title: Topical anaesthesia with oxybuprocaine versus sub-Tenon's infiltration with 2% lignocaine for small incision cataract surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether topical anaesthesia in small incision self-sealing phacoemulsification cataract surgery provides comparable anaesthesia to sub-Tenon's infiltration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty five patients undergoing small incision self-sealing phacoemulsification cataract surgery were allocated randomly to receive topical anaesthesia with 0.4% oxybuprocaine or sub-Tenon's infiltration with 2% lignocaine. Pain experienced during the operation was assessed by asking the patient to score on a visual analogue graphic pain score chart.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median pain score for the topical group (3) was significantly higher than that of the sub-Tenon's group (0) (p = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sub-Tenon's infiltration is superior to topical anaesthesia in ensuring patient comfort during small incision scleral tunnel self-sealing phacoemulsification cataract surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Frimley Park Hospital, Frimley, Surrey.
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Chittenden
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Meacock
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Govan
mesh_terms: D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine; D010147:Pain Measurement; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D011343:Procaine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D011343:Procaine; D008012:Lidocaine; C005298:benoxinate