Why Cataract Anesthesia is Not One-Size-Fits-All

In the vast majority of cases, cataract surgery is performed while you’re awake. The anesthetic you’ll be given is aimed at numbing the eye, rather than sedating you (although you might be given medication to help you relax if you’re overly anxious).

Why Cataract Anesthesia is Not One-Size-Fits-All

In the vast majority of cases, cataract surgery is performed while you’re awake. The anesthetic you’ll be given is aimed at numbing the eye, rather than sedating you (although you might be given medication to help you relax if you’re overly anxious). This ensures that your cataract procedure is carried out with minimal impact and that you can return home the same day.

This careful combination is something that your cataract surgeon will skillfully calculate and, if necessary, tweak during the operation. As cataract surgery is something that all of us will only ever go through once or twice in our lifetime, it’s natural to want to know a little more about how this is approached

Everything You Wanted to Know about Cataract Surgery Anesthesia

  • What does cataract surgery anesthesia entail?
  • How does the surgeon which is the right cataract surgery anesthesia for me?

What does cataract surgery anesthesia entail?

Cataract surgery anesthesia has two goals. The first is that the patient should not feel any pain. The second is that there should be no movement in the eye during the operation. The surgeon has two ways of doing this: local anesthesia or topical anesthesia.

While both are common, topical anesthesia is the more usual option, with around two-thirds of procedures being done this way. 

So, what’s the difference? Let’s first talk about the most common option, topical anesthesia.

In this scenario, your surgeon will apply eye drops. This numbs the eye so you can’t feel anything. However, you don’t lose the ability to move your eye. To prevent this, you’ll be asked to focus on the light of the microscope that the surgeon uses during the operation. 

Local anesthesia, on the other hand, doesn’t just numb the eye, it also paralyzes the muscles around it. This stops you from moving your eye at all. An injection is given, either behind the eye near the optic nerve (known as retrobulbar anesthesia) or slightly away from it (peribulbar anesthesia). 

Your surgeon also has the option of blocking the nerve, a process known as a sub-tenon’s block.

How does the surgeon decide which is the right cataract surgery anesthesia for me?

While topical cataract surgery is the more common, your surgeon will discuss the options well in advance of the operation. Various reasons will determine which is right for you. In a very small minority of cases, a general anesthetic might be used. This is when you’re put to sleep for the whole procedure. This might be considered in scenarios, such as:

  • An operation on a young child.
  • If you have a condition that causes involuntary muscle contractions.
  • Those with medical conditions that make it difficult to follow or understand complex instructions.

Your surgeon also has the option to use a combination of topical and local anesthesia. When this is done, the anesthetic agent is usually injected into the front chamber of the eye or the surrounding conjunctiva.

As you can see, there are multiple anesthesia choices. Your surgeon will determine the optimal type for you to ensure that you’ll not only be numb to the procedure, but that you have the least invasive (and therefore lowest risk) option.

All Your Cataract Surgery Anesthesia Questions Answered at the Modern Cataract Surgery Clinic 

There’s no better place in the US to undergo cataract surgery than the Modern Cataract Surgery Clinic. Run by the man who’s regarded as one of the best cataract surgeons in the world, Dr. Brent Bellotte, you’re not only in safe hands, but we truly understand the concerns that most people naturally have before a cataract operation.

From bespoke anesthesia to the latest surgery techniques, we’ll ensure all your questions are answered and provide all the information necessary for a relaxed procedure.

Head to https://www.moderncataractsurgery.com to discover more about us and call today to chat with our friendly team.

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