Woodcutter technique splits hard nuclei effectively

ROME — A new technique of nucleus cracking that effectively deals with hard nuclei, saves phaco time and reduces stress on the zonules was presented at Rome 2001 by Vikas Mahatme, MD, of Nagpur, India.

“Have you ever observed a woodcutter at his work?” asked Dr. Mahatme. “When he wants to divide a wooden log into two vertical pieces, he nails a chisel at a point. Then he starts hammering the log with the axe some distance away from the chisel. He continues to hammer in the direction of the chisel, and the moment he’s approaching it, the log suddenly breaks into two vertical pieces. The cleavage extends beyond the chisel and penetrates deeper in the wood. I have used the same principle to divide the nucleus.”

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