Phacoemulsification using 8 flexible iris hooks in a patient with a short eye, small pupil, and phacodonesis.

UNLABELLED: We describe a technique that uses flexible iris hooks to dilate and stabilize the capsular bag in a patient with a very deep set and small eye, narrow palpebral fissure, shallow anterior chamber, and very small pupil, who was scheduled for routine phacoemulsification for a white cataract. At the time of iris hook placement, the capsular bag was noted to be markedly unstable. The patient was managed successfully with phacoemulsification of the lens using 4 iris hooks to dilate the pupil and 4 iris hooks to stabilize the capsular bag during surgery. A foldable posterior chamber 3-piece intraocular lens was fixated in the ciliary sulcus. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: Neither author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.