I am 67 and facing cataract surgery next month, first one eye and then several weeks later the other. I have read the previous posts from people that have ATN and have had cataract surgery. I am not worried about the surgery itself (seen it done hundreds of times as a nurse anesthetist), but I am worried about my left sided ATN because it affects mostly the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve. My eye is always hurting with a dull, boring pain deep inside...but I also have frequent bouts with pain that feels like a hot ice-pick is being stabbed into the corner of my eye repeatedly....and it can last for hours. I know they numb your eye for cataract surgery.They used to routinely inject local anesthetic right under the eye (called a retrobulbar block) and give conscious sedation for the block. But now I hear from my anesthesia friends that they are just using local drops to numb the eye. I am worried that an attack during the surgery will prevent me from being still and that the surgery itself might exacerbate my ATN. Additionally concerned about sedation since I am on chronic pain meds & considered "enzyme induced" (meaning the liver works overtime to eat up meds) and I had to have general anesthesia for a colonoscopy because sedation was inadequate. Suggestions on which eye I should do first? Any other suggestions welcomed. I have a preop appointment with the eye surgeon June 1 and would like to be prepared with questions to discuss. Thanks for listening :)
PS. I am especially concerned now that my doctor has said I can no longer have my oxycontin (which gave me decent pain control, with a steady blood level of medication) and now can only have short-acting oxycodone. So now I get to start at square one trying to live a relatively "normal" life that is not consumed with managing pain :(