BackgroundFor ophthalmic surgery anesthesia, it is vital that intraocular pressure (IOP) is controlled. Most anesthetic drugs affect IOP dose-dependently, and inhalational anesthetics dose-dependently decrease IOP. In this study, we compared the effects of desflurane and sevoflurane on IOP and hemodynamics in pediatric ophthalmic surgery.MethodsThirty eight pediatric patients from the age of 6 to 15 years, who were scheduled for strabismus surgery and entropion surgery, were randomized to be administered desflurane (group D, n = 19) or sevoflurane (group S, n = 19). IOPs and hemodynamic parameters were measured before induction of anesthesia (B), after induction but immediately before intubation (AI), 1 min after intubation (T1), 3 min after intubation (T3), and 5 min after intubation (T5).ResultsThe mean arterial pressure (MAP) at T1 and heart rates (HRs) at T1 and T3 were significantly higher in group D than those in group S. There was no significant difference between the groups in IOP, cardiac index (CI) and stroke index (SI). There was a significant difference within the group in IOP, SI, MAP and HR. There was no significant difference within the group in CI.ConclusionsThere was no significant difference between the groups in IOP and hemodynamic parameters. The two anesthetic agents maintained IOP and hemodynamic parameters in the normal range during anesthetic induction.