Capsulorhexis or capsulorrhexis, and the commonly used technique known as continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC), is a surgical technique used to remove the central anterior part of the capsule of the lens[1] from the eye during cataract surgery by shear and tensile forces.
[2] Prior to the advent of the CCC, a "can opener" approach was used for capsulorhexis, with a small bent needle making small incisions around the anterior surface of the lens, forming a roughly continuous cut hole in the capsule that the lens could be removed through.
A CCC when done correctly, does not have any edge notches, and forces applied to the capsule during surgery are better distributed and less likely to result in a tear.
Since a simple office procedure using a Nd:YAG laser commonly performed on adults is difficult with a child (since they cannot sit still at the machine), it is better to deal with the posterior capsule at the time of surgery.
[2][clarification needed] Continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis is a technique that was pioneered by Thomas Neuhann and Howard Gimbel,[3] and is in common use as it has a low risk of initiating further outward tears in the capsule, and does not require complex or expensive instruments.