Though cataract surgery is highly developed today, there are still pro
blems such as endothelial cell loss after surgery and the occurrence o
f after cataract. To reduce these complications we looked for techniqu
es with a high degree of safety and precision. We found the waterjet,
an instrument already well established in liver surgery. We tested the
possibility of improving the results of cataract surgery using the wa
ter jet method. Methods: We performed cataract surgery phacoemulsifika
tion and polishing of the capsule - on freshly enucleated porcine bulb
s using water jet and by conventional procedures. By scanning electron
microscope examination we compared the results. Additionally we emuls
ified human lens nuclei obtained by extracapsular cataract extraction
using the waterjet. Results: The epithelial cells and lens fragments o
n the capsule were considerably reduced after the water jet procedure.
Conclusion: The results show the possibility of improvement of catara
ct surgery by using the waterjet. Further studies are necessary to ada
pt this technique to routine surgery in humans.