Alcon's LenSx femtosecond laser may be the most significant piece of technology to impact cataract surgery in recent years, allowing surgeons to correct astigmatism in cataract patients by creating precise incisions before the patient enters the operating room. While the laser is currently too expensive for many surgery centers — totaling around $500,000-$600,000 — several ASCs across the country have opted to invest. Here are 10 surgery centers currently equipped with the LenSx femtosecond laser.
1. Eye Surgery Center of Michigan (Troy, Mich.). The Eye Surgery Center of Michigan in Troy now performs bladeless cataract surgical procedures using the LenSx laser technology. The Michigan center functions jointly with St. John Providence Health System. Leslie Grosinger, MD, a co-founder of the Eye Surgery Center, said the center is the only one providing this technology in southeast Michigan. Dr. Grosinger added that the center is capable of performing customized surgeries based on the characteristics of cataract-affected eyes, and the latest laser technology can also improve astigmatism management procedures.
2. Palisades Eye Surgery Center (Bethesda, Md.). Thomas E. Clinch, MD, and Paul C. Kang, MD, were two of the first eye surgeons in Washington, D.C., to perform surgery with Alcon's LenSx, which was launched in early November at Palisades Eye Surgery Center. Customized laser rapids surgery procedures were achieved on Nov. 1 and 2 by Drs. Clinch and Kang. On the addition of the laser, Dr. Clinch said, "The add-on of the LenSx laser is interesting since it allows us the aptitude to supply our patients with the accuracy of P.C. tranquil surgical incisions and a gentler way to eliminate the lens. There is no [doubt] that it will change the way we do rapids surgery."
3. The Eye Center of North Florida (Panama City, Fla.). On Oct. 3, the Eye Center of North Florida introduced the LenSx laser for bladeless cataract surgery, the first laser in Florida and all southern states, with the exception of Charleston, S.C. Paul Garland, MD, and Bret Fisher, MD, surgeons at The Eye Center of North Florida, were the first to work with the new machine to perform custom laser cataract surgery.
4. The Eye Center of Northern Colorado (Fort Collins, Colo.). The Eye Center of Northern Colorado introduced the Alcon LenSx femtosecond laser in November, the first in the state of Colorado, according to the center's physicians. Gary J. L. Foster, MD, cataract and refractive surgeon at the Eye Center of Northern Colorado, said, "The LenSx raises the standard of cataract care to the highest level available anywhere in the world.
"The Eye Center of Northern Colorado is pleased to be able to introduce this advanced technology to the state of Colorado," he says. "The laser provides real-time imaging and marking of the structures of the eye during the surgery, which provides unparalleled accuracy and laser precision where it matters most — our patients' eyes and vision."
5. Eye Institute of Utah (Salt Lake City). The Eye Institute of Utah received the first commercially available blade-free femtosecond cataract laser in the Western U.S. on Feb. 22, 2011. Robert Cionni, MD, Alan Crandall, MD, and Darcy Wolsey, MD, all performed cataract surgery procedures on Feb. 28, 2011, with the new laser.
"We are thrilled to receive one of the first custom blade-free cataract lasers," said Robert J. Cionni, MD, medical director of The Eye Institute of Utah. "It will give our patients a safer, more accurate cataract procedure. Not only will this help patients in Utah, but we anticipate people from all over the country will travel to The Eye Institute of Utah to have surgery."
6. Island Eye Surgicenter (Carle Place, N.Y.). Eric Donnenfield, MD, an ophthalmic surgeon at Island Eye Surgicenter in Carle Place, N.Y., was the first physician in the New York metropolitan area to perform cataract surgery with the Alcon LenSx femtosecond laser in May. Island Eye Surgicenter was reportedly only the fourth surgical facility in the country to acquire the laser.
