Pain therapy in children following ophthalmic surgery

Abstract

Pain following eye surgery is often described as being relatively moderate; however, there are also procedures that lead to apronounced pain experience. Particularly in pediatric patients, pain therapy is often insufficient due to alack of knowledge and fear of complications. These individual and organizational deficits lead to unnecessary discomfort for children and parents. Each institution providing surgical treatment must have pain management concepts in its portfolio for the appropriate age groups. This includes achild-oriented setting, age-appropriate information, systematic pain assessment, and pain protocols. Pain management should be planned prior to surgery and individually adapted as it progresses. Children have aright to aperioperative course with low stress and pain.