Capsule Polishers and Lens Spoons for Cataract Surgery
Instrument guides
Capsule Polishers and Lens Spoons for Cataract Surgery
How capsule polishers and sweepers clean the capsule after the lens is removed, which tip suits which surface, and the lens spoons we make.
After the lens is removed in cataract surgery, lens epithelial cells and cortex can remain on the capsule. A capsule polisher has a fine, roughened or textured tip that gently cleans the anterior or posterior capsule. Double ended polishers carry an anterior and a posterior tip on one handle, and angled single ended versions reach left or right. Lens spoons such as the Knapp-Culler support and deliver the lens or nucleus.
Why polish the capsule?
Cataract surgery has moved to small incisions since Kelman's phacoemulsification paper of 1967, covered in our ophthalmic cannula guide. Surgeons polish the capsule to remove residual lens material that is left after irrigation and aspiration. Whether and how to polish is the surgeon's decision. This guide explains the instruments.
Which polishers and spoons do we make?
| Instrument | Form | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Shepherd anterior/posterior polisher | Double ended | Both capsule surfaces |
| Shepherd, angled right, angled left | Single ended | Reaching one side |
| Whitman-Shepherd | Double ended | Both capsule surfaces |
| Scatter capsule polishing sweeper, sweeper curette | Double ended | Sweeping and polishing |
| Dahan trabecular meshwork scraper and polisher | Single | Polishing, and scraping in glaucoma surgery |
| Drews polisher cannula, Freeman polisher cannula | Cannula | Polishing with irrigation |
| Knapp-Culler lens spoon | Spoon | Supporting and delivering the lens |
| Fisher needle and spoon, Paton double ended spoon | Double ended | Lens and corneal work |
Anterior or posterior tip?
The posterior capsule is thin and easily torn, so posterior tips are the gentlest. Anterior tips can work slightly firmer under the capsule rim. Double ended instruments carry both. Angled single ended versions help reach under the rim from a fixed incision on the left or right.
How should polishers be cleaned?
Clean the textured tips under magnification, because lens material packs into the texture. Flush polisher cannulas until clear and dry them with air. Never leave instruments in saline, because it causes corrosion. Our instrument care guide gives the full routine, and the CDC guidance on cleaning instruments before sterilization explains why cleaning comes before the autoclave.
Frequently asked questions
What is a capsule polisher?
A fine instrument with a textured tip used to remove residual lens cells and cortex from the capsule after the lens is removed.
Why double ended?
One end is shaped for the anterior capsule and the other for the posterior capsule, so one instrument does both.
What is a Knapp-Culler spoon?
A small lens spoon used to support and deliver the lens during cataract extraction.
Can polishers be autoclaved?
Yes. Clean the textured tips first.
Related instrument guides
- Ophthalmic cannula types
- Lid speculum types
- Westcott scissors and blade breakers
- Ophthalmic calipers and rulers
Order polishers and spoons
See the full capsule polisher range. For a set for a hospital, a clinic or a distributor, send us your list and we will send you a quote.