Incision for ECCE

• In an extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE), the surgeon makes an incision that is about 10 mm long around the cornea of the eye; the lens will be removed through this incision, and this incision will need to be sutured after the procedure.
  
  

Incision for Phaco

• In a phacoemulsification procedure, there is one small incision (size depends on the size of the phaco instrument used or 3 to 7 mm) made in the eye at the cornea; since in this type of surgery, the lens is liquefied, the incision size does not depend on the lens and is usually self-sealing.
  
  

Capsule

• In either ECCE or phaco cataract surgery procedures, the lens capsule is opened on top of the lens so that the lens can be removed through the opening.
  
  

Lens Removal

• In ECCE, the lens is expressed in one piece by essentially pushing it out of the opening in the eye; in phaco surgeries, the lens is liquefied by the ultrasonic waves of the phamoemulsification machine and sucked out.
  
  

IOL Implantation

• Before the surgery, the surgeon used the measurements of the eye and determined what power (prescription) the intraocular lens implant would need to be. The lens is placed into the remaining part of the lens capsular bag either manually or with an injector device.
  
  

After the Procedure

• A patch or a shield may be placed over the operated eye after the surgery; the patient will be allowed to go home after a brief time in recovery, will typically follow up with the surgeon the next day in the office and be started on eye drops.