Patient responses to topical anesthesia for cataract surgery.

This presentation will summarize subjective comments and clinical findings obtained from 27 cataract patients who underwent extracapsular cataract extraction by phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation under topical anesthesia 0.5% tetracaine hydrochloride (HCl) without retrobulbar block. All data presented in this study was obtained by one ophthalmic registered nurse who questioned the patient in the immediate preoperative period, observed all operative procedures, questioned each patient immediately postoperatively and performed a slit lamp examination and interview with each patient on the first post-operative day. As a result of this study, specific nursing interventions have been altered and unique circumstances identified that reinforce the valuable contributions of the ophthalmic registered nurse in the completion of successful cataract surgery.