Phakonit: phacoemulsification through a 0.9 mm corneal incision

Advances in technique and equipment have led to a significant increase in the popularity of phacoemulsification and have increased its safety and efficiency. We describe a technique, phakonit, in which the lens is emulsified through a 0.9 mm clear corneal temporal incision. A cortical wash with bimanual irrigation/aspiration is followed by enlarging the incision to 2.0 mm and inserting a Staar sub-2.0 mm foldable intraocular lens. Phakonit is a safe, precise method of phacoemulsification with minimal intraoperative or postoperative complications.