LENSX LASERS INC. ANNOUNCES FIRST CATARACT SURGERIES WITH A FEMTOSECOND LASER IN THE UNITED STATES
Dr. Stephen G. Slade performs first cases with the LenSx® Laser
LenSx Lasers, Inc., world leader in laser cataract surgery, congratulates Dr. Stephen G. Slade, Slade & Baker Vision, Houston, Texas for performing the first laser cataract surgery cases in the United States using a femtosecond laser.
LenSx received the first femtosecond laser clearance for a cataract surgery indication in August 2009 for anterior capsulotomy followed by a clearance for corneal incisions in December 2009. Dr. Slade performed the surgeries with the LenSx Laser in his office-based ambulatory surgery center in Houston. All patients were counseled and eager to participate in the first US femtosecond laser cataract surgeries, and all cases were successfully completed with the implantation of a premium intraocular lens.
“I have been involved in many new technology introductions, and I know from these past experiences that LenSx, laser refractive cataract surgery, will be widely accepted by surgeons and demanded by patients in the very near future. LenSx technology will accelerate the growth and acceptance of premium cataract surgery in a way that no other methodology can. This is the cataract surgery that I would want for my friends, my family and myself.”
Lola Anderson, Houston Texas, the first US patient to experience laser cataract surgery with a premium IOL, states, “this was an awesome experience, I didn’t feel a thing”. It gave me great confidence to know that my surgeon had the very latest laser technology for my cataract surgery. Immediately after surgery, Lola asked, “can we do my other eye now?”
One hundred percent (100%) of capsulotomies performed in Houston were perfectly centered and achieved diametric accuracy of ± 0.25 mm. Precise corneal incisions were effectively created by the laser, and all were self-sealing postoperatively. Dr. Slade will present his experience at the 2010 Dulaney-AIRS Aspen Invitational Refractive Symposium on Tuesday, March 9.
Initial clinical evaluation of the LenSx Laser began in 2008 with Professor Dr. Zoltan Nagy of Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary. His findings were presented at the 2009 ASCRS, ESCRS and AAO meetings, and published in the Journal of Refractive Surgery (December 2009). Professor Nagy completed the first image-guided cataract surgeries with proprietary LenSx imaging technology in December 2009. The fully integrated LenSx Laser enables the surgeon to view and plan surgery based on every patient’s unique anatomy. Professor Nagy has now successfully performed over 500 cataract surgeries with the LenSx femtosecond laser demonstrating safety and efficacy for lens fragmentation, capsulotomy, and corneal incisions.
This milestone in the development of surgical technology for cataract surgery further establishes the role of femtosecond lasers in ophthalmology. The first ophthalmic femtosecond lasers were introduced as alternatives to automated mechanical blades used in LASIK. Since 2001, over 3 million femtosecond laser procedures have been performed, offering refractive surgery patients enhanced precision and safety. Surgeons soon will be able to offer patients a computer-guided laser alternative during cataract surgery.
Ron Kurtz, MD, President and CEO of LenSx Lasers Inc., stated “The LenSx system has been designed from the ground up based on input from leading ophthalmic surgeons like Drs. Slade and Nagy. We look forward to working with an even wider group as we bring this exciting new technology to the refractive cataract surgery marketplace.”