According to a presentation at the Canadian Ophthalmological Society, the DisCoVisc ophthalmic surgery device can be used as a safe substitute for the Healon viscoelastic device during cataract surgery.

During the study, 14 eyes were randomized to DisCoVisc and 19 to Healon.  No significant surgical complications were noted with either device. A relative increase in the corneal thickness of patients who received Healon compared to those patients who received DisCoVisc remained at day 15 after surgery. There was also less loss of endothelial cell density with DisCoVisc than with Healon.

Although the patients did not notice a subjective difference between the two devices, the surgeons noted differences in that the DisCoVisc device was more easily retained during procedure but the Healon was easier to remove at the end.

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