Dr. Johan Hutauruk of Indonesia talks tips for optimizing cataract surgery outcomes, and the Pentacam from OCULUS plays a starring role.
Cataracts — once a fearsome harbinger of blindness for sufferers worldwide — have largely become a common medical problem with a routine solution. Today, the modern cataract patient expects a smooth outpatient procedure with little disruption to their daily life … and excellent visual outcomes.
Ophthalmologists know that to get excellent visual outcomes there is a laundry list of highly complex measurements that must be taken with incredible precision. And those in the know understand that a positive cataract surgery experience starts with a well-executed preoperative process — optimized by the proven accuracy and efficiency of the Pentacam (OCULUS Optikgeräte GmbH, Wetzlar, Germany).
To discover some pearls for great cataract surgery outcomes, we sat down with Dr. Johan Hutauruk of Indonesia to talk about how the Pentacam has enhanced his preoperative routine.
Meeting evolving patient expectations in the age of premium IOLs
Challenges of all shapes and sizes abound for surgical teams preparing for cataract surgery, but for Dr. Hutauruk, the most difficult of all comes from a surprising source. “The greatest challenge [in preparing for cataract surgery] is to meet patient expectations,” he said.
But with the advent of breakthroughs like multifocal and toric intraocular lenses (IOLs), this expectation has evolved. This was according to a talk by Dr. Hutauruk at the recently held cyber course of the Indonesian Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (INASCRS INDEPTH 2022): “Cataract surgery has now become cataract refractive surgery,” he explained. “The target is not only visual rehabilitation by removing the cloudy lens, but also to optimize visual acuity postoperatively so our patients can expect to be free of glasses.”
With its robust suite of tools and features, the Pentacam range is uniquely suited to embrace this new wave of IOLs and the accompanying increase in preoperative demands. Dr. Hutauruk sees the Pentacam as indispensable. “The Pentacam is particularly important for the implantation of premium IOLs, especially toric and multifocal lenses,” he shared.
For preoperative IOL calculations, the Pentacam comes with the whole suite of tools to make the fine measurements and calculations demanded by nextgen IOLs. “Especially for multifocal IOLs, I need to consider the corneal topography, posterior cornea and angle kappa,” Dr. Hutauruk shared.
The Pentacam measures these key parameters, among others. Another key to success is in choosing the right IOL formula. Though there are many out there, Dr. Hutauruk says the Barrett Universal II formula is the right choice for all axial lengths. But no matter the physician’s personal preference, getting it right from measurement to formula input is a breeze with Pentacam, saving doctors time and reducing transcription errors.
Building doctor AND patient confidence with Pentacam
The patient and what they hope to get out of their procedure are the most mercurial of all variables leading up to cataract surgery. The biometrics of the eye are a fixed quantity compared to the whims and fancies of the human brain, and keeping the latter aligned with surgical outcomes is a minefield.
The many biometrics provided by the OCULUS Pentacam can equip patients with the knowledge needed for confidence in the procedure. “The Pentacam can perform AXL measurements and posterior cornea measurements,” explained Dr. Hutauruk. “This makes it easy to see if there is any irregular astigmatism so I can manage the patient’s expectations.”
But in the end, it is doctors who rely most on a successful preoperative routine. And for maximum confidence before setting foot in the operating theater, Dr. Hutauruk knows he can rely on the Pentacam. “There’s a lot of critical information I get from the Pentacam,” he said. “With corneal tomography it is easy to see abnormalities, irregular astigmatism, true net power and posterior cornea measurements.”
The list goes on with the range and depth of measurements that the Pentacam places at doctors’ fingertips. But the Pentacam’s long-standing reputation for efficiency and accuracy are what makes it the go-to biometry suite for Dr. Hutauruk. “The other main advantage is that the measurement is very quick, which makes it very convenient for patients. And of course, it provides reliable results.”
