Surgical eye pathologies in infants and children are rare or seen atypically. The majority of these conditions include nasolacrimal duct obstruction, strabismus, congenital or traumatic cataracts, penetrating eye injuries, glaucoma, premature retinopathy, intraorbital tumors, and many other pathologies.
While nasolacrimal duct obstruction and traumatic eye injuries are commonly seen in healthy children, other eye pathologies are usually associated with other congenital anomalies that may affect anesthesia applications.
In adults, most eye surgeries can be performed under topical or local anesthesia. However, in pediatric patients, this is not possible, and general anesthesia is required. Similarly, even during eye examinations, general anesthesia is often needed due to the child's anxiety about separation from their parents and the inability to remain calm on their own. Simple refraction, intraocular pressure measurement, photography, ultrasound examination, and electroretinography may require general anesthesia depending on the child's age and mental state.
Preparing infants or children for eye surgery under general anesthesia, although fundamentally similar to other specialties, has certain specific considerations based on the procedure.
Preoperative Evaluation
All patients who will undergo anesthesia or are likely to require anesthesia should be evaluated by an anesthesiologist preoperatively. In specific cases, if possible, the anesthesiologist who will administer the anesthesia should perform the preoperative evaluation. This ensures that the planned procedure, along with any necessary sedation or anesthesia, is safely and adequately planned. During the preoperative visit, information about the anesthesia method to be used should be provided to the family, and their fears and concerns should be addressed. Preoperative evaluation helps shorten the hospital stay and prevents delays or cancellations of the planned surgery.