Editorially Independent Content

Bausch & Lomb’s Stellaris Vision Enhancement System is a phacoemulsification solution that enables 1.8mm microincision cataract surgery (MICS). It offers solid chamber fluidics and advanced, efficient cutting dynamics to enable sub-2mm lens surgery. It offers a Venturi pump system and the ability to separately control vacuum and phaco with the dual linear foot pedal.

SAFER OPERATING ENVIRONMENT

At my practice, Harvard Eye Associates in Orange County, California, we’ve been using two Stellaris systems in our operating room for about three years. Like most surgeons, we’ve taken a look at all the available phaco machines in the U.S. and they’re all great technologies that allow you to offer a good surgical experience.

Having a modern phaco machine allows you to become a more efficient surgeon. It gives you a safer operating environment because you’ve got a stable chamber.

ERGONOMIC FEATURES

Stellaris offers many valuable features, such as a very solid chamber and small incision capacity down to 1.8 millimeters. Other machines don’t quite get that small.

I also love the fact that I can separate the phaco energy and the vacuum by sliding the foot pedal. The Venturi pump system is very responsive. So when you want vacuum, if you’re going after a quadrant of nucleus, you can get it instantly. And it’s got a good fast hold that will stay. These features are the reasons I’ve been using the Stellaris all this time.

MINOR DOWNSIDE

With any of the modern phaco machines, we have non-reusable tubing. So you need to use a new cassette for every single patient. Prior to obtaining the Stellaris, we had a machine that was set up to support reusable tubing for up to 20 cases. Obviously, costs are lower when you can use reusable tubing.

Since the top three major U.S. manufacturers all have non-reusable tubing, I don’t view this as a competitive disadvantage to Stellaris. We don’t have a choice among the machines from the three major players.

SOLID RECOMMENDATION

I definitely recommend the Stellaris. With its very stable chamber, dual linear foot pedal and incisions as small as 1.8 millimeters, this has probably been the safest phaco machine I’ve ever used.