A surgical cutting assembly of an actuation system and a pneumatically actuated hand-held ophthalmic cutting tool comprising: a housing comprising a chamber fluidically separated by a diaphragm into a first compartment defining a first internal volume and a second compartment defining a second internal volume; a first port is provided in fluid communication with the first compartment, and configured for connection to a first conduit connected to a handheld ophthalmic cutting tool; a second port is provided in fluid communication with the second compartment, and configured for connection to a second conduit connected to the ophthalmic cutting tool; wherein the diaphragm is movably mounted within the chamber and is configured for alternate movement between a first position and a second position, such that movement from the first position to the second position decreases the first volume and increases the second volume; wherein the system further comprises: a diaphragm actuator configured to oscillate back and forth to move the diaphragm between the first position and the second position, and a drive system configured to drive the oscillation of the diaphragm actuator, wherein the cutting tool comprises a conduit comprising a cutting opening; a cutting blade arranged for reciprocating movement within the cutting opening; a reciprocatable separator fluidically separating a first sealed chamber in fluid communication with the first compartment of the actuator system and a second sealed chamber in fluid communication with the second compartment of the actuator system; wherein the reciprocatable separator is coupled to the cutting blade, and wherein the reciprocatable separator is configured for reciprocating movement in response to relative change in pressure in the first and second sealed chambers. a housing comprising a chamber fluidically separated by a diaphragm into a first compartment defining a first internal volume and a second compartment defining a second internal volume; a first port is provided in fluid communication with the first compartment, and configured for connection to a first conduit connected to a handheld ophthalmic cutting tool; a second port is provided in fluid communication with the second compartment, and configured for connection to a second conduit connected to the ophthalmic cutting tool; wherein the diaphragm is movably mounted within the chamber and is configured for alternate movement between a first position and a second position, such that movement from the first position to the second position decreases the first volume and increases the second volume; wherein the system further comprises: a diaphragm actuator configured to oscillate back and forth to move the diaphragm between the first position and the second position, and a drive system configured to drive the oscillation of the diaphragm actuator, wherein the cutting tool comprises a conduit comprising a cutting opening; a cutting blade arranged for reciprocating movement within the cutting opening; a reciprocatable separator fluidically separating a first sealed chamber in fluid communication with the first compartment of the actuator system and a second sealed chamber in fluid communication with the second compartment of the actuator system; wherein the reciprocatable separator is coupled to the cutting blade, and wherein the reciprocatable separator is configured for reciprocating movement in response to relative change in pressure in the first and second sealed chambers. a diaphragm actuator configured to oscillate back and forth to move the diaphragm between the first position and the second position, and a drive system configured to drive the oscillation of the diaphragm actuator, wherein the cutting tool comprises a conduit comprising a cutting opening; a cutting blade arranged for reciprocating movement within the cutting opening; a reciprocatable separator fluidically separating a first sealed chamber in fluid communication with the first compartment of the actuator system and a second sealed chamber in fluid communication with the second compartment of the actuator system; wherein the reciprocatable separator is coupled to the cutting blade, and wherein the reciprocatable separator is configured for reciprocating movement in response to relative change in pressure in the first and second sealed chambers. a conduit comprising a cutting opening; a cutting blade arranged for reciprocating movement within the cutting opening; a reciprocatable separator fluidically separating a first sealed chamber in fluid communication with the first compartment of the actuator system and a second sealed chamber in fluid communication with the second compartment of the actuator system; wherein the reciprocatable separator is coupled to the cutting blade, and wherein the reciprocatable separator is configured for reciprocating movement in response to relative change in pressure in the first and second sealed chambers.