Macular pucker and cataract treated with phacoemulsification and IOL implantation combined with small-gauge pars plana vitrectomy: a comparison of outcomes with and without femtosecond laser assistance

ObjectivesAge-related cataracts and macular pucker are increasingly common. Standard treatment combines phacoemulsification, IOL implantation and small gauge vitrectomy. Recent advancements and acceptance of femtosecond laser (FSL) assistance in cataract surgery have improved precision and outcomes....

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Main Authors: Howard Wen-Haur Chao, Cheng-Kuo Cheng, Shiow-Wen Liou, Hsiao-Ming Chao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Medicine
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1497776/full
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author Howard Wen-Haur Chao
Howard Wen-Haur Chao
Cheng-Kuo Cheng
Cheng-Kuo Cheng
Shiow-Wen Liou
Shiow-Wen Liou
Hsiao-Ming Chao
Hsiao-Ming Chao
Hsiao-Ming Chao
author_facet Howard Wen-Haur Chao
Howard Wen-Haur Chao
Cheng-Kuo Cheng
Cheng-Kuo Cheng
Shiow-Wen Liou
Shiow-Wen Liou
Hsiao-Ming Chao
Hsiao-Ming Chao
Hsiao-Ming Chao
author_sort Howard Wen-Haur Chao
collection DOAJ
description ObjectivesAge-related cataracts and macular pucker are increasingly common. Standard treatment combines phacoemulsification, IOL implantation and small gauge vitrectomy. Recent advancements and acceptance of femtosecond laser (FSL) assistance in cataract surgery have improved precision and outcomes. However, evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of FSL-assisted phacovitrectomy, particularly in Oriental patient populations with distinct anatomical and genetic characteristics, remain limited. This study aims to address this critical gap by comparing the safety and post-operative outcomes of 23- or 25-gauge phacovitrectomy for stage 3 macular pucker and medium density cataract with versus without FSL-assistance (FSLA), in an Oriental patient cohort.MethodsPatients with stage 3 macular pucker and medium-density cataract were recruited and divided into two age-matched groups: group 1 (n = 13) underwent conventional phacovitrectomy without FSLA, and Group 2 (n = 13) underwent phacovitrectomy with FSLA. Evaluations included pre- and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA; Snellen E and LogMAR), cataract surgical time, phacoemulsification energy cost, corneal wavefront data, endothelial cell density (ECD), and surgical complications.ResultsSignificant improvements in postoperative visual acuity were observed in both groups (P < 0.05), with Group 2 (FSLA) demonstrating superior outcomes (0.48 ± 0.05/−0.45 ± 0.06; Snellen E/logMAR) compared to Group 1 (0.26 ± 0.07/−0.66 ± 0.15; Snellen E/logMAR). FSLA significantly reduced surgical duration (429.46 s vs. 740.00 s) and cumulative dissipated energy (CDE; 18.90 ± 1.59 vs. 25.24 ± 1.42) without significantly altering higher-order aberrations (0.24 to 0.22 μm). Although ECD decreased postoperatively in both groups, FSLA phacovitrectomy resulted in significantly less endothelial cell loss (227.77 ± 46.85 cells/mm2) compared to conventional phacovitrectomy (389.15 ± 47.87 cells/mm2). No serious complications were reported in either group.ConclusionFSLA phacovitrectomy presents a safe and more efficient alternative over traditional procedures for Oriental patients with medium density nuclear cataract patients with stage 3 macular pucker. Through enhanced IOL centration, shortened surgical times and decreased ECD loss, FSLA led to superior postoperative visual outcomes compared to traditional phacovitrectomy. This study addresses a critical gap in the literature by providing evidence for the benefits of FSLA in Oriental populations, offering valuable insights into its applicability in patients with distinct anatomical variations.
