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

This method uses pig eyes filled with cooked chestnuts serving as pseudonuclei with the goal of teaching dividing techniques of phacoemulsification and aspiration. The pseudonuclei simulate the various degrees of human lens nuclear sclerosis. The chestnuts are trimmed to lens size. After lens extraction through a self-sealing straight incision from the pig eyes, the chestnuts are inserted in the capsular bag through the incision, which is then sutured. These preparatory procedures were initially performed by experienced surgeons but after practicing phacoemulsification technique several times, inexperienced surgeons were able to complete the entire procedure, allowing them to practice phaco chop, divide and conquer, and nondividing phacoemulsification.