AN ASSESSMENT OF INTRAOCULAR-PRESSURE DURING FRACTIONATED PERIBULBAR ANESTHESIA

This study of 20 patients undergoing elective cataract surgery was per formed to investigate the change in intraocular pressure that accompan ies extraconal peribulbar anaesthesia. We have demonstrated that each injection during peribulbar anaesthesia causes a small rise in intraoc ular pressure. The routine use of conventional external ocular compres sion overcomes this pressure rise and safely provides a satisfactory a nd progressive reduction in intraocular pressure prior to surgery. Our findings suggest that the volumes of anaesthetic solutions used in fr actional peribulbar anaesthesia, if used in conjunction with external compression devices, result in intraocular pressures acceptable for in traocular surgery.