Diseases relevant to the ophthalmic anaesthetist

Abstract

Eye disease may be the presenting feature of a systemic condition or syndrome. Pre-operative assessment for eye surgery should include consideration of non-ophthalmic features of the condition. The most frequent anaesthetic problems related to rare causes of eye disease are difficult intubation, muscle disease and cardiac abnormalities. Patients with muscle diseases have a tendency to respond abnormally to volatile anaesthetic agents and muscle relaxants, including succinyl-choline. Ophthalmic equipment cannot be moved easily. Therefore, the anaesthetist must be able to manage cases at both extremes of age in the ophthalmic theatre.