Submitted by administrator on
Current standard surgical procedures to remove cataracts in a patients eye may soon become a thing of the past due to a new research programme in the United States which focuses on a 'pre softening of the cataract' before surgery begins. This new method is billed as safer for the eye itself during the operation.
Standard cataract surgery involves a manual breaking up of the cataract itself before, in essence, the surgeon sucks it out in readiness to implant an artificial lens. It is estimated that as many as 33% of an older generation of Americans will be subjected to this procedure during their life. Generally, the condition occurs over time when the eyes natural lens begins to cloud and vision is thus restricted in that eye. Once this occurs, treatment of the condition involves the eyes lens to be removed and permanently replaced. It is during the removal of this lens that damage can be caused to the eye. Currently an ultrasound device is used to break up the cataracts. This process can lead to longer recovery times and corneal damage as a consequence.
The newly developed procedure sees a laser soften the cataract with less, if any, reliance on the use of an ultrasound instrument. Once completed, the surgeon will then look to vacuum the cataracts out and begin the process of replacing the lens artificially. This method appears to provide a much safer route with lesser chances of causing further damage to the eye. Tests show that this new procedure, although taking roughly 50% longer to complete, resulted in around half the amount of ultrasound used, and a similar reduction in movements within the eye.
Although the process clearly shows a step forward in eye care and surgery for cataract patients, it also shows a substantial leap in costs with the laser itself costing almost 10 times the price of the required ultrasound in the first place. This alone points to limited future availability in the short to medium term, with expectations of larger central medical centres to invest in the technology to cover large volumes of cases, other than lots of smaller practices engaging in this treatment option.