ABSTRACT
Ophthalmic surgeons have witnessed a significant evolution in surgical techniques for cataract extraction in the 20th century.1 The most remarkable advance is, of course, the considerable decrease in the size of the wound incision. Small-incision cataract surgery using phacoemulsification through clear corneal self-sealing incisions avoids cauterization, suturing and intraocular pressure (IOP) fluctuations. Moreover, this is faster, more controlled and less traumatic when compared with conventional largeincision extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE). With the advent of the “phaconit” technique, today it is possible to remove the cataract through a 0.9 mm incision.2 The evolution in surgical techniques for cataract extraction is summarized in Table 29.1.
