With increasingly sophisticated systems, it is now possible to re-align the lens after a cataract operation with greater precision. We spoke to Professor Paolo Vinciguerra, head of Ophthalmology at Humanitas. The use of robotics plays an important role in the alignment of the optics. Since cornea is a lens, if it is not perfectly aligned multi-focal visual performance can be impaired.
What are the pre-operation tests?
Examinations that take place in the pre-operative period are used during the operation to calibrate the system. These allow us to project an image of the retina during the surgery, superimposed on the patient’s eye.
This way we can create references to align the axis of astigmatism and the center of the lens. Mis-aligning the astigmatism lens by only 10 degrees, which correspond more or less to a millimeter, would result in about a 30% loss of correction. Mis-aligning the lens by 30 degrees (2-3 millimeters) would completely negate the correction of astigmatism.
Furthermore, the multi-focal lens could be displaced by 1 or 1.5 millimeters lower than the center. With a 3 cm eye this displacement would result in almost complete loss of function of the multi-focal lens.
It is essential therefore to have a system that guides the action and allows a level of quality aimed at ensuring patient satisfaction. All this must be accompanied with a low probability of reprocessing for a new alignment of the lenses therefore making a cataract operation the best it can be.
