Ten Pearls for Phacoemulsification in a Soft Cataract
Soft cataracts are usually seen in pediatric or young adult patients. We encounter them more frequently nowadays due to the increasing patient awareness and evolving lifestyle requirements which bring the patients earlier to the clinic. Another important reason behind the increasing number of soft cataracts in our surgical practice is the fact that the number of pars plana vitrectomies is increasi...Read More
Ten Tips for Phacoemulsification in Small Pupil
Phacoemulsification in eyes with preoperative non-dilating pupil or with intraoperative miosis is fraught with complications [1,2]. The following tips will help understand the small pupil and optimize strategy to deliver better outcomes. 1. Every eye is an IFIS candidate; Reduce threshold for using Pupil expansion devices: Since its original association with tamsulosin intake, Intraoperative Flopp...Read More
Ten Pearls for Phacoemulsification in a Hard Cataract
Phacoemulsification of the very dense cataract presents the surgeon with a series of specific and difficult challenges. How hard is hard and what level of hardness makes it challenging depends largely on the experience of the surgeon. LOCS III classification does not always reveal the real hardness of the cataract, and that aside there is no definition in the literature that classifies the hardnes...Read More
Ten Pearls of Phacoemulsification in Subluxated Cataracts
Phacoemulsification in subluxated cataracts is a challenging situation for the phaco surgeon due to lot of variables like management of the subluxation, management of the cataract, vitreous etc. Here are the top ten Pearls for Phaco in subluxated Cataracts. 1 Pre-Op Assessment Careful slit-lamp examination for a) Extent of Subluxation b) The density of the cataract c) Presence or absence of vitreo...Read More
Ten Tips to Achieve a Complete Curvilinear Capsulorhexis
1. See clearly: Focus the microscope in such a way that the anterior capsule is exactly in focus. Low magnification would help in increasing depth perception, even though things don’t appear grossly magnified. Even if the patient moves the eye a little, things don’t go out of focus. 2. Stain if needed: If the red glow is not very clearly seen, and the cut end of the anterior capsular flap may not ...Read More
Ten Tips for Youngsters to Increase Proficiency in Phacoemulsification
Phacoemulsification, like any other surgery, comes with its learning curve. Here are some pearls, from my experience, to help you ‘shorten’ and ‘Flatten the curve’. 1. Believe in yourself: The first step to successfully doing anything in life is to believe in yourself. Believe you can and you are half way there. 2. Observe, Observe, Observe & Learn I am a firm believer of this quote by Marilyn vos...Read More
In Vitro Cataract Classification Systems : A Review
In early days, since the whole lenses were readily available from intracapsular cataract surgery, so the early systems of cataract classification1,2,3 were developed for use almost exclusively with isolated lenses. These systems were largely qualitative, and they emphasized nuclear color as the index of the severity of cataract formation; lighting systems that improved visualization of cortical an...Read More