·AIM:To choose the relatively safe anesthetic method with fewer complications,more safety,shorter time,less pain.Two different anesthetic methods were applied in phacoemulsification operation.·METHODS:Clinical data of 361 patients 398 eyes with cataract from March 2009 to March 2010 in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed.Retrobulbar anesthesia or topical anesthesia were used randomly in phacoemulsification in two groups.·RESULTS:In the retrobulbar anesthesia group,markedly effective in 184 cases and effective in 11 cases,while in topical anesthesia group,markedly effective in 190 cases and effective in 13 cases.Intraoperative complications:five cases of capsule rupture in retrobulbar anesthesia while 6 cases in topical anesthesia.Retrobulbar hemorrhage(1 eye)was found in retrobulbar anesthesia.All the corneal edema recovered to normal in 1 week.·CONCLUSION:Phacoemulsification with topical anesthesia is a safe method,which have the feature of saving time,less pain and fewer complications.·