Phako-emulsification

In 1962 Charles Kelman (USA) developed ultrasonic phako-emulsification which enables the core of the cataractous lens to be fragmented and extracted through a 3 mm incision. It took thirty years and several technical improvements before his invention was applied worldwide. Implants with a smaller optical zone were used but still needed enlargement of the incision up to 5 mm and one or two sutures to close the wound.
The advent of foldable implant lenses that can be inserted through a small 3 mm incision has brought us to “no-stitch cataract surgery”. The advantages of small incisions without sutures are that they do not produce corneal deformation and they thus avoid astigmatism, visual recovery is faster and the refractive result remains stable.

More about Phako-emulsification

The operation
Preparing for an operation
History