SMALL INCYSION CATARACT SURGERY BY MANUAL NUCLEAR FRAGMENTATION

Abstract

Recent techniques of cataract surgery involve removal of the nucleus through a small incision in order to reduce postoperative astigmatism and to promote rapid visual rehabilitation of the patient.

Our study is based on a new technique of cataract extraction involving manual fragmentation of the nucleus into two, three or more fragments depending on the size of the nucleus and removing these fragments out of the eye using a set of instruments introduced by Mcintyre. This set consists of a cutter, a spat ;le and an extracting spoon.

This study was conducted on 36 eyes of 33 patients, it included all types of cataract except hyper mature due to weak zonular attachments.

The surgical technique involved creating a 5mm scleral tunnel frown incision 2-3mm behind the limbus. This incision was dissected for l-2mm inside clear cornea and involved approximately half of the scleral thickness. Following entry into the anterior chamber a continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis was JX" formed using the cystitome and completed by the forceps. Stain was used in cases with dim or absent red reflex.