The most common type of cataract surgery is?

• A. Extracapsular Cataract Extraction
• B. Phacoemulsification
• C. Lens Aspiration
• D. Intracapsular Cataract Extraction

Answer: (B)

Phacoemulsification is the most common cataract surgery today. In this approach, ultrasonic energy is used to break up (emulsify) the cloudy lens inside the eye, and the fragmented material is then aspirated through a small probe. A foldable intraocular lens is implanted through the same tiny incision, which keeps the wound small.

The advantages are clear: a very small corneal incision leads to faster healing and less surgically induced astigmatism, and modern foldable lenses can be placed through that small opening. This combination makes recovery quicker and visual rehabilitation faster compared with older techniques.

Older methods require larger incisions to remove the lens in one piece (extracapsular or intracapsular extraction) and carry higher risks of complications and longer recovery. Lens aspiration as a standalone older technique lacks the emulsification and small-incision benefits that phacoemulsification provides.

So, the standard practice today—phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation—explains why it’s the most common cataract surgery performed.