Cataract surgery training using pig eyes filled with chestnuts of various hardness

This method uses pig eyes filled with cooked chestnuts serving as pseudonuc lei with the goal of teaching dividing techniques of phacoemulsificaiton an d aspiration. The pseudonuclei simulate the various degrees of human lens n uclear sclerosis. The chestnuts are trimmed to lens size. After lens extrac tion through a self-sealing straight incision from the pig eyes, the chestn uts are inserted in the capsular bag through the incision, which is then su tured. These preparatory procedures were initially performed by experienced surgeons but after practicing phacoemulsificaiton technique several times, inexperienced surgeons were able to complete the entire procedure, allowin g them to practice phaco chop, divide and conquer, and nondividing phacoemu lsification. J. Cataract Refract Surg 1999, 25:622-625 (C) 1999 ASCRS and E SCRS.