What happens during a phacoemulsification procedure?
In phacoemulsification cataract surgery, the surgeon makes a very small incision — about 1/8th of an inch — in the white of the eye near the outer edge of the cornea. A small ultrasonic probe is inserted through this opening and, oscillating at 40,000 cycles per minute, is used to break up (emulsify) the cataract into tiny pieces. The emulsified material is simultaneously suctioned from the eye by the open tip of the same instrument. The hard central core of the cataract (the nucleus) is removed first, followed by extraction of the softer, peripheral cortical fibers that make up the remainder of the lens. The front (anterior) section of the lens capsule is removed along with the fragments of the natural lens. The back (posterior) portion of the capsule is left in place to hold and maintain the correct position for the implanted intraocular lenses. After removal of the cataract, a prescription intraocular lens, or IOL, is permanently implanted in the lens capsule to replace the natura