7. Blake Woods Surgery Center (Jackson, Mich.). Eye surgeons at Blake Woods Surgery Center in Jackson, Mich., started using the LenSx laser in summer 2011. TLC Eyecare & Laser Centers selected the surgery center to host the state's first reported LenSx laser for cataract surgery at its facility. TLC Eyecare charges patients $950 for the use of the laser, a price the company says is significantly below the industry average. Blake Woods Surgery Center currently performs several of the surgeries in a typical day.
8. Physicians' Eye Surgery Center (Charleston, S.C.). Kerry Solomon, MD, an eye surgeon at Physicians' Eye Surgery Center in Charleston, S.C., performed laser cataract surgery at the ophthalmic surgery center in October and broadcasted the procedure live at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology in Orlando. Dr. Solomon, who contributed to the development of the LenSx laser technology, said he "[feels] privileged to be selected as one of the surgeons who will be giving many of my colleagues across the world their first 'live' look at this important innovation at work."
9. Pacific Hills Surgery Center (Laguna Hills, Calif.). In August, NVISION Laser Eye Centers' Dan B. Tran, MD, became the first eye surgeon in California to perform laser refractive cataract surgery with the Alcon LenSx laser. The laser was installed in early August at Pacific Hills Surgery Center in Laguna Hills, Calif., where Dr. Tran performed five customized laser cataract surgeries on Aug. 11.
10. Texas Eye and Laser Center (Fort Worth, Texas). Texas Eye and Laser Center in Fort Worth, Texas, announced the successful launch of the Alcon LenSx femtosecond laser for cataract surgery in September. Physicians at the center called the technology a "breakthrough" that provides better accuracy and faster recovery time. "I think it gives better visual outcomes," said Brian Ranelle, MD, an eye surgeon at the clinic. "I think it gives slightly faster visual recovery. People are able to go back to their normal lives quicker. They can drive the day after surgery, just the visual recovery is quicker."
11. Southeastern Eye Center (Greensboro, N.C.). Southeastern Eye Center in Greensboro, N.C., was the first in North Carolina to offer the LenSx femtosecond laser. The cataract and lens implant surgery is provided for all patients at no additional cost, according to the center. "Due to the increased safety and precision of the laser, we feel this procedure should be made available to everyone regardless of the cost," center leadership said in a release. The laser also allows the center's surgeons to perform premium and toric lens implants.
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1. Eye Surgery Center of Michigan (Troy, Mich.). The Eye Surgery Center of Michigan in Troy now performs bladeless cataract surgical procedures using the LenSx laser technology. The Michigan center functions jointly with St. John Providence Health System. Leslie Grosinger, MD, a co-founder of the Eye Surgery Center, said the center is the only one providing this technology in southeast Michigan. Dr. Grosinger added that the center is capable of performing customized surgeries based on the characteristics of cataract-affected eyes, and the latest laser technology can also improve astigmatism management procedures.
2. Palisades Eye Surgery Center (Bethesda, Md.). Thomas E. Clinch, MD, and Paul C. Kang, MD, were two of the first eye surgeons in Washington, D.C., to perform surgery with Alcon's LenSx, which was launched in early November at Palisades Eye Surgery Center. Customized laser rapids surgery procedures were achieved on Nov. 1 and 2 by Drs. Clinch and Kang. On the addition of the laser, Dr. Clinch said, "The add-on of the LenSx laser is interesting since it allows us the aptitude to supply our patients with the accuracy of P.C. tranquil surgical incisions and a gentler way to eliminate the lens. There is no [doubt] that it will change the way we do rapids surgery."
3. The Eye Center of North Florida (Panama City, Fla.). On Oct. 3, the Eye Center of North Florida introduced the LenSx laser for bladeless cataract surgery, the first laser in Florida and all southern states, with the exception of Charleston, S.C. Paul Garland, MD, and Bret Fisher, MD, surgeons at The Eye Center of North Florida, were the first to work with the new machine to perform custom laser cataract surgery.
