Scoring Of Pain Perception During Phacoemulsification Under Topical Anaesthesia

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Anesthesiology

Background:

• Topical anesthesia is a safe and cost-effective alternative to local anesthesia for phacoemulsification.
• The global trend favors topical anesthesia for ophthalmic surgeries.
• Assessing patient pain perception during phacoemulsification under topical anesthesia is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine patient perception of pain severity during phacoemulsification utilizing topical anesthesia.
• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of topical anesthesia in cataract surgery.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted involving 196 patients with posterior subcapsular cataracts.
• Data was collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS version 20.
• Chi-square tests were employed to assess associations between variables, with a significance level of p ≤ 0.05.

Main Results:

• The mean patient age was 60.43 years, with 56.1% males and 43.9% females.
• 76% of patients reported no pain (pain score 0), while 7.1% reported mild pain (score 1).
• Pain perception showed significant associations with gender (p=0.003) and age group (p=0.008).

Conclusions:

• Phacoemulsification can be safely performed under topical anesthesia for posterior subcapsular cataracts.
• Patients generally experience minimal intraoperative pain with this method.
• Topical anesthesia is a viable option for cataract surgery, offering patient comfort.