ALCAINE 0.
5% Eye Drops
Proxymetacaine hydrochloride
CONSUMER MEDICINE INFORMATION
What is in this leaflet If you have any concerns about • Any other local
using this medicine, ask your anaesthetics
Please read this leaflet doctor or pharmacist. • Any of the ingredients in
carefully before you use Alcaine (these are listed
Alcaine Eye Drops. Keep this leaflet with the under Product
medicine. Description).
This leaflet answers some
common questions about You may need to read it again. Some of the symptoms of an
Alcaine Eye Drops. It does not allergic reaction may include:
contain all of the available What Alcaine it is used • shortness of breath
information. It does not take the for
place of talking to your doctor or • wheezing or difficulty
pharmacist. Alcaine contains the active breathing
ingredient proxymetacaine
hydrochloride, which belongs to • swelling of the face, lips,
The information in this leaflet tongue or other parts of the
was last updated on the date a group of medicines called local
anaesthetics. body
listed on the final page. More
recent information on the Alcaine is used, to temporarily • rash, itching or hives on the
medicine may be available. numb or block the feeling skin.
(anaesthetise) of pain in your Do not use this medicine after
You should ensure that you eye(s) during short term medical the expiry date printed on the
speak to your pharmacist or procedures. These procedures pack or if the seal around the
doctor to obtain the most up to include measuring the pressure pack is broken or shows signs
date information on the in your eye, cataract surgery, of tampering.
medicine. removing stitches or a foreign
body from eye e.g. a bit of dirt. If it is has expired or is
You can also download the most damaged, return it to your
up to date leaflet from The numbing effect of Alcaine pharmacist for disposal.
www.medsafe.govt.nz. will wear off quickly, usually
about 15 minutes after the last This medicine has been
drop is put in your eye(s). developed for use in the eye
The updates may contain
only. It is not to be swallowed
important information about the Ask your doctor if you have or injected.
medicine and its use of which any questions about why this
you should be aware. medicine has been prescribed If you are not sure whether
for you. you should be given this
All medicines have risks and medicine talk to your doctor.
benefits. Your doctor has Your doctor may have
weighed the expected benefits of prescribed it for another reason. Before you are given it
you using Alcaine against the Tell your doctor if you have
risks this medicine could have Before you are given allergies to any other
for you. Alcaine medicines or any substances
such as foods, preservatives or
The information in this leaflet When you must not be given dyes.
applies to Alcaine only. This it
Tell your doctor if you have or
information does not apply to Alcaine should not be given to have had any medical
similar products, even if they you if you have an allergy to: conditions, especially the
contain the same ingredients.
• Any medicine containing following:
proxymetacaine • Epilepsy
hydrochloride
Internal document code 1
Alc170718cNZ
• Heart problems health food shop without a You may put your soft contact
doctor’s prescription. lenses back into your eyes after
• Lung or breathing problems the anaesthesia has worn off and
Some medicines and Alcaine
• Thyroid problems may interfere with each other.
at least 15 minutes after you
have been given Alcaine
• Myasthenia gravis (a These include a group of
disease of the muscles medicines called “cholinesterase If you are given too much
causing drooping eyelids, inhibitors”. (overdose)
double vision, difficulty in Your doctor will advise you and The doctor giving you Alcaine
speaking and swallowing decide whether or not to give will be experienced in the use of
and sometimes muscle you Alcaine. local anesthetics, so it is unlikely
weakness in the arms or
that you will be given an
legs). How Alcaine is given overdose.
Tell your doctor if you have How much is used If too many drops have been put
ever experienced a reaction to
Your doctor will put the correct in accidentally in your eye(s)
any other local anaesthetics. immediately rinse your eye(s)
number of drops of Alcaine into
Tell your doctor if you are your eye(s) before starting the with warm water.
pregnant or plan to become procedure on your eye. If you think that you or
pregnant.
Your doctor will not write a someone else has swallowed
Your doctor will only use prescription for Alcaine for your too much Alcaine, immediately
Alcaine if necessary. own use. Alcaine has been telephone the National
Ask your doctor for advice on specifically developed to help a Poisons Centre on 0800
the risks and benefits involved. doctor numb the feeling in your POISON or 0800 764 766 or
eye(s) while attending to your your doctor for advice, or go
Tell your doctor if you are eye(s). to Accident and Emergency at
breast feeding. the nearest hospital. Do this
The usual dose is one to two even if there are no signs of
Your doctor will only use
drops into your eye(s) before discomfort or poisoning.
