Femto Laser eye surgery risky

A Saudi ophthalmic surgeon has warned against the risks involved in the use of Femto Laser in the treatment of eye diseases.
The Femto Laser began being applied in eye surgery since 2001 for the correction of myopia and astigmatism and was called IntraLASIK, named after the machine used for the surgery.
Three hospitals in the Kingdom have installed the new machine.
Consultant of ophthalmic medicine and surgery at the Security Forces Hospital in Riyadh Dr. Abdul Majeed Al-Shaiha said new problems have been detected while employing the latest techniques in Femto Laser technology during surgery in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency.
He said the technique can be applied on a limited number of patients as more time is required for the operation with this device, which leads to a long waiting list of patients. The machine requires a larger space in the operation theater because of the huge size of the machinery, he said.
A research paper on the use of the technology for cataract treatment published in 2009 said the use of Femto laser needed more studies for its advantages in eye surgery such as cataract, he added.
Speaking to the media in the sidelines of an ophthalmology conference that concluded in Riyadh on Wednesday, an importing company official said the Femto Laser machine costs SR 3 million and that there are currently only three machines in the Kingdom whereas there is only one machine in the entire Gulf region outside the Kingdom.