Diplopia from peribulbar ropivicaine

Purpose: To report a previously undescribed side-effect of ropivicaine (Nar opin) used in peribulbar anaesthesia. Methods: We report nine cases identified prospectively with symptomatic dip lopia, predominantly vertical, following Ropivicaine use for peribulbar ana esthesia in routine cataract surgery. These nine cases occurred in a 10-wee k period from a total of 77 patients given 7 mL peribulbar ropivicaine (10 mg/mL) with 750 units hyalase prior to cataract extraction by a single surg ical team. Results: None of the cases had preoperative ocular motility disturbances an d none had superior rectus traction sutures. All diplopia resolved in less than 30 h. Conclusions: Ropivicaine may have a prolonged motor block resulting in dipl opia of up to 30 h duration after peribulbar anaesthesia.