Ophthalmologists and industry representatives were treated to an evening of lively discussion and personal perspectives on cataract and refractive surgery at an Alcon Symposium, held in conjunction with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) Congress.
Alcon provided guests with a hint of what’s to come in 2025, revealing that the Unity Vitreoretinal Cataract System (the Unity VCS) and the Unity Cataract System (the Unity CS) had now been included on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) and notified to the Web Assisted Notification of Devices (WAND) database in New Zealand. Both will be on the market in the first quarter of 2025, following further surgical testing.
Describing Alcon’s new systems as the “next generation of vitreoretinal and cataract equipment”, Penny Stewart, Cluster Franchise Head Surgical and Country Manager, Alcon ANZ, said they build on innovations from the existing technologies – the Constellation Vision System for vitrectomy and Centurion Vision System with Active Sentry for phacoemulsification.
“The new phacoemulsification modality will allow surgeons to do the surgery two times faster, but with 40% less energy than they were using before with Centurion,” Ms Stewart announced.^1,2
Practices that currently have a vitreoretinal system as well as a cataract system in their theatre will be able to combine them into one smaller footprint system
“And within the vitrectomy space, we have a new modality that will allow surgeons to operate at 30,000 cuts per minute,2 which is also an increase in efficiency and stability.
“Both technologies, for vitrectomy and phaco, will work synergistically with our new proprietary fluidic system that will also help them increase stability and efficiency.3
“These new systems enable Alcon to offer a range of platforms for all practices.
“Practices that currently have a vitreoretinal system as well as a cataract system in their theatre will be able to combine them into one smaller footprint system; practices that are doing cataract only today may be able to expand more easily into doing vitrectomy; and then we still have our standalone cataract system as well.”
Cataract, Refractive and Glaucoma Discussion
The audience heard from a panel comprising Dr Justin Sherwin (Mornington, Victoria), Dr Lewis Levitz (Melbourne), and Dr Rosa Braga-Mele (Canada), moderated by Dr Aanchal Gupta (Adelaide).
Dr Levitz described his experience implanting 1,200 Alcon Vivity intraocular lenses and his learnings to achieve patient satisfaction. Dr Braga-Mele, a Professor of Ophthalmology at University of Toronto, provided an entertaining account of the evolution of cataract surgery, culminating in her experience with the innovative technology that powers the new Unity CS/VCS. She described the new systems as “definitely… an advancement in fluidics performance allowing operating at near physiologic IOP with more stability”. Additionally, she said its new phaco power modality “allows more efficient and safer nuclear disassembly and removal in comparison to the previous system”.
Later, Dr Sherwin rounded out the discussion, speaking about cataract surgery in patients with mild to moderate glaucoma.
“Thoughtful selection of intraocular lenses, tailored to glaucoma phenotype, ocular co-morbidities, and patient lifestyle, enables ophthalmologists to meet both visual and ocular health needs in glaucoma patients,” he said.
“Combining cataract surgery with minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) – particularly using the Hydrus microstent – provides a powerful and reliable solution for managing mild-to-moderate glaucoma, delivering long-term intraocular pressure (IOP) control, reducing dependence on medications, and mitigating disease progression,”Dr Sherwin observed.4
Describing the symposium, which was held at the Adelaide Zoo conference centre in November, as “large yet warm and intimate”, Dr Levitz said the most important part of the dinner meeting was “acknowledging the fact that ophthalmologists have different clinical practices and chose different lenses or glaucoma drainage devices based on personal experience”.
“The symposium provided an opportunity for clinicians to discuss their practice choices and explain their decision making. It also allowed the audience to ask questions; the answers to which may add to the quality of ophthalmic care they provide.”
Patient Quality of Life
The symposium concluded with a heartfelt message from Ms Stewart, who re-focussed attention on patient outcomes by describing the experiences of her own elderly parents, and the quality of life that ophthalmic surgery has returned.
Reflecting on the evening, host Dr Gupta said it had been a privilege to host the Alcon Symposium “at the stunning Adelaide Zoo”.
“The evening focussed on the latest innovations in cataract surgery and their transformative impact on patients’ lives. Through engaging discussions and expert insights, the symposium showcased how advancements in Alcon’s new Unity VCS technology, premium IOLs, and MIGS are empowering patients to live brilliant lives with improved vision and improved quality of life.”
Dr Gupta said the event “was an inspiring reminder of the continued progress in our field, driven by a commitment to enhancing patient outcomes”.
References
^Two times faster nucleus removal than OZIL torsional phacoemulsification.
* Compared to Constellation HyperVit 20k vitrectomy probe.
- Alcon Data on File 2024. Ref: 24379.
- Alcon data on file: Ref: 24644.
- Unity VCS and CS User Manual 2024. Ref: 24980.
- Ahmed I, et al. HORIZON Investigators. Long-term outcomes from the HORIZON randomized trial for a Schlemm’s canal microstent in combination cataract and glaucoma surgery. Ophthalmology, Volume 129, Issue 7, 742 – 751.
