TOPICAL PROPARACAINE 0.5% ANAESTHESIA: PAIN MANAGEMENT AND INTRAOPERATIVE CORNEAL EPITHELIAL EDEMA

Abstract

Introduction: Cataract surgery performed under topical anesthesia provides sufficient patient comfort with lower incidence of complications. The main purpose and objective of this study is to evaluate the analgesic efficacy and intraoperative corneal edema of 0.5% propacaine hydrochloride as topical anesthesia during phacoemulsification surgery.

Methodology: Intraoperative pain intensity was assessed using a 5-category verbal rating scale during each of three surgical stages. Pain scores from each surgical stage and total pain scores were compared for the factors of patient age, gender, cataract laterality, and type.

Results: In comparison of cataract type subgroups, the mean total pain scores and mean stage 2 pain scores in both white mature cataract (WMC) and corticonuclear plus posterior subcapsular cataract (CN + PSC) groups were significantly higher than in the PSC-only (PSC) group.

Conclusion: Phacoemulsification with topical anesthesia is not a completely painless procedure. Pain intensity and corneal edema vary with cataract type, stage of surgery and number of instillations.