Establishing a Wetlab for Cataract Surgery Training

This book examines the process of establishing an ophthalmology residency wet lab, providing a comprehensive manual for training future surgeons. Chapters address key issues, such as the fundamentals of ocular anatomy, surgical instruments, and sutures, laying the groundwork for hands-on learning. The book explores essential operating room basics, including injections, diagnostic paracentesis, and a progressive approach to suturing techniques. It delves into the principles of phacodynamics, clear corneal incisions, and capsulorrhexis, progressing through advanced techniques in phacoemulsification, hydrodissection, and intraocular lens placement. Additional chapters examine manual cataract surgery approaches, such as MSICS and ECCE, alongside critical procedures like anterior vitrectomy, intraoperative iris and capsule management, and scleral tunnel incisions. Designed for educators and trainees alike, this guide integrates practical skills with theoretical knowledge to build proficiency in cataract surgery and beyond, forming a foundation for excellence in ophthalmic microsurgery.

Establishing a Wetlab for Cataract Surgery Training will be a valuable resource for includes ophthalmology residency programs both nationally and internationally. It also targets medical students, residents, fellows and young attending ophthalmologists who are interested in practicing and perfecting their surgical skills in a wet lab setting.  

Ankit Shah, MD

Dr. Ankit Shah is a board-certified cataract and corneal transplant surgeon with extensive experience in complex anterior segment surgery and academic ophthalmology. He earned his medical degree from the University of South Florida College of Medicine, where he also completed his ophthalmology residency and served as Chief Resident, followed by fellowship training in cornea and external disease at the Ohio State University Havener Eye Institute.

Dr. Shah currently serves as Chief of the Ophthalmology Service at the Salem VA Medical Center in Roanoke, Virginia. He holds academic appointments as an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Virginia School of Medicine and as an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. He has trained more than 50 residents and fellows and is deeply committed to medical education and academic mentorship.

Dr. Shah has authored over 25 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and scientific presentations and is recognized nationally for his expertise in corneal transplantation, ocular surface disease, and cataract surgery.

Mark Disclafani, MD

Dr Mark Disclafani was a retired glaucoma specialist who practiced in the Tampa Bay Area starting in 1989 until he retired in 2010 after which he became passionate about resident education and building the ideal resident wet lab. He was on faculty at the University of South Florida Department of Ophthalmology and the University of Florida Department of Ophthalmology where he was instrumental in establishing an ophthalmology wet lab in both locations and training resident surgeons over the course of 15 years. Dr Disclafani left a lasting legacy in resident education after his death in 2025.

Yujia Zhou, MD

Dr. Yujia Zhou is an ophthalmology resident in training with interests in neuro-ophthalmology, ocular trauma, and uveitis. He began his research career at the University of Miami, where he studied photochemistry and neuroscience. He attended medical school and began his medical career at the University of Florida College of Medicine, where he earned his medical degree. He then completed a research fellowship at the Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institute where he developed an interest in uveitis. After completing research fellowship, he started residency at the University of Florida where he is currently a first-year resident. He has published on a variety of subjects including photochemistry, ocular trauma, uveitis, and ocular trauma and aims to apply for neuro-ophthalmology fellowship with an emphasis on orbit surgery.