The invention relates to a device for producing cuts or perforations on a human or animal eye in order to open the eye lens (11) (capsulotomy rhexis). The device operates by means of a cutting element (12) that can be inserted into the interior of the eye and a drive device (15) which is arranged outside of the eye (10) in order to cause mechanical in particular oscillatory vibrations or rotation of the cutting element in the interior of the eye. In order to avoid undesired external influences and ensure highly precise performance of the cut the drive device according to the invention has a field generator (16) for generating a magnetic or electromagnetic excitation field (17) and the cutting element can be excited in particular driven by means of the field generated by the field generator. A magnetic actuation of the cutting element thereby occurs in the interior of the eye without kinetic energy having to be mechanically transferred to the cutting element from outside inward during the cutting process.
