The gliding nucleus.

The lens glide is a disposable sterile plastic piece designed to achieve smooth, easy, safe expression of the nucleus in planned extracapsular cataract extraction. The advantages of the technique include prevention of iris prolapse or iris trauma, controlled nucleus extraction without sudden nucleus expulsion, direction of the nucleus toward the external opening, and prevention of malengagement of the nucleus to the anterior chamber angle or vitreous cavity. Using the glide facilitates extraction of a nucleus through a small limbal or scleral incision. Combining the glide with other modern surgical techniques, such as scleral tunnel small incision, capsulorhexis, and hydrodissection, results in a no-stitch low astigmatic wound and stable intraocular lens fixation in the capsular bag.