Can strabismus surgery in pediatric patients be done with topical or local anesthesia?
Generally, No. Some strabismus surgery in teenagers and adults can be done with a local anesthetic injection through the lower eyelid to numb the nerves around the eyeball. Unlike its use in adult cataract surgery, topical anesthesia, consisting of numbing eye drops to the surface of the eye, may not provide sufficient patient comfort to be used during eye muscle surgery. Strabismus surgery typically requires 30 minutes and often significantly longer to complete. The patient must be still and comfortable during this period to avoid potentially serious complications that may result from sudden unexpected movements. As most children cannot be expected remain still for the time necessary to complete the surgery, nearly all children require general anesthesia in order for eye muscle surgery to be performed safely and comfortably.
