When doing phaco chop, remember that you must still physically push apart the nuclear halves to achieve complete separation and division of the cataract. Sometimes this is relatively easy and can be done in a single motion. Other times, like in the case shown here, three individual motions are needed to push apart the hemi-nuclear pieces to achieve the complete separation.
The more fibrous and dense the nucleus, the more effort will be needed to separate the nuclear pieces after the phaco chop is performed. This is still easier and more efficient than divide-and-conquer where the trench has to be carved, then the posterior plate cracked, then the pieces physically separated.
(skip to the 2:00 mark to see just the chop technique)
Click below to watch this technique of separating the halves after phaco chop:
