To evaluate the safety, efficacy, advantages, and limitations of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery through a review of the literature. A PubMed search was conducted using topic-appropriate keywords to screen and select articles. Initial research has shown appropriate safety and efficacy of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery, with improvements in anterior capsulotomy, phacofragmentation, and corneal incision. Limitations of these studies include small sample size and short-term follow-up. Cost-benefit analysis has not yet been addressed. Preliminary data for femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery shows appropriate safety and efficacy, and possible advantage over conventional cataract surgery. Questions to eventually be answered include comparisons of long-term postoperative complication rates-including infection and visual outcomes-and analysis of contraindications and financial feasibility.
Keywords: Capsulorhexis; Capsulotomy; Cataract; Cataract Laser Extraction; Clear Corneal Incision; Femtosecond; Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery; Femtosecond-Assisted; Fragmentation; Laser; LenSx; LensAR; OptiMedica; Optical Coherence Tomography; Phacoemulsification; Phacofragmentation; Refractive Cataract Surgery.