Article

Subtenons anaesthesia more comfortable for photophobics

Patients who report photophobia prior to phacoemulsification may be more comfortable under subtenon anaesthesia.

Patients who report photophobia prior to phacoemulsification may be more comfortable under subtenon anaesthesia, according to Alexander Ioannidis and colleagues from the Mid-Essex Hospitals NHS Trust, London, UK.

Forty-nine patients were randomized to receive either 0.5 ml preservative free 1% intracameral lidocaine or 4 ml of 2% lidocaine subtenons anaesthesia. Each subject was assessed by slit-lamp with maximal pupillary dilation on the day of surgery. Eyes were exposed to 10 seconds of light from a broad beam and a visual analogue scale was used to assess pain and photophobia.

In the topical group, the average postoperative pain score was 1.00 and the average postoperative photophobia score was 1.18. In the subtenons group, the average pain score was 0.83 and the average photophobia score was 1.12.

It was concluded that subtenons anaesthesia may be more suitable for patients who experience photophobia preoperatively.

Newsletter

Don’t miss out—get Ophthalmology Times updates on the latest clinical advancements and expert interviews, straight to your inbox.

Related Videos
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) NeuroOp Guru: Using OCT to forecast outcomes in ethambutol optic neuropathy
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) Inside NYEE’s new refractive solutions center with Kira Manusis, MD
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) Dilsher Dhoot, MD, on the evolution of geographic atrophy therapy: where are we now?
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times Europe) Anat Loewenstein, MD, shares insights on the real-world results of remote retinal imaging
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) Two-wavelength autofluorescence for macular xanthophyll carotenoids with Christine Curcio, PhD
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) FLIO and the brain: Making the invisible visible with Robert Sergott, MD
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) Structure-function correlates using high-res OCT images with Karl Csaky, MD, PhD
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) SriniVas Sadda, MD, on high-res OCT of atrophic and precursor lesions in AMD
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) Christine Curcio, PhD, shares histology update supporting review software and revised nomenclature for <3 μm OCT
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.