Proparacaine Hydrochloride

INDICATIONS AND USAGE Proparacaine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution is indicated for procedures in which a topical ophthalmic anesthetic is indicated: corneal anesthesia of short duration, e.g. tonometry, gonioscopy, removal of corneal foreign bodies, and for short corneal and conjunctival procedures.

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Usual Dosage: Removal of foreign bodies and sutures, and for tonometry: 1 to 2 drops (in single instillations) in each eye before operating. Short corneal and conjunctival procedures: 1 drop in each eye every 5 to 10 minutes for 5 to 7 doses. NOTE: Proparacaine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution should be clear to straw-color. If the solution becomes darker, discard the solution.

WARNINGS NOT FOR INJECTION - FOR TOPICAL OPHTHALMIC USE ONLY. Prolonged use of a topical ocular anesthetic is not recommended. It may produce permanent corneal opacification with accompanying visual loss.

CONTRAINDICATIONS Proparacaine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution should be considered contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to any of the ingredients of this preparation.

Pregnancy Pregnancy Category C: Animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with proparacaine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution 0.5%. It is also not known whether proparacaine hydrochloride can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman or can affect reproduction capacity. Proparacaine hydrochloride should be administered to a pregnant woman only if clearly needed.

Nursing Mothers It is not known whether this drug is excreted in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk, caution should be exercised when proparacaine hydrochloride is administered to a nursing woman.

ADVERSE REACTIONS Occasional temporary stinging, burning and conjunctival redness may occur with the use of proparacaine. A rare, severe, immediate-type, apparently hyperallergic corneal reaction characterized by acute, intense and diffuse epithelial keratitis, a gray, ground glass appearance, sloughing of large areas of necrotic epithelium, corneal filaments and, sometimes, iritis with descemetitis has been reported. Allergic contact dermatitis from proparacaine with drying and fissuring of the fingertips has also been reported.