Snare assisted manual small-incision cataract surgery: Single solution for any grade of cataract.

Abstract

Cataract surgery is constantly evolving with new techniques, machines, and procedures entering the lexicon. With the modernization, the cost of surgery is increasing with respect to the surgeon, patient, and the society. Early rehabilitation with modern minimal access techniques reduces the societal cost of intervention. Manual small-incision surgery is simple, safer, and cheaper when contrasted with the cost and steep learning curve of machine-driven surgeries. A nucleus of a normal size is 6 mm, which can be bisected; 3 mm longitudinal fragments can be removed through 3.5 to 4.5 mm incision, and a large nucleus of 9.0 mm can trisected and removed through 3.5 to 4.5 mm. The limbal tunnel incision is 3.5 mm, which is close to 2.8 mm phacoincision, so it gives all the advantages of modern phacosurgery. The search of an ideal technique for manual phaco-fragmentation leads us to this specially designed snare (designed by the first author AS) which can tackle any grade nucleus. The nucleus can be bisected or trisected with ease. The technique has been around for 2 decades. There is a small learning curve. The complications are few and can be minimized with practice and simulation. It is a safe, valid, repeatable, and generalizable surgical procedure.