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spelling doaj-art-930e3dfbdd5047b5b4c44b0e3d654d5b2025-08-20T02:55:57ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Medicine2296-858X2025-05-011210.3389/fmed.2025.14977761497776Macular pucker and cataract treated with phacoemulsification and IOL implantation combined with small-gauge pars plana vitrectomy: a comparison of outcomes with and without femtosecond laser assistanceHoward Wen-Haur Chao0Howard Wen-Haur Chao1Cheng-Kuo Cheng2Cheng-Kuo Cheng3Shiow-Wen Liou4Shiow-Wen Liou5Hsiao-Ming Chao6Hsiao-Ming Chao7Hsiao-Ming Chao8Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Aston University, Birmingham, United KingdomDepartment of Medical Education, Leeds University, Leeds, United KingdomDepartment of Ophthalmology, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, TaiwanSchool of Medicine, Catholic Fu-Jen University, Taipei, TaiwanDepartment of Ophthalmology, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, TaiwanSchool of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, TaiwanDepartment of Ophthalmology, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, TaiwanDepartment of Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, TaiwanInstitute of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, TaiwanObjectivesAge-related cataracts and macular pucker are increasingly common. Standard treatment combines phacoemulsification, IOL implantation and small gauge vitrectomy. Recent advancements and acceptance of femtosecond laser (FSL) assistance in cataract surgery have improved precision and outcomes. However, evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of FSL-assisted phacovitrectomy, particularly in Oriental patient populations with distinct anatomical and genetic characteristics, remain limited. This study aims to address this critical gap by comparing the safety and post-operative outcomes of 23- or 25-gauge phacovitrectomy for stage 3 macular pucker and medium density cataract with versus without FSL-assistance (FSLA), in an Oriental patient cohort.MethodsPatients with stage 3 macular pucker and medium-density cataract were recruited and divided into two age-matched groups: group 1 (n = 13) underwent conventional phacovitrectomy without FSLA, and Group 2 (n = 13) underwent phacovitrectomy with FSLA. Evaluations included pre- and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA; Snellen E and LogMAR), cataract surgical time, phacoemulsification energy cost, corneal wavefront data, endothelial cell density (ECD), and surgical complications.ResultsSignificant improvements in postoperative visual acuity were observed in both groups (P < 0.05), with Group 2 (FSLA) demonstrating superior outcomes (0.48 ± 0.05/−0.45 ± 0.06; Snellen E/logMAR) compared to Group 1 (0.26 ± 0.07/−0.66 ± 0.15; Snellen E/logMAR). FSLA significantly reduced surgical duration (429.46 s vs. 740.00 s) and cumulative dissipated energy (CDE; 18.90 ± 1.59 vs. 25.24 ± 1.42) without significantly altering higher-order aberrations (0.24 to 0.22 μm). Although ECD decreased postoperatively in both groups, FSLA phacovitrectomy resulted in significantly less endothelial cell loss (227.77 ± 46.85 cells/mm2) compared to conventional phacovitrectomy (389.15 ± 47.87 cells/mm2). No serious complications were reported in either group.ConclusionFSLA phacovitrectomy presents a safe and more efficient alternative over traditional procedures for Oriental patients with medium density nuclear cataract patients with stage 3 macular pucker. Through enhanced IOL centration, shortened surgical times and decreased ECD loss, FSLA led to superior postoperative visual outcomes compared to traditional phacovitrectomy. This study addresses a critical gap in the literature by providing evidence for the benefits of FSLA in Oriental populations, offering valuable insights into its applicability in patients with distinct anatomical variations.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1497776/fullfemtosecond laserphacoemulsificationIOL implantsmall gauge pars plana vitrectomyorientalmacular pucker
spellingShingle Howard Wen-Haur Chao
Howard Wen-Haur Chao
Cheng-Kuo Cheng
Cheng-Kuo Cheng
Shiow-Wen Liou
Shiow-Wen Liou
Hsiao-Ming Chao
Hsiao-Ming Chao
Hsiao-Ming Chao
Macular pucker and cataract treated with phacoemulsification and IOL implantation combined with small-gauge pars plana vitrectomy: a comparison of outcomes with and without femtosecond laser assistance
Frontiers in Medicine
femtosecond laser
phacoemulsification
IOL implant
small gauge pars plana vitrectomy
oriental
macular pucker
title Macular pucker and cataract treated with phacoemulsification and IOL implantation combined with small-gauge pars plana vitrectomy: a comparison of outcomes with and without femtosecond laser assistance
title_full Macular pucker and cataract treated with phacoemulsification and IOL implantation combined with small-gauge pars plana vitrectomy: a comparison of outcomes with and without femtosecond laser assistance
title_fullStr Macular pucker and cataract treated with phacoemulsification and IOL implantation combined with small-gauge pars plana vitrectomy: a comparison of outcomes with and without femtosecond laser assistance
title_full_unstemmed Macular pucker and cataract treated with phacoemulsification and IOL implantation combined with small-gauge pars plana vitrectomy: a comparison of outcomes with and without femtosecond laser assistance
title_short Macular pucker and cataract treated with phacoemulsification and IOL implantation combined with small-gauge pars plana vitrectomy: a comparison of outcomes with and without femtosecond laser assistance
title_sort macular pucker and cataract treated with phacoemulsification and iol implantation combined with small gauge pars plana vitrectomy a comparison of outcomes with and without femtosecond laser assistance
topic femtosecond laser
phacoemulsification
IOL implant
small gauge pars plana vitrectomy
oriental
macular pucker
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1497776/full
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