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phacoemulsification

phacoemulsification

9.9
Surgery that removes a cloudy lens from the eye using sound waves and suction
  • noun
  • /ˌfeɪkoʊˌɛmʌlˌsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : facoemulsificación
  • The surgeon performed phacoemulsification to remove the cataract from the patient's eye.

But they use a procedure called phacoemulsification.

Examples

  • The pilot study was a prospective series of cataract patients with vision loss from AMD who received an off-label AcrySof ReSTOR IOL following phacoemulsification.

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  • After the phacoemulsification, the patient experienced improved vision within a few days.

  • During the phacoemulsification procedure, ultrasound waves broke down the cloudy lens for easy removal.

Synonyms

eye surgery
vsphacoemulsification
  • Specialized
8 3.9

A medical operation on the eye to fix sight problems

focuses specifically on ultrasound lens breakup and suction instead of general eye operations
cataract surgery
vsphacoemulsification
  • Specialized
2 3.7

An operation to remove the cloudy lens of the eye and replace it with an artificial lens to restore vision

uses ultrasound to break the lens and suction out the fragments instead of replacement
eye operation
vsphacoemulsification
  • Specialized
1 3.4

A surgery on the eye to fix vision or treat eye problems

is a precise lens removal using ultrasound and suction rather than general eye procedures

How Invasive

intracapsular surgery
  • Archaic
8.8
extracapsular surgery
  • Specialized
8.5
phacoemulsification
  • Specialized
9.9

Surface Forms

Morphology

phacoemulsification = emulsification (opaque) = phaco + emuls + ification

The word combines the medical combining form phaco- with emulsification, but the specialized surgical meaning is not readily predictable for a B1 learner.

Etymology

Phacoemulsification comes from the parts phaco- (from the Greek phakos, meaning 'lens' or 'lentil' because of its shape) and emulsification, meaning 'breaking into tiny pieces or drops' like when oil and water are mixed into tiny drops. So phacoemulsification names the operation that uses sound waves to break a cloudy eye 'lens' into small pieces so they can be removed.