Can I have cataract surgery without lidocaine?
NOV 24, 2014
Question:
I am allergic to the painkiller Lidocaine. What other options do I have for cataract surgery?
Answer:
I would first question that you have an allergy to Lidocaine as this is very rare. You may have had a non-allergic adverse reaction to lidocaine or some other component of the preparation you were given. If you in fact have a true allergy to lidocaine you can receive either topical drop anesthesia with bupivacaine (Marcaine), which is in a different class of anesthetic or the Marcaine can be injected around the eye which is called peri-bulbar or retrobulbar anesthesia. Injecting the Marcaine will give a much deeper and more prolonged pain relief but probably would not be necessary. In the rare event that that all local anesthetics are inadvisable in your case, there is always the possibility of general anesthesia (putting you to sleep).