An ophthalmic surgical cutting apparatus. In one instance, the apparatus includes a pneumatically-powered surgical cutter driven by a pneumatic pulse generator and a tubing assembly comprising multi-stage tubing connecting the generator to the cutter. The multi-stage tubing has a length of about two feet or more and includes a first-stage tube and a second-stage tube. The first-stage tube has a first end coupled to the output port of the generator, a second end opposite the first end, and a first inner channel having a first diameter for transmitting the pressure pulses to the cutter. The second-stage tube has a first end in pneumatic communication with the second end of the first-stage tube, a second end opposite the first end of the second-stage tube coupled to the cutter, and a second inner channel having a second diameter different than the first diameter for transmitting the pressure pulses to the cutter.
