OKLAHOMA CITY—Dean McGee Eye Institute (DMEI) surgeons are using a combination of new technologies to increase the accuracy and precision of cataract surgery. Computer-guided surgical lasers help dissolve the cloudy lens called a cataract and make incisions that allow for a level of precision never before obtained with cataract surgery.

Cataract surgery is recommended when the natural crystalline lens of the eye becomes opaque, usually due to age, causing diminished vision over time. During cataract surgery, the damaged lens is removed and replaced with a transparent synthetic lens to restore vision.

“The combination of the laser-driven surgery, refined lens implant measurements during the procedures, and premium replacement intraocular lenses is giving DMEI patients an enhanced surgical experience with a rapid recovery after surgery and remarkable improvement in their vision,” said Gregory L. Skuta, MD, DMEI President and CEO and Edward L. Gaylord Professor and Chair of the OU Department of Ophthalmology. “The computer-guided lasers make removal of the clouded cataract very precise, and the premium intraocular lens that is implanted can be better calibrated to the point that maximizes vision after surgery.”

The femtosecond laser is the latest in the combination of new technologies used by DMEI. The surgeon first anesthetizes the area and couples the device to the eye with gentle suction. The computer-guided device then scans the eye and sends detailed measurements to the laser, which automatically delivers a series of carefully calibrated pulses to create incisions on the outer surface of and inside the eye and to help dissolve the cataract.

“Once the cataract is removed, the ORA VerifEye+® wavefront technology system measures the eye for the new intraocular lens in the operating room to ensure the most accurate choice,” said David Jackson, MD, DMEI ophthalmologist, cataract and refractive surgeon. “Next, a premium synthetic replacement lens is individually fitted to the precise visual needs of each patient.”

The first signs of a cataract include a strong glare from lights and small light sources at night, along with reduced acuity at low light levels.

About the Dean McGee Eye Institute
The Dean McGee Eye Institute is dedicated to serving all Oklahomans and the global community through excellence and leadership in patient care, education and vision research. It is one of the largest and most respected centers for medical and surgical eye care in the United States and houses the Department of Ophthalmology for the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. Its research and training programs are among the most highly regarded in the country. Twenty-two of the Institute’s ophthalmologists are listed in the Best Doctors in America and/or Castle Connolly’s Top Doctors; its Director of Vision Research is a Past President of the International Society for Eye Research, Past Vice President of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) and a recipient of ARVO’s prestigious Proctor Medal; two members of the faculty are recent or current directors of the American Board of Ophthalmology; three serve or have recently served on the Board of Trustees of the American Academy of Ophthalmology; one is Vice Chair of the Residency Review Committee in Ophthalmology for the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education; and one is the Immediate Past President of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and a Past President of the American Glaucoma Society. For more information, visit www.dmei.org.

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