Day Kimball Hospital First in New England to Offer Latest, Most Advanced Technology for Cataract Surgery

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New Englanders suffering from cataracts now have access to the latest in surgical treatment at Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam, Connecticut. The Hospital, a part of Day Kimball Healthcare’s medical services network, is the first in New England to offer the VERION Image Guided System and LenSx Laser for refractive cataract surgery. Together these technologies provide the greatest precision, accuracy and efficiency available in cataract surgery, resulting in improved outcomes for patients. 

The VERION system provides advanced eye imaging, mapping and incision guidance technology that allows surgeons to better plan and perform some of the most challenging steps of cataract removal and lens replacement with automation and a high degree of precision. The system captures high resolution diagnostic images of the eye prior to surgery, allowing the surgeon to map and visualize the optimal surgical plan.

Once in the operating room, the system integrates these images seamlessly with the LenSx femtosecond precision laser, the first such laser approved for use in cataract surgery. In addition to offering improved accuracy and outcomes for treatment of the cataract, this system offers the added benefit of improving refractive outcomes at the same time. This means that in addition to removing the “cloudiness” of vision that cataract patients experience, improvements to visual acuity may also be made during the same procedure, including correction of astigmatism.

Rita Berry of Dudley, Massachusetts had astigmatism and a cataract, and recently had the procedure done to correct both conditions. “I would recommend it to anyone, I’m very happy with the whole experience,” Berry said. “I wore glasses for years and now I don’t have to. I was a little apprehensive to have it done at first, but I’m so glad I did,” she said.

“This technology is simply an amazing advancement for those undergoing cataract surgery, as well as for surgeons in the operating room, and I’m thrilled that we’ve been able to bring it here to Day Kimball,” said Dr. James Dean, ophthalmologist and chief of surgery at Day Kimball Hospital.

Dr. Dean began using the VERION and LenSx systems at Day Kimball Hospital in December, and says he has seen great results.

“Until recently, incisions had to be made by hand. These new technologies are now allowing us to precisely customize surgery to each patient’s eye surface, which are as unique as fingerprints, and perform laser surgery using lower levels of ultrasound energy than was previously required, all with real-time automation,” he said. “This greatly improves not only accuracy and precision, but the range of vision corrections we can accomplish in one procedure. The end result is a more effective and efficient surgery, a potentially faster recovery process, and a great improvement in vision for our patients.”

In addition to the VERION system and LenSx laser, the Hospital also recently began offering cataract patients a third new technology, the iStent. iStent is a drain placed in the eye for cataract patients who also have glaucoma. It improves the eye’s natural fluid outflow to safely lower eye pressure. At just 1 millimeter long, it is the smallest medical device ever approved by the FDA, and is so small it can’t be seen or felt after it is implanted. It is implanted during cataract surgery and spares important eye tissue that is often damaged by traditional surgeries. The iStent has been available at Day Kimball Hospital since November.

Dr. Dean says making these new and advanced technologies available at Day Kimball Hospital means that cataract patients from Northeastern Connecticut and nearby Massachusetts and Rhode Island no longer have to travel long distances to receive the best possible care.

“Now that we’re performing these advanced procedures here with such great results, I have no doubt that we’ll continue to serve more and more people who want to restore their vision to the best they can possibly have,” Dr. Dean added.

 

Related Resources

Schedule Your Cataract Surgery: Contact Dr. James Dean
Surgical Care: Ophthalmology