Microincisions in cataract surgery

Improvements in phacoemulsification technology and instrumentation and intraocular lens materials and design have enabled cataract surgery to be performed through incisions smaller than 2.0 mm in external width. This evolution has occurred overtime, with new challenges arising at each step of the decrease in incision size. This article reviews the current trend of using increasingly smaller incisions to perform phacoemulsification. Specifically, each facet of phacoemulsification is briefly reviewed from a historical context and then evaluated predominantly from a current perspective to better understand the development of the microincision in cataract surgery. The goal is to help the operating surgeon recognize the potential benefits as well as the potential weaknesses of the smaller incision. (C) 2014 ASCRS and ESCRS