Manual small incision cataract surgery under topical anesthesia with intracameral lignocaine: Study on pain evaluation and surgical outcome

The authors here describe manual small incision cataract surgery (MSICS) by using topical anesthesia with intracameral 0.5% lignocaine, which eliminates the hazards of local anesthesia, cuts down cost and time taken for the administration of local anesthesia. AIMS: To evaluate the patients' and surgeons' experience in MSICS using topical anesthesia with intracameral lignocaine in terms of pain, surgical complications, and outcome. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Prospective interventional case series. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-six patients of senile cataract were operated by MSICS under topical anesthesia with intracameral lignocaine using “fish hook technique.” The patients and the single operating surgeon were given a questionnaire to evaluate their experience in terms of pain, surgical experience, and complications. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Statistical analysis software “Analyseit.” RESULTS: There were 96 patients enrolled in the study. The mean pain score was 0.7 (SD ± 0.97, range 0–5, median 0.0, and mode 0.0). Fifty-one patients (53%) had pain score of zero, that is, no pain. Ninety-one patients (˜95%) had a score of less than 3, that is, mild pain to none. All the surgeries were complication-free except one and the surgeon's experience was favorable in terms of patient's cooperation, anterior chamber stability, difficulty, and complications. The ocular movements were not affected, and hence, the eye patch could be removed immediately following the surgery. CONCLUSIONS: MSICS can be performed under topical anesthesia with intracameral lignocaine, which makes the surgery patient friendly, without compromising the outcome.