title: Topical anesthesia using lidocaine gel for cataract surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the safety and efficacy of topical anesthesia using lidocaine gel in cataract surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Department of Ophthalmology, Meir Hospital, Sapir Medical Center, Kfar-Saba, Israel.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred cataract procedures (48 manual extracapsular cataract extraction [ECCE] and 52 phacoemulsification) were performed using lidocaine 2% gel as the sole anesthetic agent. The gel was applied 3 to 5 times prior to surgery. Intraoperative and postoperative data were recorded, and patients were asked to grade the pain on a scale of 0 (no pain) to 10 (unbearable pain).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-two percent of patients having manual ECCE and 74% having phacoemulsification reported no pain during surgery (score 0). The mean pain score in the manual ECCE group was 0.99 +/- 1.64 (SD); 3 patients required an additional intracameral lidocaine injection. The mean score in the phacoemulsification group was 0.72 +/- 1.47; no patient required additional anesthesia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Topical application using lidocaine 2% gel is safe and highly effective, especially in clear corneal phacoemulsification. The gel also provides prolonged lubrication, further facilitating surgery.
mesh_terms: D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012449:Safety; D016896:Treatment Outcome