During my cataract surgery, the surgeon wanted me to be awake so that I could move my eye on request. I had anaesthetic drops first and they did get a pretty nurse to hold my had so that was okay…
I have watched fly-on-the-wall TV showing procedures by doctors at the roadside and in A&E. When they do a resection they invariably use ketamine and assure the patient and everyone else that even though they will likely scream, they will not remember a thing after it’s done.