Abstract: An ophthalmic instrument for removal of the natural cataractogenious lens includes a distal end portion configured to be received through a small incision into the anterior capsule of the eye. This distal end portion includes a pair of opposed jaw portions movable by manual manipulation of a pair of handle portions defined on a proximal portion of the instrument. One of the opposed jaw portions is perforate to more effectively fracture the cataractogenious lens. One of the opposed jaws may include a conduit allowing irrigation liquid to be supplied into the eye, while the other opposed jaw may include a conduit allowing aspiration of irrigation liquid and fractured particles of the lens. Because the small incision may fit relatively tightly around the instrument, fluid loss from the eye is minimized.