ALCAINE™ 0.

5% Eye Drops
Proxymetacaine hydrochloride

CONSUMER MEDICINE INFORMATION

What is in this leaflet Alcaine should not be given to

If you have any concerns about
you if you have an allergy to:
using this medicine, ask your
Please read this leaflet doctor or pharmacist.  Any medicine containing
carefully before you use proxymetacaine
AlcaineTM Eye Drops. Keep this leaflet with the hydrochloride
medicine.
This leaflet answers some  Any other local
common questions about You may need to read it again. anaesthetics
Alcaine Eye Drops. It does not  Any of the ingredients in
contain all of the available What Alcaine is used Alcaine (these are listed
information. It does not take the for under Product
place of talking to your doctor or Description).
pharmacist. Alcaine contains the active
ingredient proxymetacaine Some of the symptoms of an
The information in this leaflet hydrochloride, which belongs to allergic reaction may include:
was last updated on the date a group of medicines called local
 shortness of breath
listed on the final page. More anaesthetics.
recent information on the Alcaine Eye Drops are only to  wheezing or difficulty
medicine may be available. be used by your doctor during breathing
ophthalmic procedures.  swelling of the face, lips,
You should ensure that you tongue or other parts of the
speak to your pharmacist or Alcaine is used, to temporarily
numb or block the feeling body
doctor to obtain the most up to
date information on the (anaesthetise) of pain in your  rash, itching or hives on the
medicine. eye(s) during short term medical skin.
procedures. These procedures
include measuring the pressure Do not use this medicine after
You can also download the most
in your eye, cataract surgery, the expiry date printed on the
up to date leaflet from
removing stitches or a foreign pack or if the seal around the
www.medsafe.govt.nz.
body from eye e.g. a bit of dirt. pack is broken or shows signs
of tampering.
The updates may contain The numbing effect of Alcaine
important information about the will wear off quickly, usually If it is has expired or is
medicine and its use of which about 15 minutes after the last damaged, return it to your
you should be aware. drop is put in your eye(s). pharmacist for disposal.

Ask your doctor if you have This medicine has been

All medicines have risks and
any questions about why this developed for use in the eye
benefits. Your doctor has
medicine has been prescribed only. It is not to be swallowed
weighed the expected benefits of
for you. or injected.
you using Alcaine against the
risks this medicine could have Your doctor may have If you are not sure whether
for you. prescribed it for another reason. you should be given this
medicine talk to your doctor.
The information in this leaflet Before you are given
applies to Alcaine only. This Before you are given it
information does not apply to
Alcaine
Tell your doctor if you have
similar products, even if they When you must not be given allergies to any other
contain the same ingredients. it medicines or any substances

