Sentence:  ... A Man having a Cataract in both Eyes, which intirely deprived him of Sight, committed himſelf to an Oculiſt, who finding them ripe, performed the Operation, and <WSD>couched</WSD> the Cataracts with all the Succeſs could be deſired; but after they were <WSD>couched</WSD>, he could not ſee objects diſtinctly, even at an ordinary Diſtance, without the Help of a very convex Lens; which is what every body has obſerved to be neceſſary to all thoſe who have had a Cataract <WSD>couched</WSD>: .... 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  In the treatment of a cataract in the eye, to displace the opaque lens with a sharp object such as a needle. The technique is regarded as largely obsolete.