Is cataract surgery after laser vision correction possible?

Yes, cataract surgery after previously undergone laser vision correction is possible. More and more people coming in for ophthalmic diagnosis for cataracts are patients who underwent laser vision correction surgery some time ago.

How to make a correct implantable lens power calculation

It is important to be aware that laser intervention within the eyeball always causes a change in the shape of the cornea: in nearsighted people the cornea becomes flatter (the central part of the cornea is flattened), in farsighted people it becomes steeper (a greater curvature is created). That’s why it’s essential to inform the doctor about the laser vision correction we have undergone, so that he can make a correct calculation of the power of the optical lens that will be implanted in us during cataract surgery.

Even the most accurate ophthalmic diagnostic platforms that support surgeons in selecting an implantable lens are based on aspect ratios and approximations specific to standard corneas, that is, corneas that have not been previously modified in any way by laser. If the doctor did not have the information that we have given ourselves in the past to correct a visual defect, any measurements could be subject to error.

We are able to diagnose any cataract case after laser vision correction

At Swiss Laser Clinic we have a modern diagnostic platform ANTERION®which allows diagnosis of any clinical case. The Cataract App module allows you to make key measurements as part of cataract surgery planning: corneal analysis, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness and axial length. These measurements are of the highest quality even in very advanced (dense) cataracts. The ability to assess total corneal power ensures optimal implantable lens (IOL) selection, and an integrated spherical and toric IOL calculator adds convenience to the preoperative routine.

When a doctor is able to compare pre-laser vision correction test results and data obtained through the ANTERION® diagnostic platform, the chance of optimal implantable lens selection increases to 100%.

In preoperative practice, ophthalmologists also have various systems at their disposal to help select the optimal lens for a cataract-bearing eye that has already undergone laser surgery. Some, such as Verion (Alcon), allow the power of the implantable lens to be calculated taking into account past surgeries or existing visual pathologies without having to provide preoperative corneal data.

However, it is always a good idea to compare the results of calculations performed by several different methods. Using all the data, it is easier to select the best possible lens for an eye that has already been “repaired”. So, in case of any doubt, the specialist is there to help:

• The patient’s test results from the time his eye was examined in preparation for laser vision correction
• Current results of the patient’s tests performed in preparation for cataract surgery
• ANTERION® diagnostic platform
• Verion system (Alcon)
• knowledge of calculation formulas and equations for correct calculation of lens power

Such a large number of tools is a guarantee that the doctor is sure to handle even the most complicated case.

The selection of implantable lenses when cataract surgery is performed after previous laser vision correction, is done in the same way as when surgery to remove the cloudy lens is performed on eyes that have never been operated on with a laser before. In addition to absolute medical indications, the individual needs of the patient are always taken into account in the calculation of the implantable lens when planning cataract surgery. At the private clinic, he can choose from the most advanced PREMIUM lenses:

• toric monofocal (in addition to the removal of cataracts, they allow the elimination of astigmatism, provide sharp vision for distance or near) and multifocal (in addition to the removal of cataracts, they allow the elimination of astigmatism, provide sharp vision for distance, near and intermediate distances)
• Multifocal (in addition to cataract removal, they guarantee the elimination of presbyopia and very good visual acuity for distance, near and intermediate distances)
• EDOF (extended depth of focus) – intraocular lenses with extended depth of focus, combining the advantages of monofocal and multifocal lenses, i.e. providing sharp vision at a wide range of distances – from far away to intermediate distances

All types PREMIUM lenses can be equipped with UV filters and/or blue light filter(blue light filter). They then eliminate the harmful part of the light beam, protect on the retinal pigment epithelium and reduce the risk of developing macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of irreversible blindness in patients over 60. year of age.

If you have been delaying laser vision correction all your life, and you have been diagnosed with cataracts, undergoing cataract surgery, you can ask to be implanted with such artificial lenses, which will further correct your visual defect (short/long-sightedness, astigmatism), as well as free you from presbyopia (reading glasses).