One-Year Outcomes of AquaLase® Cataract Surgery

<P>The authors report surgical experience and clinical outcomes up to 1 year postoperatively in patients who underwent cataract surgery with the AquaLase liquefaction device (Alcon Laboratories, Fort Worth, TX). The device is a handpiece option for use with Alcon’s Infiniti Vision System that uses heated balanced saline solution micropulses to liquefy lenticular material. Twenty-seven eyes of 23 patients underwent cataract extraction with the use of the AquaLase liquefaction device. The average age of participants was 68 years, and the average nuclear sclerotic grade was 1.96 on a 4-point scale. Outcomes were judged by metrics such as visual acuity, inflammation, endothelial cell count, and postoperative posterior capsule opacification. At 30 days postoperatively, 78% of eyes had a best-corrected visual acuity of 20/20. Visual acuity was 20/25 or better 1 year postoperatively in 88% of patients without complications except conversion to ultrasound phacoemulsification for two dense cataracts. [<CITE>Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging</CITE> 2007;38:173-174.]</P> <H4>AUTHORS</H4> <P>From the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute (SHY) and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine (ABB), Miami, Florida.</P> <P>Accepted for publication November 9, 2006.</P> <P>Presented as a scientific poster at the American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, October 15-18, 2005.</P> <P>Address correspondence to Anand B. Bhatt, BS, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 8739 SW 3rd Street, Miami, FL 33174.</P>