Essentials of anaesthesia for opthalmic surgery

Unfortunately the eye is prone to very many pathological conditions, either congenital or acquired. Thankfully, all but the most extreme are amenable to surgical treatment. The anaesthetist's role in this process is, principally, to present the surgeon with an eye which is operable. How this is done will be considered in the latter part of this article. However, as in all areas of anaesthetic practice, a detailed knowledge of anatomy and physiology is essential. This aspect will be dealt with first.