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Pain scores higher among patients undergoing dominant-side cataract surgery
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Patients experienced more pain after dominant-side cataract surgery with topical and intracameral anesthesia than patients who underwent nondominant-side cataract surgery with the same anesthetics, according to a study.
“In this study, pain scores were strongly correlated with cooperation scores, which underlines pain management during surgery under local or topical anesthesia,” the study authors said.
The cohort study included 46 patients who underwent cataract surgery in the dominant eye and 32 who underwent cataract surgery in the nondominant eye. Researchers rated patient cooperation from 0 (best) to 3 (worst). A visual analog scale was used to assess the extent of pain from 0 (no pain) to 10 (unbearable pain).
Mean pain score for the dominant-side group was 0.39, which was statistically significantly higher than 0.16 in the nondominant group (P = .008). Similarly, mean cooperation score in the dominant-side group was statistically significantly greater than in the nondominant group (0.26 vs. 0.14; P = .022). Perceived pain increased as length of surgery increased, but duration of nondominant surgery lasted longer (mean 10.61 minutes vs. 12.13 minutes; P = .006).
Pain and cooperation scores correlated, whereas no correlation was found between the cataract type and degree of cooperation.
Cooperation scores and length of surgery were similar between men and women. Women had a slightly higher pain score (P = .047).
Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.
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