TOPICAL ANESTHESIA - PROXYMETACAINE VERSUS AMETHOCAINE FOR CLEAR CORNEAL PHACOEMULSIFICATION

Purpose: To evaluate the use of proparacaine (Proxymetacaine(R)) versu s tetracaine (Amethocaine(R)) as the topical anesthetic agent or phaco emulsification cataract surgery using a 3.5 mm clear corneal sutureles s incision. Setting: Harold Hood Hospital, Romford, Essex, United King dom. Methods: This prospective study comprised 40 randomly selected pa tients. Twenty were given Proxymetacaine and 20, Amethocaine. The leve l of discomfort experienced during delivery of the topical anesthetic agent and during and immediately after surgery was measured using a pa in score. During surgery topical anesthesia was supplemented by intrac ameral lignocaine 1%. Results: Patients given Proxymetacaine experienc ed no stinging sensation during its administration; those given Ametho caine reported varying degrees of discomfort. The difference between g roups was statistically significant (P < .01). There was no difference between groups in the amount of discomfort experienced intraoperative ly or postoperatively. Conclusion: Proxymetacaine is the topical analg esic of choice for phacoemulsification because it produced no discomfo rt on administration yet had the same analgesic properties as Amethoca ine.