Alcaine if necessary.
starting the procedure on your
Ask your doctor for advice on eye. The number of times you You may need urgent medical
the risks and benefits involved. will be given Alcaine during the attention.
procedure will depend on the
If you have not told your
type and length of procedure to
After you are given
doctor about any of the above, Alcaine
be performed. For example,
tell them before you are given
your doctor will put one to two
Alcaine. Things you must do
drops into your eye(s) just
Long term use may lessen the before measuring the pressure in You must protect you
anaesthetic effect so that more of your eye. However, if you are to anaesthetised eye from dust
the medicine is needed to have minor surgery such as particles, which could cause
produce anaesthesia. removal of stitches your doctor infection.
will put one to two drops in your
Long term use may also damage Things you must not do
eye(s) every 5 to 10 minutes for
the surface of the eye (cornea),
up to three doses. Do not touch or rub your
cause an eye infection or
permanent loss of sight. It is very important that you do eye(s) while they are numb.
not touch or rub your eye while You may scratch the surface of
It is very important that you
your eye is numb because you the eye and damage it. Your
protect your eyes from irritating
may scratch the surface of your doctor will put a patch over your
chemicals, avoid touching or
eye and damage it. Your doctor eye after finishing the procedure
rubbing your eye(s) until the
will put a patch over your eye to protect your eye and stop you
anaesthesia has worn off.
after finishing the procedure to from touching it.
Taking or using other protect your eye and stop you
from touching it. Things to be careful of
medicines
If you are wearing soft contact Be careful driving or operating
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if
lenses, you will be asked to machinery until you know how
you are taking or using any other
remove them prior to instillation Alcaine affects you and your
medicines, including medicines
of the drops by your doctor. vision.
that you buy at a pharmacy or
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Alc170718cNZ
As with any eye medicines, You may need urgent medical New Zealand.
temporary blurred vision or attention or hospitalisation.
other visual disturbances may PO Box 4079
Tell your doctor if you notice
affect the ability to drive or use
any unwanted effects even if Auckland 1140
machinery in some people. If
they do not appear in the list
blurred vision occurs, wait until
above. New Zealand.
your vision is clear before
driving or operating machinery. Other side effects not listed
above may also occur in some Free Phone: 0800 804 079.
Side Effects patients. Date of Preparation
Tell your doctor as soon as After using Alcaine This leaflet was prepared in
possible if you do not feel well
after Alcaine use. Storage July 2018.
All medicines can have side Alcaine will be stored by your
effects. Sometimes they are doctor or pharmacist under Alcaine® is a trademark of
serious, however most of the the recommended conditions. Alcon.
time they are not. You may It should be stored between 2°
need to medical treatment if you to 8° C (Refrigerate, do not © Alcon Laboratories
get some of the side effects. freeze). Protect from light. (Australia) Pty Ltd 2018.
Do not feel alarmed the list of Alcaine should be used in a
possible side effects. You may single patient only.
not experience any of them.
Product Description
Ask your doctor, nurse, or
pharmacist to answer any What it looks like
questions you may have.
Alcaine Eye Drops are a sterile,
Tell your doctor, nurse or clear liquid that comes in a 15
pharmacist if you notice any of mL dropper bottle.
the following and they worry
you: Ingredients
• Irritation, stinging and Alcaine Eye Drops contain
burning feeling in the eye proxymetacaine hydrochloride
0.5% (5 mg in 1 mL) as the
• Redness or watery eyes active ingredient.
• Increased winking Alcaine Eye Drops also contain:
• Dilated pupils causing • glycerol
blurred vision
• benzalkonium chloride (as a
• Drying and splitting of the preservative)
skin on fingertips
• purified water
• A severe, immediate allergic
reaction involving the front • hydrochloric acid and/or
layer (the cornea) of the eye. sodium hydroxide (to adjust
pH).
Occasionally some people notice
untoward effects in the rest of Supplier
their body as a result of Alcaine Alcaine is supplied in New
use. Zealand by:
Tell your doctor immediately
or go to Accident and Pharmaco (NZ) Ltd
Emergency at your nearest
hospital at the first sign of an 4 Fisher Crescent
allergic reaction such skin
Mount Wellington
rash or hives.
Auckland 1060
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Alc170718cNZ
