Purpose: To evaluate surgical performance using intracameral mydriatics (ICM) in phacoemulsification surgery in a series of consecutive cases.
Methods: In a series of 198 consecutive procedures 50-200 microl of cyclopentolate 0.1%, phenylephrine 1.5% and lidocaine 1% was given intracamerally for mydriasis and anaesthesia. The previous 198 cases, dilated with topical mydriatics, were studied for comparison. Several pre- intra- and postoperative parameters were registered, and the subjective surgical performance was graded after each procedure. In 41 consecutive cases, the change in pulse and oxygen saturation induced by the ICM injection was registered.
Results: No increase in operation time or complication rates was seen with ICM, compared to when standard topical mydriatics were used. The subjective surgical performance was ranked as equally good for both groups.
Conclusion: From this clinical evaluation, our impression is that ICM performs well in routine phacoemulsification surgery.