Cataract Surgery - New Study Shows Catalys Precision Laser System Offers Better Surgery Option
OptiMedica Corp. recently announced results of a clinical study that showed its new Catalys Precision Laser System to be a more precise method to perform cataract surgery, as compared to manual techniques. The data was published in the Science Translational Medicine journal.
“These study results clearly indicate that a femtosecond laser with integrated Ocular Coherence Tomography (OCT) imaging, advanced optics and control software can provide multiple benefits for cataract surgery,” said the study’s lead author Daniel Palanker, associate professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Stanford University. “We believe the new laser-assisted technique represents a significant scientific and clinical advancement that will make cataract surgery much more precise and reproducible, and we are gratified that Science Translational Medicine has recognized its importance and potential.”
The study reported that approximately one third of Americans will need cataract surgery in their lifetime. Over the years, even though advancements in the surgical process has been dramatic, there are still some steps that can only be performed manually. The creation of the Catalys Precision Laser system has solved this problem.
The study consisted of monitoring 29 laser-treated eyes and 30 manually-treated eyes. Some specific findings reveal a 200% in capsulotomy fitness. Its significance is that the procedure becomes safer as the chance for lens capsule rupture is reduced. Also, a reduction of 40% use of ultrasound energy was reported during phacoemulsification. The process of emulsification is thus simplified.
“The significant gains in precision we were able to achieve in the clinical study of Catalys represent an incredibly exciting development in the field of cataract surgery,” said the publication’s co-author William Culbertson, M.D., Professor of Ophthalmology, The Lou Higgins Distinguished Chair in Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami. “A more precise procedure will enable cataract surgeons to more accurately position the IOL, and this is key to visual outcomes.”
“We are enormously proud of the precision demonstrated in the clinical study of Catalys, and we are very gratified to have the data published in the prestigious journal Science Translational Medicine,” said Mark J. Forchette, president and chief executive officer, OptiMedica. “We are privileged to partner with such an outstanding team of scientists and clinicians who have worked tirelessly with us for the last several years to bring a whole new level of innovation to cataract surgery.”
The Catalys Precision Laser System is currently not available in the US, although the company expects a worldwide launch in 2011.
