Effect of Femtosecond Laser Assisted Cataract Surgery on Corneal Endothelium: A Comparative Study

Abstract

The aim of this study is to assess the effect of femtosecond laser assisted cataract surgery on corneal endothelium compared to conventional phacoemulsification using specular microscopy to compare safety of both techniques on corneal endothelial cell count. Cataract accounts for up to half the cases of blindness worldwide, making it the most frequent cause. (Alio et al.,2005) Most important, cataract is also the main cause of easily curable blindness. Modern cataract surgery has been characterized by ongoing advancements (eg, change from intracapsular to extracapsular extraction, use of phacoemulsification, and miniaturization of instrumentation). ( Reddy et al,2013) Currently, the procedure begins with a small corneal incision to allow capsulorhexis, followed by ultrasound assisted emulsification and removal of the opacified crystalline lens (phacoemulsification), and subsequent insertion of IOL. Although this manual procedure is generally regarded as safe and effective, its outcome depends heavily on the skills and experience of the surgeon. Potentially serious complications may occur, including injury to the cornea, iris, anterior and posterior lens capsules, inadvertent subluxation of lenticular fragments, and