Iris color alone does not predict susceptibility to the oculocardiac reflex in strabismus surgery.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To test prior published observations that patients with brown irides were more susceptible to the oculocardiac reflex. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 466 adults and children underwent surgery on an extraocular muscle under general anesthesia without anticholinergic blockade. The first rectus muscle isolated was given a predetermined specific force pull during electrocardiograph monitoring. Iris color was retrieved from the deliberate clinical charting. RESULTS: The occurrence of the oculocardiac reflex did not correlate with age, but did profoundly for the inferior rectus and least for the lateral rectus. Iris color did not influence the incidence of occurrence of moderate or severe oculocardiac reflex. CONCLUSION: The prediction of oculocardiac reflex propensity remains elusive.