A system for cutting the cornea of an eye includes a moveable member with a cutting blade at one end, a pivot element disposed thereon, a cutting guide restraint disposed thereon, a mechanism for oscillating the moveable member around the pivot element, and a cutting guide configured to engage the cutting guide restraint on the moveable member to thereby limit the degree of angular movement of the cutting blade as the moveable member oscillates about the pivot element. A pocket can be cut in the cornea by advancing and oscillating the moveable member.
