Anesthesia options
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During cataract surgery, your surgeon will numb your eye so you don’t feel any pain or discomfort. You can either have topical or peribulbuar anesthesia.
Topical anesthesia involves the placement of drops/gel to numb the surface and an injection of an anesthetic inside the front part of the eye (may burn a bit). This allows for the quickest recovery of vision – but does require the patient to remain still and look at a bright light. If you are claustrophobic, sensitive to lights, or nervous about the surgery, peribulbar anesthesia may be a better option.
Peribulbar anesthesia involves the injection of a medication around the eye after being given intravenous sedation. This numbs the eye and prevents its movement and sight for 4-6 hours. You will wear a patch after the surgery and you can occasionally get bruising around the eye.
Talk to you eye surgeon about which option is best for you!