Subconjunctival anesthesia in cataract surgery.

This article reports the results of using subconjunctival anesthesia (SCA) in cataract surgery. Subjective patient questionnaires and the medical records of 133 consecutive SCA patients who had scleral tunnel phacoemulsification cataract surgery were analyzed. All SCA patients received preoperative medication, but most (77%) received no intraoperative medication. Most patients who had SCA (90%) reported no pain during surgery. The most common postoperative complaints were pain, patching, and headache. Uncorrected visual acuity, tested a mean time of 35 minutes after surgery, was 20/200 or better in 69% of the SCA patients. Subconjunctival anesthesia provided a safe, effective, and minimally invasive technique.