My world first experience with Keranova femtomatrix cataract surgery.

Femtosecond laser assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) became standard of case at Gemini Eye Clinic since 2012 when I performed the first European FLACS with Victus (Technolas, B+L) femtosecond laser. I then started to use Z6 and Z8 (Ziemer) lasers for FLACS and later co-developed CAPSULaser to simplify laser cataract surgery and make it more cost-effective. Anyhow Victus laser stayed the gold standard at our clinics for almost 10 years. Therefore, I was desperately looking for the FLACS innovative technology and Keranova Femtomatrix concept immediately draw my attention. We agreed with Fabrice Romano, Keranova CEO, to design a clinical study and perform the world first in human Keranova Femtomatrix laser cataract surgery at our Gemini Eye Clinic in Zlin, Czech Republic.
It was exciting to see Keranova team setting up the world first cataract laser with robotic arm. I could not wait the next morning for the first in human surgeries. We double checked everything and called the first patient in the OR next morning. The robotic arm brought the laser head close to the eye, docking was finished and the Femtomatrix laser capsulotomy and fragmentation was performed.
I will never forget seeing for the first time in my life the myriad of golden cubes in human lens after Femtomatrix laser Photoemulsification. In 20 seconds the femtomatrix laser created 20 000 cubes with 200 microns side. The sophisticated Threshold Scanning System (TSS) provides adequate laser energy into different lens areas to ensure proper lens fragmentation while minimizing bubble formation. It was easy to remove the central capsular disc after Femtomatrix laser capsulotomy and aspirate all cubes from the lens without the need of ultrasound. It was then “a piece of cake” to implant the intraocular lens and conclude this break-through cataract surgery.
We have repeated the procedure on all study eyes without a significant complication. This series of eyes generated data for CE mark of Keranova Femtomatrix laser which is expected end 2022.
The speed and precision of Femtomatrix is unmatched in laser eye surgery. It is going to set the new standards in FLACS and later also significantly improve refractive and corneal laser surgery. The time for lasik flap creation was calculated for Femtomatrix laser as 0,5 second. This is very exciting, and the surgery will become significantly shorter. I am looking forward to such innovations to come to our routine clinical practice and I believe the French high-tech company Keranova is revolutionizing cataract surgery.