Femtosecond-laser assisted surgery of the eye: Overview and impact of the low-energy concept

Abstract

This article provides an overview of both established and innovative applications of femtosecond (fs)-laser-assisted surgical techniques in ophthalmology. Fs-laser technology is unique because it allows cutting tissue at very high precision inside the eye. Fs lasers are mainly used for surgery of the human cornea and lens. New areas of application in ophthalmology are on the horizon. The latest improvement is the high pulse frequency, low-energy concept; by enlarging the numerical aperture of the focusing optics, the pulse energy threshold for optical breakdown decreases, and cutting with practically no side effects is enabled.