Abstract
This study examined the prevalence and severity of ocular pain in eye casualty patients. All new patients presenting over a 1 month period were invited to indicate their pain level using a visual analogue scale. The results for 352 patients were analysed, and median pain levels calculated for 29 common diagnoses. Of those responding, 94% (= 47% of all new patients) had ocular pain at presentation. While many results were predictable, some diagnoses were associated with higher pain scores than expected. Junior ophthalmologists also were asked to indicate their perceptions of pain severity for the 29 diagnoses using the same visual analogue scale.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Rosenblatt MA, Sakol PJ . Ocular and periocular pain. Otolaryngol Clin North Am 1989;22:1173–203.
Tanelian DL, Brunson DB . Anatomy and physiology of pain with special reference to ophthalmology. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 1994;35:759–62.
Revill SI, Robinson JO, Rosen M, Hogg MIJ . The reliability of a linear analogue for evaluating pain. Anaesthesia 1976;31:1191–8.
Chapman CR, Casey KL, Dubner R, Foley KM, Gracely RH, Reading AE . Pain measurement: an overview. Pain 1985;22:1–31.
Koay P . Ophthalmic pain following cataract surgery: a comparison between local and general anaesthesia. Br J Ophthalmol 1992;76:225–7.
Stevens JD . A new local anaesthesia technique for cataract extraction by one quadrant sub-Tenon's infiltration. Br J Ophthalmol 1992;76:670–4.
El-Kasaby HT, Habib NE, Marczac AM . Subconjuncti-val bupivacaine in strabismus surgery. Eye 1993;7:346–9.
Morrison NA, Repka MX . Ketorolac versus acetaminophen or ibuprofen in controlling postoperative pain in patients with strabismus. Ophthalmology 1994;101:915–8.
Kirkpatrick JNP, Hoh HB, Cook SD . No eye pad for corneal abrasion. Eye 1994;7:468–71.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Roberts, C., MacLeod, J. & Elkington, A. Ocular pain: A casualty study. The spectrum and prevalence of pain in acute eye disease. Eye 11, 342–344 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1997.72
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1997.72