proparacaine
Proparacaine (Alcaine) is a numbing eye drop that your healthcare provider may give you right before a procedure, but it's not for long-term use.
What is Proparacaine (Alcaine)?
What is Proparacaine (Alcaine) used for?
- Numbing the eye for a procedure or surgery
How Proparacaine (Alcaine) works
Proparacaine (Alcaine) is a local anesthetic eye drop. It numbs the eye before procedures or surgery.
Drug facts
Side effects of Proparacaine (Alcaine)
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Stinging
- Burning
- Eye redness
Less Common Side Effects
- Severe allergic reaction of the eye (usually happens right away)
- Allergic skin reaction of the fingertips (if the medication touches your fingers)
Proparacaine (Alcaine) serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Eye problems: eye pain, redness, swelling, or cloudiness that doesn't go away
The following Proparacaine (Alcaine) side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Rare
Blurred vision
redness of the clear part of the eye
sensitivity to light
severe stinging in the eye
tearing
throbbing eye pain
Incidence not known
Bloody eye
burning, stinging, itching, redness, or irritation of the eye
change in vision
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
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Pros and cons of Proparacaine (Alcaine)
Pros
- Works within seconds to numb the eye
- Doesn't cause side effects in other parts of the body
Cons
- Only lasts 10 to 20 minutes, so you may need something else for pain after the procedure
Pharmacist tips for Proparacaine (Alcaine)
- If you've ever had an allergic reaction to an anesthetic or numbing medication (they usually end in -caine), including injections or skin products, let your provider know beforehand.
- Proparacaine (Alcaine) is usually used in the hospital or clinic right before an eye procedure or surgery. You probably won't get any of this medication to use at home, since long-term use of anesthetic eye drops can cause eye damage. Your provider will tell you the best thing to take after your procedure if you continue to have pain.
- Make sure you don't touch or rub your eye while it's numb after using proparacaine (Alcaine). You could damage your eye and not even know it.
- To prevent spread of infection, your healthcare provider should only give you this medication with clean hands and shouldn't touch the dropper tip or any other surface.
- Proparacaine (Alcaine) must be stored in the refrigerator.
- The solution should be a clear, light straw color. If it is darker in color, it has probably gone bad and shouldn't be used.
Common questions about Proparacaine
Each dose of Proparacaine lasts 10 to 20 minutes. Since you can't use this medication for more than a few times, ask your provider for recommendations on pain medications that you can take if you still have pain after your procedure or surgery.
For short procedures on the eye, your provider will give you 1 drop of Proparacaine per dose, every 5 to 10 minutes for up to 5 to 7 doses. Since this medication is only for short-term use, you won't be able to take any more afterwards. Ask your provider for recommendations on pain medications that you can take if you still have pain after your procedure or surgery.
Proparacaine is not the same as tetracaine (Altacaine), but they work very similarly and are both commonly used to numb the eye before a procedure or surgery.
Proparacaine is only approved for use as an eye drop. Ask your provider about other medications you can use to help with painful ear conditions.
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Risks and warnings for Proparacaine (Alcaine)
Proparacaine (Alcaine) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Not for injection
Proparacaine (Alcaine) is an eye drop medication and shouldn't be injected.
Not for long-term use
Long-term use of anesthetic eye drops like proparacaine (Alcaine) can cause eye damage and vision loss. For procedures or surgeries, your healthcare provider will give you up to 5 to 7 doses as needed. Only use this medication as instructed, and don't use it long term.
Contamination (spreading germs and bacteria)
Bacterial contamination of eyedrops can lead to eye infections. Never touch the tip of the container with your eye, hands, or any other surface.
Proparacaine (Alcaine) dosage
Eye dropper| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15ml of 0.5% | 1 eye dropper | $17.42 | $17.42 |
Interactions between Proparacaine (Alcaine) and other drugs
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.
How much does Proparacaine (Alcaine) cost?
$17.42
Proparacaine (Alcaine) images
