This procedure is also known as "couching":
Couching was perfected by Sustruta (the Hippocrates of India) in the 6th century BC. The procedure involved pressing down the afflicted lens (couch the cataract) with sharp instuments. The procedure lifted the veil of blindness in a matter of minutes though the patient is left aphakic [without the natural lens -- GH]. Post-operative complications such as endophthalmitis, severe uveitis and retinal detachment were likely to be high and the patients were unlikely to enjoy more than a few days of brightness.
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