Femtosecond laser cataract surgery

摘要

I read with fascination Grant Snibson's editorial1 in response to Tim Roberts et al.'s review on Femtosecond laser cataract surgery. As one who was first taught cataract surgery with the 170° limbal incision, 'open-sky' cryoextraction and nolens implant method, I can only marvel at the latest leap into high technology that promises safer and more reliable cataract surgical results. But all at a cost! Not just the cost of the equipment and its maintenance but the cost that will flow on to the consumer patient. Numerous questions need to be addressed: When will all public teaching hospitals be able to afford the new technologies so that all eye trainees in Australia and New Zealand will be taught of the new techniques? Or, will the teaching need to be done in private hospitals and Day Care theatres?