Efficacy of lidocaine 2% jelly as a topical agent in cataract surgery

Purpose: To determine whether lidocaine 2% jelly is an effective topical anesthetic agent for cataract surgery. Setting: Private practice and surgicenter. Methods: One hundred eighty cataract surgery patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups of 34 patients each: Group 1 - topical eyedrop anesthesia; Group 2 - intracameral lidocaine; Group 3 - lidocaine 2% jelly applied once, on arrival at the surgicenter; and Group 4 - lidocaine 2% jelly applied on arrival and about 5 minutes prior to surgery. Each patient was asked about pain or pressure sensation during the operation and afterward. Results: Single instillation of lidocaine 2% jelly was associated with pain scores comparable to those with topical eyedrop anesthesia. When the jelly was readministered shortly before surgery, the pain scores were comparable to those with intracameral anesthesia. Conclusion: Lidocaine 2% jelly was and effective agent in cataract surgery. J Cataract Refract Surg 1999; 25:632-634 (C) 1999 ASCRS and ESCRS.