title: Light sensitivity and pain sensation during cataract surgery. A comparative study of two modes of anaesthesia.
abstract: The objective of this study was to compare the light sensitivity and pain experienced by patients undergoing cataract surgery under subtenon and topical with intracameral anaesthesia. Fifty-four patients were randomly assigned to receive either two drops of proxymethacaine 0.5% as topical anaesthesia with 0.5 ml preservative-free 1% intracameral lidocaine or 4 ml 2% lignocaine as subtenon anaesthesia. Light sensitivity and overall pain perception were recorded at the end of surgery. The mean pain score in the subtenon group (0.11; range 0-1) was lower than in the topical group (1.07; range: 0-3, P < 0.001). The mean light-sensitivity score was lower in the subtenon group (0.26; range: 0-4) than in the topical group (1.29; range: 0-4, P = 0.001). Subtenon anaesthesia was more effective in suppressing light sensitivity and pain during cataract surgery than topical with intracameral anaesthesia. This suggests that use of subtenon anaesthesia may lead to a more comfortable operative experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Mid Essex NHS Trust, Court Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 7ET, UK. alexioannidis@hotmail.com
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ioannidis
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Papageorgiou
authors.forename: K I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Alexandraki
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Massaoutis
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Sinha
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Andreou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D010787:Photosensitivity Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D011430:Propoxycaine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D004338:Drug Combinations; D008012:Lidocaine; C005717:proxymetacaine; D011430:Propoxycaine