The cross-chop pre-chop technique is particularly advantageous when managing a dense brunescent cataract, where conventional divide-and-conquer or single-plane chopping may … More
Category: Phaco Chop
2710: Flip & Chop with a white cataract
Every time I post a flip and chop video, I get many emails asking if this technique is also applicable … More
2699: it is fine if the first chop fails…
Persistence is key when performing phaco chop, especially if the initial chop does not fully propagate through the nucleus. A … More
2677: great chopping technique to learn
It was 1998 (I know, a long time ago) and I was fortunate to get a VHS tape of Dr … More
2609: resident chop with a Sinskey hook
The story behind the Sinskey hook is that late ophthalmologist Dr Robert Sinskey dropped a straight instrument on the ground … More
2601: Great skills at cataract case 700
Our guest surgeon does a great job with this routine cataract case which is about number 700 in the learning … More
2569: PreTerminal Chop Technique
On yesterday’s CataractCoach Podcast we featured Prof. Sourabh Patwardhan MD who runs a training program to teach techniques like phaco … More
2510: intumescent cataract chop
Our guest surgeon does a great job with this tough case of an intumescent white cataract. Fortunately, there is just … More
2504: resident surgeon tries vertical chop
I am proud of any resident surgeon who is driven to learn new techniques during training and then to upload … More
2481: dense cataract horizontal chop
Our guest surgeon does a great job with this dense whitish cataract using the horizontal chop technique. These cases can … More
2458: teach me the tilt and chop technique
There are many techniques for breaking up the nucleus and aspirating it with the phaco probe and ultrasonic energy. And … More
2434: young surgeon’s great phaco chop
Our guest surgeon is young and at the beginning of a long career and has the skill development to perform … More
2419: phaco chop with a sharp 25g needle
Our guest surgeon shows that if you have great skill, you can chop the nucleus with just about any instrument … 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
2380: tilt and chop phaco technique
As we become more experienced surgeons, we evolve our surgical technique to provide safer, more efficient, and more precise outcomes … More
2359: chopping in the bag for a soft nucleus
For a soft nucleus, I tend to flip it out of the capsular bag using hydro-dissection as shown in this … More
2349: beautiful horizontal chop case
Our guest surgeon does a great job with this cataract case, performing a beautiful horizontal chop technique. The chopper has … More
2343: learn both horizontal & vertical chop
I am very impressed with the younger generation of ophthalmologists because they learn so quickly and have great dexterity. It … More
2329: senior resident tries phaco chop
Any type of nucleo-fractis is great: divide-and-conquer, stop-and-chop, pre-chop, femto-laser, or any variation of phaco chop. As long as you … More
2265: resident pit and chop technique
This is an anonymous resident surgeon who is performing the pit and chop technique. Much like the submarine chop, this … More
2181: white cataract horizontal chop
Our guest surgeon here is a resident who is doing a great job of horizontal chop in this white cataract. … More
2179: making a trench to aid phaco chop
When performing classic phaco chop, we use the vacuum holding power of the phaco probe to fixate the nucleus while … More
2153: mechanical pre-chop technique
Pre-chopping the nucleus means that we are splitting it into smaller pieces, often quadrants, prior to placing the phaco probe … More
2146: the cross chop technique
Pre-chopping the nucleus means that we are splitting it into quadrants prior to placing the phaco probe in the eye. … More
2104: understanding vertical chop
The most common request from CataractCoach fans is guidance for learning phaco chop. Yes, your divide and conquer and your … More
2103: understanding horizontal chop
The most common request from CataractCoach fans is guidance for learning phaco chop. Yes, your divide and conquer and your … More
2102: cataract with iris clip phakic IOL
The iris clip / iris claw phakic IOL was designed to treat high degrees of myopia in younger patients where … More
2094: dense white cataract phaco chop
In yesterday’s video (video 2093) we featured the MSICS procedure for a dense white cataract. And today we feature a … More
2058: cracking the leathery posterior plate
With a dense, brunescent cataract the posterior aspect of the nucleus becomes tough and leathery. Traditional chopping methods usually are … More
1995: tilting the nucleus makes chop easy
Some surgeons desire to learn variations of phaco chop but they are uncomfortable with placing the chopper around the lens … More
1968: dense cataract phaco without ultrasound
Looking at the photo above, it would seem incredulous that it could be removed with a phaco probe with zero … More
1941: excellent resident horizontal chop
This resident surgeon presents case 250 which features an excellent phaco chop technique. This resident has obviously spent much time … More
1940: resident learns vertical combo chop
The first thing that catches your attention in this picture is the large pterygium. And I agree that a more … More
1939: resident learning horizontal chop
This resident is learning horizontal phaco chop early in residency and this is case 50 from this young surgeon. The … More
1926: resident crater chop technique
The challenge in performing traditional phaco chop is that the probe tip has to hold the nucleus with vacuum while … More
1911: iStent Infinite MIGS & Phaco Chop
In the first month of fellowship, your preceptor may ask you to perform a cataract surgery to see where you … More
1886: phaco chop case with GATT
GATT is gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculotomy and it is a low cost MIGS technique to help lower intra-ocular pressure and it … More
1885: phaco chop with trabeculotomy
Our guest surgeon, Gio Campagna MD, just graduated from ophthalmology residency at UCLA last week and is now starting his … More
1865: pre-placement of the chopper
One of the challenges in learning horizontal phaco chop is that there is only a small window of time, usually … More
1853: understanding the combo chop
This combo chop is a mix of horizontal and vertical chop and it has become my go-to technique for phaco … More
1852: chopped but can’t bring heminucleus up
In this case the nucleus is chopped efficiently, but there is a struggle to bring up the first heminucleus. Why? … More
1838: the easy way to learn phaco chop
There is some resistance among surgeons to learn a new technique because of the learning curve. For surgeons who are … More
1835: efficient phaco chop dense nucleus
This patient has a dense cataract — the kind where the posterior plate of the nucleus is tough and fibrous … More
1752: resident’s 3rd horizontal chop
Last week in video 1747, we showed you this same resident surgeon’s first case of horizontal chop and it went … More
1747: A resident’s first phaco chop case
The advantage of residency training is that a seasoned attending ophthalmologist is sitting right next to you, giving advice, teaching … More
1732: this white cataract is quite dense
We have previously explained that not all white cataracts are the same and that there is an entire spectrum of … More
1719: Crater Chop Technique
This resident cataract surgery case shows the crater chop technique where a central section of the nucleus is bowled out … More
1703: horizontal chop without vacuum
The traditional method of phaco chop uses vacuum holding power at the phaco tip to hold the nucleus while the … More
1693: curriculum lesson 13: phaco chop details
Merry Christmas to the young ophthalmologists who are going to make time to learn from this latest lesson in our … More
1679: Curriculum Lesson 12: more phaco chop
Phaco chop is such an important technique that we have another lesson going into more of the specifics. You can … More