A prospective double-masked clinical trial was conducted to determine whether retrobulbar bupivacaine block had an effect on post-operative pain, nausea and intra- and post-operative use of analgesics in retinal detachment surgery performed under general anaesthesia. Thirty-two patients were randomized to have general anaesthesia with or without retrobulbar bupivacaine. Pain score was documented as 0-10 (0 = no pain. 10 = worst pain ever felt). Post-operative pain score was significantly lower in the retrobulbar block group during the first post-operative hours than in the control group. Men complained more about post-operative pain than did women. The patients in the retrobulbar group complained less about nausea. Significantly fewer patients in the retrobulbar group required parenteral pain relief during operation and the first 48 h after.