Pars plana lensectomy, wherein the entire lens within the pupillary area (the anterior capsule, anterior cortex, nucleus, posterior cortex, and posterior capsule) is removed, is now a well-established technique. It is to be considered as a method of choice for the removal of presenile cataracts in patients under the age of 40, developmental cataracts, cataracta complicata secondary to uveitis, subluxated and luxated cataracts. Pars plana lensectomy of the senile cataract is limited to a grade 2 nuclear sclerosis on a scale of 4. The use of ultrasonic instrumentation via the pars plana in conjunction with vitreous instrumentation permits the removal of the grade 3 nuclear sclerotic cataract. A pars plana two-instrument technique is used for the extraction of the totally luxated senile cataract no matter how sclerotic the nucleus may be.