title: Use of topical anesthesia alone in cataract surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate pain and discomfort experienced by patients who have uncomplicated cataract extraction using topical anesthesia with no intravenous sedation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fichman Eye Center, Manchester, Connecticut.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration were measured preoperatively, during cataract surgery, and postoperatively in 100 randomly selected patients. The average of these measurements (procedural vital) was compared with the blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration levels during surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On average, patients had a negligible increase in blood pressure (1%), a small decrease in heart rate (2%), and a slight decrease in respiration (1%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because the vital signs were essentially unchanged during surgery, I believe patients were very comfortable despite having no intravenous sedation.
authors.affiliation: Fichman Eye Center, Manchester, Connecticut 06040, USA.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Fichman
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011897:Random Allocation; D012119:Respiration / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013748:Tetracaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D013748:Tetracaine