – will enable our patients to see their best with the least reliance on spectacles and contact lenses.