Objective To compare the effects of treatment for patients with senile cataracts performed either by stop-and-chop or cross method 1.8 mm coaxial micro-incision phacoemulsification. Methods This was a retrospective case-control study. Forty-two senile cataract patients （42 eyes） were randomly divided into 2 groups. The stop-and-chop technique group： 21 patients with senile cataracts （21 eyes） underwent stop-and-chop 1.8 mm coaxial micro-incision phacoemulsification technique and were implanted with intraocular lenses （IOLs）. The cross-method group： 21 patients with senile cataracts （21 eyes） underwent 1.8 mm coaxial micro-incision phacoemulsification with the cross-method and were implanted with IOLs. Effective phacoemulsification time （EPT）， the average energy （AVE）， visual acuity and corneal endothelial densities were noted. Results The differences in AVE and EPT between the 2 groups were statistically significant （t=3.958， 3.175， P<0.01）. The difference in visual acuity on the first postoperative day was statistically significant （t=3.976， P<0.01）. The differences in visual acuity at 1 week， 1 month and 3 months postoperatively were not statistically significant （t=0.496， 0.176， 0.216， P＞0.05）. The differences in corneal endothelial densities at 1 day， 1 week， 1 month and 3 months postoperatively were statistically significant （t=8.653， 6.076， 2.202， 2.133， P<0.01）. Conclusion Stop-and-chop 1.8 mm coaxial micro-incision phacoemulsification can reduce the energy and time during the surgical procedure with less impact on corneal endothelial cells and fast visual acuity recovery. The risks of the operation are reduced in the treatment of patients with senile cataract.