Proparacaine is a local anaesthetic eye drop. It numbs the surface of the eye within seconds and the effect lasts about fifteen to twenty minutes, long enough for an examination or a minor procedure.

What Proparacaine Is Used For

Measuring eye pressure and other examinations
Removing a foreign body from the eye surface
Minor eye procedures and suture removal
Numbing before certain eye surgeries

Common Side Effects

Brief stinging on instillation
Temporary blurring
Redness or watering

Precautions

This is a clinic drop, not a treatment for a painful eye at home. Repeated use damages the surface of the cornea and delays healing, and it removes the blink reflex that protects the eye, so do not rub the eye or drive until sensation returns fully. Eye pain, an injury or a foreign body needs an eye doctor, not a numbing drop.

This page is general information only. It is not a substitute for advice from your doctor or pharmacist, and it does not include dosage. Always follow the directions given to you and read the leaflet inside the pack.