2895: sculpting grooves in a dense nucleus

The Escaf Punta Hibrida phaco tip is specifically designed to handle the challenges of ultra-dense, rock-hard nuclei. Its unique hybrid … More

2782: cannula ejection causes damage

A 27-gauge cannula can be inadvertently ejected from a pressurized syringe during cataract surgery when excessive force is applied to … More

2381: iChopper makes phaco chop safe & easy

So many surgeons want to learn phaco chop but find it somewhat intimidating. This is because of the uncertainty of … More

2262: Zepto-Link for a precise capsulotomy

The Zepto-Link device integrates seamlessly with your phaco machine to deliver the ability to create a very precise, consistent, and … More

2205: Diamond Keratomes are Best

I have been a strong proponent of using diamond keratomes for more than 20 years. They are honed from gem … More

2016: ZeptoLink precision pulse capsulotomy

This patient is very myopic with a long axial length and a large anterior segment. The corneal diameter is about … More

2009: ZeptoLink integrates automated capsulotomy

This is a tough case with a fibrotic anterior lens capsule in a patient who already had capsular complications (and … More

1830: trust yourself but question computers

I recently performed a cataract surgery case using a heads-up electronic display where the computer would overlay a precise circle … More

1687: ensuring capsular overlap of optic

In cataract surgery we are taking out a 4 to 5 mm thick human crystalline lens and replacing it with … More

1678: can you chop with any instrument?

I have said it before, the hands are more important than the equipment. And the technique is more important than … More

1668: femtosecond laser fragmentation

We have covered the topic of femtosecond lasers in cataract surgery many times before. Most cataract surgeries performed in the … More

1639: intumescent & pressurized cataract

Increasing lens thickness indicates danger in cataract surgery because liquefied lens cortex can pressurize the capsular bag, increasing the risk … More

1572: create your own nucleus slicer DIY

DIY means Do It Yourself and it is something that appeals to so many people, including me. In this video … More

1523: Zepto for intumescent cataracts

We have seen the videos before where the Argentinian Flag sign develops instantly as the anterior lens capsule splits uncontrollably. … More

1418: advantages of Zepto capsulotomy

There are many ways of performing the steps of cataract surgery. We can do the capsulorhexis / capsulotomy with a … More

1387: Zepto Precision Pulse Capsulotomy

The Zepto device uses a brief pulse of electricity to instantly create a precision capsulotomy in the anterior lens capsule. … More

1333: pre-chopper for nucleus division

The pre-chopper is an instrument with two blades which are shaped like paddles and they are embedded into the nucleus … More

1256: you don’t need a pupil ring

If you are still a beginning surgeon or a resident surgeon, there may be a tendency to use pupil expansion … More

1247: Bent Needle Pre-Chopper

Our guest surgeon, Val Apostolov MD, has been featured on CataractCoach many times before. He is an innovative surgeon who … More

1246: BANG glaucoma technique

When I first met Arsham Sheybani MD at a meeting a few years ago, I could tell that I was … More

1184: diamond blades / keratomes

Diamond keratomes make the best incisions for cataract surgery because they are incredibly sharp and make very clean cuts in … More

1153: is femto laser phaco better?

Despite more than a decade of use and hundreds of published papers, there is still some controversy as to the potential … More

1140: IOL punch for suture fixation

There are many different techniques for suture fixation of an IOL to the sclera: Yamane, Canabrava, Gore-Tex, belt loop, and … More

1009: Cutting a Fibrotic Lens Capsule

In some white cataracts, the lens capsule can become fibrotic as the lens cortex becomes absorbed and the capsule contracts. … More

Simplified Pre-Chop Technique

The pre-chop technique refers to mechanically breaking the nucleus into smaller pieces prior to inserting the phaco probe into the … More

clean your optics & focus the microscope

This is actually a very important lesson. Your microscope optics will determine your view for the surgery and that could … More

Phaco tip bevel down for chop

Many viewers of CataractCoach.com ask me why I prefer to have the phaco tip bevel down for cataract surgery. The … More

cannula for cortex aspiration

Bimanual irrigation/aspiration for cortex removal has an advantage: it is easy to switch hands and then access a full 360 … More

measure the capsulorhexis in high myopia

Eyes come in a spectrum of sizes, particularly with the measurements of the anterior segment in patients with extreme refractive … More

Safety with Cannula Use – be careful!

Beginning surgeons do not always realize that the force created by using small 27g cannulas can be quite high. If … More

Does cataract surgery pose a viral risk?

Our colleagues from the University of Toronto recently did an experiment to determine if cataract surgery poses a risk of … More

Review: Chopper protects the capsular bag

We work in a very tiny space of just a fraction of a milliliter: the volume of the anterior chamber … More

Fixate the eye with your other hand

The problem with using two hands to hold the capsulorhexis forceps is that you lose the ability to have the … More

Examine instruments before using them

We must examine our instruments before using them to ensure that they are intact and in normal, working condition. In … More

Capsulorhexis forceps with ruler marks

Our guest surgeon is Dr. Ron J. Smith who has been instrumental in teaching cataract surgery at UCLA for the … More

Lens Snare Technique

More than a decade ago in 2009, Dr. Bhattacharya in India described a way of using a lens snare to … More

IOL cartridges – which one?

There are many different IOL injector systems from multiple different IOL manufacturers. It is the surgeon’s job to know the … More

Step-by-step: Malyugin Pupil Ring

To perform cataract surgery in an eye with a small pupil, it helps to expand the pupil to a more … More

The Chopper Push Technique

Watch this video carefully and you will see that the chopper instrument is used just once to create a single … More

What are these lines? What is Reflux?

These lines are the posterior capsule which has found its way into the suction port of the I/A probe. We … More

Setting Up for Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery is team work and the surgeon is just one member of the team. We need a great team … More

Checking the IOP at the end of surgery

We want to ensure an appropriate intra-ocular pressure (IOP) at the end of surgery. This puts the eye in a … More

How far do you insert the Chopper for Phaco Chop?

A young surgeon who is new to phaco chop asked me how deep to insert the chopper tip into the … More

Review: Surgical Peripheral Iridotomy

There are times when you will need to make a surgical iridotomy either during cataract surgery or as a stand-alone … More

Cataract Quiz: What is this white plume?

The phaco probe is placed in the eye at the beginning of the cataract surgery and when ultrasonic energy was … More

Watch out for the tubing lines!

This is a simple, but important, lesson: keep the tubing lines and the phaco power cord away from your surgical … More