Topical anesthesia: Proxymetacaine versus Amethocaine for clear corneal phacoemulsification.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the use of proparacaine (Proxymetacaine) versus tetracaine (Amethocaine) as the topical anesthetic agent for phacoemulsification cataract surgery using a 3.5 mm clear corneal sutureless incision.


METHODS
Harold Wood Hospital, Romford, Essex, United Kingdom.


METHODS
This prospective study comprised 40 randomly selected patients. Twenty were given Proxymetacaine and 20, Amethocaine. The level of discomfort experienced during delivery of the topical anesthetic agent and during and immediately after surgery was measured using a pain score. During surgery, topical anesthesia was supplemented by intracameral lignocaine 1%.


RESULTS
Patients given Proxymetacaine experienced no stinging sensation during its administration; those given Amethocaine reported varying degrees of discomfort. The difference between groups was statistically significant (P < .01). There was no difference between groups in the amount of discomfort experienced intraoperatively or postoperatively.


CONCLUSIONS
Proxymetacaine is the topical analgesic of choice for phacoemulsification because it produced no discomfort on administration yet had the same analgesic properties as Amethocaine.
Hamilton
R
R
Harold Wood Hospital, Romford, Essex, United Kingdom.
Claoué
C
C
D000698:Analgesia; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003315:Cornea; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D011430:Propoxycaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013748:Tetracaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D013748:Tetracaine; D008012:Lidocaine; C005717:proxymetacaine; D011430:Propoxycaine