Millions of people around the world -suffer from cataracts, an age-related -condition in which the eye's lens becomes clouded, making vision fuzzy or filmy and normal daily living activities more -difficult.

In fact, surgery to remove cataracts is one of the most common procedures worldwide, estimated at 19 million cases each year.

While cataract surgery has been widely adopted across the globe, the procedure's precision historically has been limited due to its manual nature. This has changed with the development of the Catalys Precision Laser System for cataract surgery, available for the first time in North Carolina, from cataract -surgeons Anna Fakadej, M.D., Neil Griffin, M.D., Daniel Messner, M.D., and Tarra Millender, M.D., at Carolina Eye Associates.

Catalys is a highly sophisticated laser cataract surgery system that combines a state-of-the-art femtosecond laser, advanced 3D imaging, sophisticated -software and a host of other unique -features that deliver a precise, -customized procedure and an exceptional experience for patients.

During the traditional (non-laser) cataract procedure, the ophthalmic -surgeon's first step is to perform manual cuts to form a circular incision in the lens capsule, a cellophane-like bag that holds the lens. Through this incision, he or she then breaks up and removes the clouded lens, and replaces it with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL).

This initial circular incision is a critical surgical step, as its size, shape and -positioning may be key determinants of effective positioning of the artificial lens, and ultimately visual outcomes. If the artificial lens becomes de-centered by even a very slight degree, its performance will be diminished. This is especially true for premium, presbyopia-correcting IOLs that are designed to enable both near and far vision without contacts or glasses.

Using Catalys, Carolina Eye cataract surgeons are able to make this initial -circular incision (called a "capsulotomy") under 3D image guidance with -unparalleled precision.

Unlike the conventional manual -technique, the laser-delivered incision is pre-planned and customized to the patient's eye with sophisticated software and then created in just a few seconds via a series of ultra-fast laser pulses.

Clinical study results have shown that Catalys delivers unparalleled -improvement in capsulotomy size, shape and -positioning. In fact, the system is able to produce capsulotomies that are -accurate within tens of microns, with exceptional circularity.

The Catalys system is also used to -create patterned incisions that soften and segment the cataract-affected lens, enabling easier and more gentle lens break-up and removal. This new laser-enabled process may bring added safety benefits to patients, as it has been shown to reduce the amount of ultrasound -energy needed during this step by approximately 40 percent.

The Catalys Precision Laser System was developed by global ophthalmic -company OptiMedica Corp. (Santa Clara, Calif.) in close collaboration with a -medical advisory board of cataract -surgery experts from around the world.

For more information on Catalys and cataract surgery, visit www.carolina eye.com or call (910) 295-1501.