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TL;DR
Nine adults underwent simulated retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) exam components to report pain and brightness, finding topical anesthesia provided moderate pain reduction and there was a synergistic response between pain and brightness.
Clinical Ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.) · 9 authors, 4 centres
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Nine adults underwent simulated retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) exam components to report pain and brightness, finding topical anesthesia provided moderate pain reduction and there was a synergistic response between pain and brightness.
Cardiac monitoring and self-reported pain (1-10 Likert) and brightness (1-10 Likert) scores were recorded. The central result was that topical anesthesia (proparacaine 0.5%) provided moderate pain reduction for on-globe procedures like lid speculum and scleral depression, with pain scores notably lower when anesthesia was used. The study also observed a synergistic augmented sensory response between pain and brightness. Adults did not exhibit the significant oculocardiac reflex (bradycardia) typically seen in premature infants. Limitations include the small, non-randomized sample of adults, which may not fully translate to infant experiences, and the use of tropicamide instead of the typically used cyclomydril for dilation. The findings provide insight into the sensory impact of ROP exam components from a stakeholder perspective to inform potential reduction of infant stress.