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such as foods, preservatives or chemicals, avoid touching or your eye is numb because you
dyes. rubbing your eye(s) until the may scratch the surface of your
anaesthesia has worn off. eye and damage it. Your doctor
Tell your doctor if you have or
will put a patch over your eye
have had any medical Taking or using other after finishing the procedure to
conditions, especially the medicines protect your eye and stop you
following:
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if from touching it.
 Epilepsy you are taking or using any other If you are wearing soft contact
 Heart problems medicines, including medicines lenses, you will be asked to
that you buy at a pharmacy or remove them prior to instillation
 Lung or breathing problems health food shop without a of the drops by your doctor.
doctor’s prescription. You may put your soft contact
 Thyroid problems
Some medicines and Alcaine lenses back into your eyes after
 Myasthenia gravis (a the anaesthesia has worn off and
may interfere with each other.
disease of the muscles at least 15 minutes after you
These include a group of
causing drooping eyelids, have been given Alcaine
medicines called “cholinesterase
double vision, difficulty in
inhibitors”. If you are given too much
speaking and swallowing
and sometimes muscle Your doctor will advise you and (overdose)
weakness in the arms or decide whether or not to give
The doctor giving you Alcaine
legs). you Alcaine.
will be experienced in the use of
Tell your doctor if you have How Alcaine is given local anesthetics, so it is unlikely
ever experienced a reaction to that you will be given an
any other local anaesthetics. How much is used overdose.
Tell your doctor if you are Your doctor will put the correct If too many drops have been put
pregnant or plan to become number of drops of Alcaine into in accidentally in your eye(s)
pregnant. your eye(s) before starting the immediately rinse your eye(s)
procedure on your eye. with warm water.
Your doctor will only use
Alcaine if necessary. Your doctor will not write a If you think that you or
prescription for Alcaine for your someone else has swallowed
Ask your doctor for advice on
own use. Alcaine has been too much Alcaine, immediately
the risks and benefits involved.
specifically developed to help a telephone the National
Tell your doctor if you are doctor numb the feeling in your Poisons Centre on 0800
breast feeding. eye(s) while attending to your POISON or 0800 764 766 or
Your doctor will only use eye(s). your doctor for advice, or go
Alcaine if necessary. to Accident and Emergency at
The usual dose is one to two
the nearest hospital. Do this
Ask your doctor for advice on drops into your eye(s) before
even if there are no signs of
the risks and benefits involved. starting the procedure on your
eye. The number of times you discomfort or poisoning.
If you have not told your will be given Alcaine during the You may need urgent medical
doctor about any of the above, procedure will depend on the attention.
tell them before you are given type and length of procedure to
AlcaineTM. be performed. For example, After you are given
Long term use may lessen the your doctor will put one to two Alcaine
anaesthetic effect so that more of drops into your eye(s) just
before measuring the pressure in Things you must do
the medicine is needed to
produce anaesthesia. your eye. However, if you are to You must protect you
have minor surgery such as anaesthetised eye from dust
Long term use may also damage removal of stitches your doctor particles, which could cause
the surface of the eye (cornea), will put one to two drops in your infection.
cause an eye infection or eye(s) every 5 to 10 minutes for
permanent loss of sight. up to three doses. Things you must not do
It is very important that you It is very important that you do Do not touch or rub your
protect your eyes from irritating not touch or rub your eye while eye(s) while they are numb.

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You may scratch the surface of  A severe, immediate allergic  hydrochloric acid and/or
the eye and damage it. Your reaction involving the front sodium hydroxide (to adjust
doctor will put a patch over your layer (the cornea) of the eye. pH).
eye after finishing the procedure
Occasionally some people notice Supplier
to protect your eye and stop you
untoward effects in the rest of
from touching it. Alcaine is supplied in New
their body as a result of Alcaine
Things to be careful of use. Zealand by:

Be careful driving or operating Tell your doctor immediately Alcon Laboratories (New
machinery until you know how or go to Accident and Zealand) Limited
Alcaine affects you and your Emergency at your nearest
vision. hospital at the first sign of an
allergic reaction such skin
As with any eye medicines,
rash or hives.
temporary blurred vision or
other visual disturbances may You may need urgent medical 12 St Marks Road
affect the ability to drive or use attention or hospitalisation.
machinery in some people. If Remuera
Tell your doctor if you notice
blurred vision occurs, wait until
any unwanted effects even if
your vision is clear before Auckland 1050
they do not appear in the list
driving or operating machinery.
above.
New Zealand.
Side Effects Other side effects not listed
above may also occur in some PO Box 9413
Tell your doctor as soon as patients.
possible if you do not feel well
after AlcaineTM use. Newmarket
After using Alcaine
All medicines can have side Auckland 1149
effects. Sometimes they are
Storage
serious, however most of the Alcaine will be stored by your New Zealand.
time they are not. You may doctor or pharmacist under
need to medical treatment if you the recommended conditions. Free Phone: 0800 101 106.
get some of the side effects. It should be stored between 2°
to 8° C (Refrigerate, do not
Date of Preparation
Do not feel alarmed the list of
freeze). Protect from light. This leaflet was prepared in
possible side effects. You may
not experience any of them. Alcaine should be used in a March 2023.
single patient only.
Ask your doctor, nurse, or
pharmacist to answer any Product Description
questions you may have.
Tell your doctor, nurse or What it looks like
pharmacist if you notice any of Alcaine Eye Drops are a sterile, ™2023 Alcon Inc.
the following and they worry clear liquid that comes in a 15
you: mL dropper bottle.
 Irritation, stinging and Ingredients
burning feeling in the eye
Alcaine Eye Drops contain
 Redness or watery eyes proxymetacaine hydrochloride
0.5% (5 mg in 1 mL) as the
 Increased winking
active ingredient.
 Dilated pupils causing
Alcaine Eye Drops also contain:
blurred vision
 glycerol
 Drying and splitting of the
skin on fingertips  benzalkonium chloride (as a
preservative)
 purified water

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