Application progress of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery in glaucoma

Abstract

Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery(FLACS)has been used for more than 10 years, with its safety and precision well-verified. In recent years, FLACS has been gradually applied to patients with glaucoma and cataracts, especially those patients with primary angle closure glaucoma(PACG). The unique anatomical characteristics of PACG increase the difficulty of lens extraction and potential complications in conventional phacoemulsification surgery, highlighting the distinct advantages of FLACS in these patients. Recently, the application of FLACS combined with minimally invasive glaucoma surgery(MIGS)in patients with open angle glaucoma, and goniosynechialysis(GSL)in patients with angle-closure glaucoma, and even in patients with filtering blebs after anti-glaucoma surgery, has been reported. The indications for FLACS are increasingly expanding. FLACS can cause a transient intraoperative increase in intraocular pressure(IOP), and ocular parameters can have a certain impact on IOP. The long-term effects on IOP require further research. More attention should be paid to the impact of FLACS on visual function in glaucoma patients and the related complications that may arise. This article reviews the application of FLACS in different types of glaucoma, its effects on IOP and visual function, specific complications, and application prospects.

Keywords

• femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery
• glaucoma
• intraocular pressure
• visual function
• complication