Can cataracts be removed by laser?
No. Not really. In 2001 the FDA did approve one machine for laser removal of cataracts, but it hasn’t caught on with cataract surgeons, and it isn’t really what you would expect. The beauty of lasers is that they promise surgery without an incision. However, with the currently available laser technology incisions must still be made, and from what I understand the laser is not as versatile as the now standard ultrasound based methods (phacoemulsification). In my opinion, the current laser cataract removal technology is nothing more than a gimmick that allows people to claim that they remove cataracts with a laser. Research continues in this area, but with very very few exceptions, lasers are not currently used for removing cataracts. Modern small incision cataract surgery utilizes ultrasound to liquefy (emulsify) the cataract. Actually, the only possible advantage that lasers hold in cataract removal is that they may eventually allow even smaller incisions to be used. Currently I use an
