Creating cataract in a pig eye

The purpose of this study was to create a uniform, reproducible hardened le ns nucleus and an anterior capsule in a pig eye that approximate those in t he human eye for use in cataract surgery training. The lens nuclei was hard ened and anterior capsule elasticity was reduced. in pig eyes by injecting the lens with mixtures of formalin and alcohol (ethanol, 2-propanol, or bot h). A 30 gauge needle was used to pierce the lens 3.0 mm from the limbus. T hen, 0.2 mL of the formalin and alcohol mixture was injected. The most effe ctive mixture was formalin, ethanol, and 2-propanol in the ratio 4:3.3. Fif teen minutes after this mixture was injected, the pig eye had nuclear catar act with grade III hardness and an anterior capsule that approximated the c apsule in a human cataractous eye. The cataract created by this method will be useful in teaching continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis, divide and con quer. and phaco chop phacoemulsification, and nuclear hydrodelineation and rotation. J. Cataract Refract Surg 1999; 25:615-621 (C) 1999 ASCRS and ESCR S.