The study was designed to investigate the application of chopping method for phacoemulsification of hard nucleus cataract.Modified stop and chop technique was used to emulsify the hard nucleus cataract. The degree of nuclear hardness in 80 eyes was grade IV.Postoperatively, the visual acuity with correction was >or= 0.9 in 76.25% at 3 months. There were mild corneal edema in 8 cases, moderate corneal edema in 2 cases and posterior capsular rupture in 1 case.The modified stop and chop technique enables the tenacious nuclear plate to rupture easily, thus the stress on the zonules and capsule can be decreased, and in the mean time the technique needs less phaco energy and time.