Preliminary Results of Femtosecond Laser-assisted Cataract Surgery in a Private Clinic in Iran

Purpose: To report the preliminary results of femtosecond laser‑assisted cataract surgery in Iranian patients. Methods: This prospective case series included 21 eyes of 21 patients with cataract. Mean patient age was 66.7 ± 10 years. The patients underwent femtosecond‑laser assisted cataract surgery (VICTUS Femtosecond Laser Platform: Bausch + Lomb) and intraocular lens (IOL) implementation in Bina Eye Hospital, Tehran, Iran between May and October, 2014. Visual outcomes, intraocular pressure (IOP), and complications were evaluated three months after surgery. Results: Mean preoperative best‑spectacle corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) was 0.40 ± 0.21 logMAR which significantly improved to 0.02 ± 0.03 logMAR three months postoperatively (P < 0.001). Mean preoperative IOP was 17.88 ± 2.70 mmHg which significantly decreased to 12.5 ± 1.51 mmHg three months after operation (P < 0.001). Mean duration of operation for these patients was 29.30 ± 8 minutes and mean femtosecond laser process time was 4.20 ± 2 minutes. In terms of complications, 9 patients developed fine subconjunctival hemorrhage and eye redness and 2 patients had mild corneal edema which all subsided within less than 7 days. Serious complications such as anterior or posterior capsule tears were not encountered. Conclusion: Femtosecond laser‑assisted cataract surgery is a relatively new method of cataract surgery. Our preliminary results indicate an acceptable visual outcome with no serious complications. However, this technique is lengthier and more expensive than conventional phacoemulsification.