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Updated: Jul 30, 2026

Rotating the Intraocular Lens to Prevent Posterior Capsular Opacification in Cataract Surgeries
Published on: July 7, 2023
Topical anesthesia for cataract surgery: a population-based perspective
E Mönestam1, M Kuusik, L Wachtmeister
1Department of Clinical Sciences/Ophthalmology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
Purpose:
To analyze the anesthetic regimen and sedation in a population-based cohort of unselected cataract surgery cases operated on with the goal of maximizing the percentage of patients with topical anesthesia and no sedation.
Setting:
Department of Ophthalmology, Norrlands University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden.
Methods:
This prospective observational population-based study comprised all patients having cataract surgery during a 1 year period at 1 institution. Data were collected from the patients' records, which were standardized. Outcome measures were use of preoperative sedation, type of anesthesia, intraoperative complications, and adverse events.
Results:
The study comprised 890 cases performed by 4 surgeons. Seventy-two percent of patients had no sedation and topical anesthesia only. All patients except 1 who had previous cataract surgery with topical anesthesia chose the same method for their second-eye surgery. The rate of posterior capsule rupture was in the expected range for a population with high incidences of pseudoexfoliation and mature cataract.
Conclusions:
It is possible to achieve a high percentage of effective topical anesthesia for cataract surgery in a population-based setting. The findings have implications for cost-containment in health services.
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