title: Effectiveness and safety of femtosecond laser-assisted lens fragmentation and anterior capsulotomy versus the manual technique in cataract surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of cataract surgery using femtosecond laser-assisted lens fragmentation and anterior capsulotomy versus manual cataract surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  MaxiVision Eye Hospital, Begumpet, Hyderabad, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled open-label multisurgeon prospective trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients (at least 18 years old) were randomized to femtosecond laser-assisted lens prefragmentation and capsulotomy or manual capsulorhexis and standard phacoemulsification. Measured outcomes were effective phacoemulsification time (EPT), surgeon-assessed ease of phacoemulsification, mean phaco energy, mean phaco time, balanced salt solution volume, capsulotomy precision, and adverse event rates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-six eyes had the femtosecond laser procedure, and 63 had manual cataract surgery. The mean EPT was significantly lower in the laser group (5.2 seconds ± 5.7 [SD]) than in the manual group (7.7 ± 6.0 seconds) (P=.025). There was a significant difference in the mean phaco energy between the 2 groups (13.8% ± 10.3% in laser group; 20.3% ± 8.1% in manual group) (P<.001). There were no significant between-group differences in the ease of phacoemulsification, mean phaco time, or balanced salt solution volume. Laser-assisted capsulotomies were significantly more accurate and precise (intended diameter, circularity, centration) (P<.01). The safety profiles of the procedures were equivalent, with no adverse events at the 1-day follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The femtosecond laser platform was effective and safe in cataract surgery, reducing EPT and the mean phaco energy during lens fragmentation and providing precise and reproducible capsulotomies.
authors.affiliation: MaxiVision Eye Hospital (Reddy), Begumpet, Hyderabad, India. kasuprasadreddy@gmail.com
authors.forename: Kasu Prasad
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kandulla
authors.forename: Gerd U
authors.initials: GU
authors.lastname: Auffarth
mesh_terms: D057866:Anterior Capsule of the Lens / Q000601:surgery*; D019923:Capsulorhexis / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology