How Surgeons Numb Your Eyes: As soon as people hear the name of the operation, fear sets in. If the operation is for eyes, the condition of the patients starts deteriorating due to fear. The most common are LASIK surgeries done to remove cataracts and glasses. Often a question arises in people’s mind whether there is pain in the eyes during these operations? According to health experts, anesthesia is used first in eye surgery so that the patient does not feel any kind of pain. However, this anesthesia is quite different from surgery on other parts of the body. Its main objective is not only to eliminate pain but also to keep the pupil of the eye stable during the operation.

Dr. Tushar Grover, Medical Director and Refractive Surgeon of Vision Eye Center, New Delhi told News18. Nowadays, topical anesthesia is most popular in general surgeries like cataract and LASIK. In this, no injection is given to the patient, rather anesthetic drops are put in the eyes. This medicine numbs the upper surface of the eye within a few seconds. Its biggest feature is that the patient remains completely conscious and he can go home without any bandage immediately after the surgery. This is a boon for those people who are afraid of needles or injections.

Doctor Grover said that when complex retina surgery or glaucoma operation is performed, local anesthesia is given. In this, a small injection is given in the lower part of the eye or the surrounding tissues. This is called peribulbar or retrobulbar block. This injection not only stops the pain, but also temporarily stabilizes the eye muscles, due to which the patient is not able to move his eyes even if he wants to during the operation.

Many times patients start feeling extremely stressed or nervous after seeing the environment of the operation theatre. In such situations, doctors use IV sedation along with local anesthesia. In this, a mild sedative is given through the vein, due to which the patient feels deep peace and relaxation. The patient is not completely unconscious and can listen to the doctor’s instructions. However, he does not feel nervous and does not know the time.

Eye doctors use general anesthesia only in special circumstances. This is especially important for small children, because they cannot sit still during the surgery. Apart from this, if a patient is mentally unstable or has a serious problem in which he cannot lie straight for a long time, then he is completely sedated. In this, the patient is kept asleep during the entire procedure and an anesthetist monitors his heartbeat and breathing.

Before giving anesthesia, doctors check the patient’s blood pressure, sugar level and previous medical history. During the operation the patient does not feel any pain, only slight pressure or light may be felt. It is normal to feel some itching or heaviness after surgery when the anesthesia wears off. Wearing eye drops and goggles as recommended by the doctor is very important for recovery. The choice of anesthesia in eye surgery depends on the age of the patient, the condition of his eyes and the type of surgery.