Evaluation of peribulbar anesthesia in eye camps

Modified peribulbar anesthesia was administered with a 26-gauge, half-inch, insulin needle to 367 eyes of 360 patients in three eye camps in India. The intraocular procedures consisted of cataract extraction in 349 eyes, trabeculectomy in 11 eyes, and combined cataract extraction and trabeculectomy in seven eyes. The overall success rate of the anesthesia technique was 90.2% (supplemental anesthesia was required in 36 eyes). There was good lid and globe akinesia and anesthesia, adequate pupillary dilatation for intracapsular cataract extraction, and excellent hypotony. No significant local or systemic complications were observed, except for mild to moderate chemosis in some eyes, which did not produce any intraoperative or postoperative problems. We found this technique easy to learn, relatively safe, effective, and well tolerated by our patients.