anesthetics during cataract surgery

S

slobee

New Member
I'm due for surgery & somewhat anxious because of my many allergies. Can anyone tell me what they use for sedation during surgery? I know they don't put us to sleep but they do give something to calm us down. I want to know as much as possible before meeting with my surgeon so I know what questions to ask. Thanks.
 

First you get a local anaesthetic in the form of eyedrops
which block any pain during the procedure..

Then an intravenous twilight sedation is given
(usually a combination of fentanyl, valium, ketamine, midazolam).
The twilight sedation is administered directly into your bloodstream
into a vein in the arm through a thin plastic tube.
Good luck...

PS: Twilight Sedation is the same as Conscious Sedation
.
 

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I had Cataract surgery many years ago. One thing I remember is that a nurse administered a heavy-duty drip(seems like too much sodium or similar). Surgery went on very well , however after the surgery I developed 'tremor/shaking' on both my head and hands. It's a very reputable Hospital with very renowned eye-surgeon in this region where I live. However, the nurse was rude and loud. I didn't say any to the Hospital, but it was a quite disappointed experience, even though the Eye-Surgeon did very well on my right eye without any complications to this day.
My Neurologist fixed that with a medication afterwards, but be careful prior to the surgery.
 
Questions like that should always be directed to those providing the surgery. Different Surgeons have varying preferences and they need to have any relevant info like allergies. What worked well for someone else may not for you. Your doctor should have your relevant medical info and be able to make the best selection for YOU.

They most often use drugs that provide what's called 'conscious sedation', tho there are various levels of awareness and memory afterward of what happened during the surgery and of course effect different individuals differently.
 
Pepper said:
It's been a while now, so I don't remember how it was administered (a drip?) but it was Valium and it worked.
Click to expand...
My eye surgeries in 2014, had Valium and Versed (midazolam). Had previously gotten Versed for Colonoscopy years before. But things can change and different people might have contraindicators for some drugs which is why one should always be honest about medical history and not be shy about asking their doctors, surgeons or other medical staff questions.
 
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With the right eye, I was asleep the whole time, but with the left eye, I was awake and could see the cataract be liquefied and the implant go in.

With both retina surgeries, I had a mild relaxant and a nerve block that left the entire right upper quadrant of my head totally numb. I couldn't see anything as the eyeball was deflated. The surgeon talked me through it, though.
 
Actually, my eyes were anesthetized with drops. I was given an IV injection of a very strong Valium type of medication, which knocked me out for only about 3 or 4 minutes. Then, I awoke and was taken in for the cataract removal. No pain, and awake for the entire procedure, including the implanting of new lenses.
 
We got Versed for our cataract surgery. There may have been some numbing agent, but I don't recall it or recall mention of it — just the Versed.

I was kind of "out" for the first eye, and the tiniest bit awake for the second eye. That's a good thing; I didn't want to be awake as someone came at my eye with a scalpel or other tools. (Eek.)
 

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