A Conceptual Review Article of Peribulbar Anaesthesia in Ocular Surgery

Ophthalmic surgery is one of the most commonly performed procedures requiring anesthesia, with both local and general techniques available. Local ocular anesthesia is preferred for most intraocular surgeries due to its safety profile and the need for patient cooperation. Common methods include topical, sub-tenon’s, peribulbar, and retrobulbar anesthesia, applied across procedures such as cataract, corneal, glaucoma, vitreoretinal, and strabismus surgeries. Peribulbar anesthesia involves injection outside the muscle cone and is widely used as an alternative to retrobulbar block. While retrobulbar anesthesia provides rapid analgesia and akinesia with smaller drug volumes, it carries higher risks, including scleral perforation and oculocardiac reflex stimulation. Peribulbar anesthesia aims to achieve comparable surgical conditions with a potentially improved safety profile.