Ocular massage before cataract surgery.

We used the Honan intraocular pressure reducer, a balloon that applies a constant force, to the eyes in ten subjects with senile cataracts. An initially significant decrease in intraocular pressure after removal disappeared exponentially with a half-time of 9.6 minutes, indicating that the benefits derived from the Honan balloon do not result from a sustained reduction in intraocular pressure. Measurements made on a phantom eye showed both marked variability and unexpectedly high intraocular pressure during typical preoperative digital massage by a group of ophthalmic surgeons. Measurements made on a cadaver eye after application of the Honan balloon showed that very high intraocular pressures may be achieved under some conditions.