Controversies in Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery

  The ESCRS took part in a joint symposium at the 32nd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (JSCRS). The annual meeting was held in Fukuoka from June 23rd to 25th and more than 1,800 attendees gathered from all over Japan for the meeting. The topic for the joint symposium was “Controversies in Femtosecond Laser-assisted Cataract Surgery (FLACS)”, and Paul Rosen (England) and Hiroko Bissen-Miyajima (Japan) moderated the session. The positive and negative aspects of FLACS were presented by six speakers, including 'Capsulotomy' by Nino Hirnschall (Austria) and 'Economics of FLACS' by Paul Rosen. Following the symposium, an Open Forum was held in the special theatre built in the Exhibition area. The differences between Japanese standards and international standards in cataract and refractive surgeries were discussed. Significant differences were found in intra- and post-operative management of infection, and the usage of toric and multifocal IOLs. The Special Lecture, the main event of the annual meeting, was given by Associate Professor Kazuno Negishi of Keio University on the theme of 'Quality of Vision and quality of life in cataract and refractive surgery'. "I am deeply grateful for the valued support and cooperation of JSCRS members and many others in holding this meeting," said Chikako Suto, chair of JSCRS, Department of Ophthalmology,Tokyo Women's Medical University Medical Center East. "It is my hope that from small beginnings, the meeting will send up green shoots and grow tall until it flowers into a radiant future, and contribute to the development of cataract and refractive surgery through the participation of as many people as possible," she said.