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What about "The Laser"?
Using a laser is not a viable option for removing cataracts at
this time, despite what you may have heard. There are lasers
for cataract removal under investigation, but they are different
from what you might think. In these machines a laser is used to
break up the cataract into pieces small enough that they can be
aspirated from the eye, in the same manner that ultrasound
waves are used in phacoemulsification. An incision still needs to
be made in order to remove the cataract from the eye. Using a
laser to zap away the cataract while the patient sits in the office
will likely never happen, since a very small incision will be
needed to physically remove the cataractous lens material from
the eye and to implant the man-made lens.
The "Laser Eye Surgery" frequently advertised on TV and radio
is not for the treatment of cataracts. That particular type of
laser surgery (LASIK) is performed on otherwise normal eyes,
to reduce the need for glasses. I often perform LASIK and other
types of refractive surgery for non-cataract patients.
In a small percentage of cases, the YAG laser is used months
after the cataract surgery if the posterior capsule of the lens,
which supports the lens implant, becomes cloudy. This indeed
is a procedure in which the patient sits in the chair and the
vision is quickly cleared by the laser in less than 5 minutes. It is
not used to remove the cataract itself, however.
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