title: Operating times of experienced cataract surgeons beginning femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the time a patient spent in the operating room during femtosecond laser-assisted with that during traditional cataract surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic tertiary referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 3 attending surgeons who operated in the room that housed the femtosecond laser were collected from the first 6 months of the femtosecond laser's use. The time in the operating room was measured from when the patients entered the room to the time they left. Traditional-approach cases done in the room were compared with cases performed using the femtosecond laser (Catalys Precision Laser System).
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the first 6 months, 420 cataract cases were performed in the operating room housing the femtosecond laser; the femtosecond laser was used in 162 cases (38.6%). Femtosecond laser-assisted surgeries were 11.1 to 12.1 minutes longer than traditional surgeries (P<.0001). When only routine cases were included in the comparison, the femtosecond laser-assisted approach remained 11.6 to 13.4 minutes longer (P<.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The additional steps required to perform femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery resulted in a statistically significant longer time per case than the time required with a traditional approach.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Dr. Culbertson is a consultant to Abbott Medical Optics, Inc., and Optimedica Corp. Dr. Yoo is a consultant to Alcon Laboratories, Inc., and Abbott Medical Optics, Inc.. No other author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
authors.affiliation: From Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Jordon G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Lubahn
authors.affiliation: From Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Kendall E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Donaldson
authors.affiliation: From Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: William W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Culbertson
authors.affiliation: From Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA. Electronic address: syoo@med.miami.edu.
authors.forename: Sonia H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yoo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology