Chopper for ophthalmic surgery, in particular cataract operations, comprising a grip handle (1) and a needle-head (3, 4, 5), whose cutting tip, or cutting part (5), has a cutter, or cusp, rotated an angle preferably equal to about 60°, around its longitudinal axis, with respect to a neutral position (null angle) defined by the axis (Y-Y) of the second section (4) of the needle head. Such rotation, of opposite algebraic sign depending on whether the surgeon is right-handed or left-handed, allows the surgeon to operate without rotating the hand in the case of particular facial forms of the patient. In addition, the angle (α) formed between the first section (3) and the second section (4) of the needle-head is preferably equal to about 110°, i.e. much lower than the conventional angle (α = 135°).