Conscious sedation and behavioral modification with local standby anesthesia for ophthalmologic surgery.

Local and retrobulbar block anesthesia in combination with a brief span of amnesia - not general anesthesia -- produced by minute doses of four intravenous sedative drugs, has made it possible to perform ophthalmologic surgery without the memory of the pain of the retrobulbar block, followed by an ensuing quiescence augmented by behavioral modification for the duration of the operation. Patients are awake, rational, cooperative, calm and relaxed, and because of behavioral modification, are highly motivated to guarantee not only their own survival, but to feel a part of the team effort to preserve the integrity of their eye.