Fragmentation and aspiration of soft cataracts require different surgical techniques and approaches compared to the removal of dense nuclei, including when using a femtosecond laser.

PURPOSE

This study was conducted to develop a non-ultrasound technique for aspiration of a soft lens nucleus after its preliminary femtosecond laser-assisted fragmentation.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study included 63 patients (63 eyes) aged 23 to 40 years who underwent surgery. In 27 cases, early or immature cataract was observed, and in 36 cases, cataract removal was performed for refractive purposes in high myopia and complex myopic astigmatism. The VICTUS femtosecond laser surgical system (Technolas Perfect Vision GmbH, Germany) was used for preliminary fragmentation of the lens nucleus. Surgeries were performed using the Centurion Vision System phacoemulsifier (Alcon Laboratories, Inc., USA). The volume of the required irrigation solution was evaluated during the surgery. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were assessed.

RESULTS

The surgery was performed without complications in all cases. Capsulorhexis edge was completely preserved along its entire circumference. The study showed the fundamental possibility of aspirating a cataract with a nucleus of grade I—II density without low-frequency ultrasound after preliminary femtosecond laser-assisted fragmentation of the nucleus with a “grid” pattern, which ensures minimal fragment size in the central zone of the nucleus. The volume of irrigation solution required for aspiration of the nucleus was 36.0 (27.0; 44.0) ml, which does not significantly differ from the volume of solution during ultrasound phacoemulsification of a nucleus of such density.

CONCLUSIONS

Femtosecond laser-assisted fragmentation of the lens nucleus with a “grid” pattern and phacoemulsifier systems with a high vacuum level allow effective aspiration of a soft lens without using low-frequency ultrasound.