To compare the effects of neostigmine/atropine combination and sugammadex on intraocular pressure during tracheal extubation period.The single-blind prospective randomised controlled study was conducted at Ordu University Research and Training Hospital from August to October 2014, and comprised patients who were randomly assigned to 2 groups according to the agent used for reversal of neuromuscular blockade. Group N received 0.05mgkg-1 neostigmine and 0.02 mgkg-1 atropine and the patients in Group S received 2mgkg-1 sugammadex intravenously. Heart rate, mean arterial pressure and intraocular pressure were measured at baseline, before the induction (T1), after the application of reversal agent (T2), and 1 (T3), 3 (T4), 5 (T5) and 10 (T6) minutes after the extubation. SPSS 16 was used for statistical analysis.There were 36 patients in the study; 18(50%) in each group. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of age, gender and body mass index (p0.05 each). Intraocular pressure was significantly higher when the baseline level was compared with all measurement intervals in Group N (p0.05 each). In Group S, it showed no significant difference at T2 (p0.05) whereas it was significantly higher at all other measurement intervals (p0.05 each). Intergroup comparisons showed statistically significant difference in heart rate and mean arterial pressure levels at T2 interval which were higher in Group N (p0.01). Intraocular pressure levels at T2 and T3 intervals were significantly higher in Group N (p0.01).Lower end-extubation intraocular pressure levels were obtained when sugammadex was used as a neuromuscular block reversal agent in comparison with neostigmine-atropine combination. Sugammadex may be a better option for the reversal of neuromuscular blockade and intraocular pressure increase should be avoided in patients with glaucoma or penetrating eye injury.