4. The Eye Center of Northern Colorado (Fort Collins, Colo.). The Eye Center of Northern Colorado introduced the Alcon LenSx femtosecond laser in November, the first in the state of Colorado, according to the center's physicians. Gary J. L. Foster, MD, cataract and refractive surgeon at the Eye Center of Northern Colorado, said, "The LenSx raises the standard of cataract care to the highest level available anywhere in the world.
"The Eye Center of Northern Colorado is pleased to be able to introduce this advanced technology to the state of Colorado," he says. "The laser provides real-time imaging and marking of the structures of the eye during the surgery, which provides unparalleled accuracy and laser precision where it matters most — our patients' eyes and vision."
5. Eye Institute of Utah (Salt Lake City). The Eye Institute of Utah received the first commercially available blade-free femtosecond cataract laser in the Western U.S. on Feb. 22, 2011. Robert Cionni, MD, Alan Crandall, MD, and Darcy Wolsey, MD, all performed cataract surgery procedures on Feb. 28, 2011, with the new laser.
"We are thrilled to receive one of the first custom blade-free cataract lasers," said Robert J. Cionni, MD, medical director of The Eye Institute of Utah. "It will give our patients a safer, more accurate cataract procedure. Not only will this help patients in Utah, but we anticipate people from all over the country will travel to The Eye Institute of Utah to have surgery."
6. Island Eye Surgicenter (Carle Place, N.Y.). Eric Donnenfield, MD, an ophthalmic surgeon at Island Eye Surgicenter in Carle Place, N.Y., was the first physician in the New York metropolitan area to perform cataract surgery with the Alcon LenSx femtosecond laser in May. Island Eye Surgicenter was reportedly only the fourth surgical facility in the country to acquire the laser.
7. Blake Woods Surgery Center (Jackson, Mich.). Eye surgeons at Blake Woods Surgery Center in Jackson, Mich., started using the LenSx laser in summer 2011. TLC Eyecare & Laser Centers selected the surgery center to host the state's first reported LenSx laser for cataract surgery at its facility. TLC Eyecare charges patients $950 for the use of the laser, a price the company says is significantly below the industry average. Blake Woods Surgery Center currently performs several of the surgeries in a typical day.
8. Physicians' Eye Surgery Center (Charleston, S.C.). Kerry Solomon, MD, an eye surgeon at Physicians' Eye Surgery Center in Charleston, S.C., performed laser cataract surgery at the ophthalmic surgery center in October and broadcasted the procedure live at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology in Orlando. Dr. Solomon, who contributed to the development of the LenSx laser technology, said he "[feels] privileged to be selected as one of the surgeons who will be giving many of my colleagues across the world their first 'live' look at this important innovation at work."
9. Pacific Hills Surgery Center (Laguna Hills, Calif.). In August, NVISION Laser Eye Centers' Dan B. Tran, MD, became the first eye surgeon in California to perform laser refractive cataract surgery with the Alcon LenSx laser. The laser was installed in early August at Pacific Hills Surgery Center in Laguna Hills, Calif., where Dr. Tran performed five customized laser cataract surgeries on Aug. 11.
10. Texas Eye and Laser Center (Fort Worth, Texas). Texas Eye and Laser Center in Fort Worth, Texas, announced the successful launch of the Alcon LenSx femtosecond laser for cataract surgery in September. Physicians at the center called the technology a "breakthrough" that provides better accuracy and faster recovery time. "I think it gives better visual outcomes," said Brian Ranelle, MD, an eye surgeon at the clinic. "I think it gives slightly faster visual recovery. People are able to go back to their normal lives quicker. They can drive the day after surgery, just the visual recovery is quicker."
11. Southeastern Eye Center (Greensboro, N.C.). Southeastern Eye Center in Greensboro, N.C., was the first in North Carolina to offer the LenSx femtosecond laser. The cataract and lens implant surgery is provided for all patients at no additional cost, according to the center. "Due to the increased safety and precision of the laser, we feel this procedure should be made available to everyone regardless of the cost," center leadership said in a release. The laser also allows the center's surgeons to perform premium and toric lens implants.
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