Cataract Surgery Technical Advances

Many technological advances in cataract surgery have occurred over the last several years, including femtosecond lasers, torsional ultrasonic phacoemulsification, enhanced fluidic efficiency surgery, and special premium intraocular lenses. But there is a new device that does not require a microchip or any other high tech material that is making cataract surgery much safer and easier for certain patients.

miLOOP, a device from Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., is essentially a metal snare that is used to fragment a dense cataract, making its removal much safer and easier. It is a disposable tool made of nitinol, a metal alloy of nickel and titanium with super elasticity and shape memory.  It does not require laser or ultrasound energy, takes only a few minutes to employ, and can greatly reduce the difficulty and potential complications of removing more severe cataracts.