Is cataract surgery done with a laser?
Some cataract surgery is performed with a femtosecond laser assisting parts of the operation, and the great majority is performed with ultrasound energy alone. Both approaches remove the same clouded lens; what differs is how the incision and the opening in the lens capsule are made.
- Subject
- Eye conditions
- Topic
- Cataract
- Kind of question
- Other questions
- Procedures
- Cataract surgery
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
In more detail
If a clinic offers laser-assisted cataract surgery at a higher price, it is reasonable to ask what it changes for your eye specifically, and whether the surgeon expects a different outcome rather than a different technique.
What this answer depends on
- The density of the cataract
- The shape of your cornea and the size of your pupil
- What the surgeon who examines you uses for cases like yours
Related guides
People also ask
The questions readers move to next from this one: the closest subjects first, from either question bank.
Where this answer sits
It is one of 483 answers in the vision and eye health knowledge base, filed under Eye conditions & diseases in Cataract . The subject page carries the answers either side of it, and the hub is searchable.
Subjects this question touches
The pages that answer the subject behind the question, rather than the question itself.
- Procedure Cataract surgery
- Procedure Refractive lens exchange (RLE)
- Condition Cataract
- Place Cataract surgery in Dubai
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- Cataracts in adults: management (NG77)
Clinical guidance on when cataract surgery is indicated, what should be discussed before it, and what follow-up is expected.
Used for When cataract surgery is considered appropriate rather than cosmetic timing; What patients should be told before cataract surgery.
Link checked 23 September 2026
- Cochrane Library
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Useful for readers who want to know how strong the pooled evidence is, not just what one trial found.
Used for Helping readers judge the strength of the evidence base.
Link checked 22 September 2026