Topical anaesthesia with oxybuprocaine versus sub-Tenon's infiltration with 2% lignocaine for small incision cataract surgery.
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.
Chittenden
H B
HB
Department of Ophthalmology, Frimley Park Hospital, Frimley, Surrey.
Meacock
W R
WR
Govan
J A
JA
D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine; D010147:Pain Measurement; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D011343:Procaine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D011343:Procaine; D008012:Lidocaine; C005298:benoxinate