The incidence and the risk factors of oculocardiac reflex in cataract surgery: A prospective observational study

Abstract

Background: Oculocardiac reflex (OCR) is a cardiac manifestation that accompanies physical stimulation of the eye during various ocular surgeries and may be potentially life threatening. The purpose of this study is to investigate the incidence and risk factors of OCR during cataract surgery. Methods: Adult patients who were planned to undergo cataract surgery under local anaesthesia were enrolled in to the study. Heart rate (HR) and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) were measured at baseline and at various steps during the surgery. The parameters including various demographic characteristics were compared between patients with and without OCR. Results: One hundred and thirty-six patients (60 males and 76 females) were recruited. Out of them, 49 patients (36.03%) underwent phacoemulsification and 87 (63.97%) patients underwent manual small incision cataract surgery. OCR was noted in 22 (16.18%) patients. Age, presence of co-morbidities and baseline MAP were found to be significantly associated with OCR. Baseline characteristics like gender, HR and duration of surgery were comparable between both the groups. Conclusion: OCR can occur at various steps during cataract surgery under peribulbar block.