Small incision cataract surgery is an important procedure for cataract surgery, especially in the developing world. This led to the development of sutureless nonphaco-dependent small incision cataract surgery. In order of chronology, small incision cataract surgery was developed after phacoemulsification and became popular for reasons discussed above. The following should be preferred while selecting cases for small incision cataract surgery: (i) Healthy cornea, (ii) Moderately dense nuclei grade 1 or 2 (iii) Intact zonules, and (iv) Avoid sunken eyes. While beginning small incision cataract surgery, it is safer to do a can-opener or an envelope capsulotomy as they permit easier nucleus prolapse and cortex clean-up. In view of the community need, small incision cataract surgery was developed and promoted later in order of chronology. Small incision cataract surgery provides quality care with the advantages of sutureless stable incision and shorter learning curve at affordable cost. There are different names given to techniques, where the whole nucleus, or the nucleus divided in parts, is removed through a self-sealing tunnel requiring no sutures, e.g. small incision cataract surgery, manual small incision cataract surgery, manual phaco and sutureless extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber intraocular lens.