Will Your Eye Surgery Center Purchase a Femtosecond Laser for Cataract Surgery?
September 12, 2011
Last week Becker’s ASC Review for ambulatory surgery centers asked the question: Why aren’t more eye surgery centers buying femtosecond lasers for cataract surgery from manufacturers such as LenSx and LensAR?
The article shares insights from premier cataract surgeons around the country who acknowledge that while femtosecond lasers will likely revolutionize cataract surgery there are lingering questions about how to cover the cost of the machines (equal to about $500,000) since Medicare will currently not allow providers to charge extra for this new technology (except in cases of cataract surgery including insertion of a premium IOL).
Other surgeons indicated they may wait to see how the technology evolves rather than buy the first machines on the market.
Finding space for the machines in a crowded surgery center and scheduling use of the machines into the surgical workflow were also cited as issues to address.
We invite readers to share their comments on these issues below.
Here is a link to the full article in Becker’s ASC Review.
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2 Responses to “Will Your Eye Surgery Center Purchase a Femtosecond Laser for Cataract Surgery?”
i agree. i recently closed my office and am sub-leasing from a doctor who built a multimillion dollar state-of-the-art eye center a few blocks away. having access to so much technology is wonderful, and it’s only possible when doctors practice together. i am curious- how much extra do you charge for using the laser?
I am fortunate enough to own my own ambulatory centre (day surgery hospital ) in Melbourne. I am installing the Optimedica Catslys system in April 2012.
I believe it will allow me to perform safer surgery and has the potential to improve refractive outcomes too.
It is expensive, but I hope to make it affordable to all my patients. Surgeons in surrounding areas are also considering using our theatres too.
I believe there will be an aggregation of ophthalmologists into a smaller number of theatres, which will be very high tech environments.
