Comparative study of topical anaesthesia with lidocaine 2% vs levobupivacaine 0.75% in cataract surgery

This study compared the efficacy of topical anaesthesia with levobupivacaine 0.75% vs lidocaine 2% during cataract surgery by phacoemulsification. A prospective, randomized, double-blind study comparing two agents for topical anaesthesia in cataract surgery. Two hundred and forty-six consecutive patients undergoing corneal phacoemulsification were enrolled into two groups to receive either topical levobupivacaine 0.75% (n=126) or lidocaine 2% (n=120). The main outcome variables of the study were intraoperative and postoperative pain, requirement for additional anaesthesia, patient comfort and cooperation, surgeon satisfaction, and corneal epithelial toxicity induced by topical drugs. Levobupivacaine 0.75% provided significantly better analgesia than lidocaine 2% during cataract surgery (P