1320: do I prefer flip or chop?

Many CataractCoach fans have emailed me asking which technique I prefer for routine cases: phaco flip or phaco chop? Some … More

1316: slow motion of combo phaco chop

This video features a combination phaco chop (a combination of vertical chop and horizontal chop techniques) where we play the … More

Don’t be fooled into thinking that there is not much to be learned from watching a routine cataract case. As … More

We all learn from each other — that’s one of the best things about ophthalmology. My surgical techniques are an … More

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

This patient has a 4+ nuclear sclerotic cataract which we would classify as dense. Fortunately, it is not quite at … More

Our guest surgeon today shows us a very nice vertical chop technique. This works well if the nucleus has a … More

To achieve the best combo chop, you want to have a sufficient distance between the phaco probe and the chopper … More

This is the final cataract case that was performed during residency and likely represents about 200 to 300 cataract surgeries … More

From our Complete Cataract Case series, this is a video of a routine phaco chop case. It is not cherry … More

You are ready for action. You embed the phaco probe and achieve high vacuum. You carefully place the chopper into … More

The original technique of phaco chop involved placing the chopper under the capsulorhexis edge and then around the lens equator. … More

If the cataract nucleus is more dense, such as 3-4+ NS, performing more chops is beneficial to break up the … More

Sometimes when we try to chop the nucleus, we realize that the cataract material is too mushy and the chopped … More

I am often asked why I just do the one chop in some of my cataract cases. Would it be … More

Let’s admit that phaco chop can be a tough technique to learn. It requires both hands to perform a different … More

You know that I’m a big fan of the phaco chop technique for nucleus disassembly during cataract surgery because it … More

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

There is a critical step after the chop that is absolutely required to facilitate nucleus removal. And this step is … More

With the amazing results from modern day cataract surgery, many patients are electing to experience the benefits of pseudophakia when … More