BNF for Children (BNFC) 2018-2019

lMEDICINAL FORMS

There can be variation in the licensing of different medicines

containing the same drug. Forms available from special-order

manufacturers include: eye drops

Eye drops

EXCIPIENTS:May contain Disodium edetate, sodium metabisulfite

▶Phenylephrine hydrochloride(Bausch & Lomb UK Ltd)

Phenylephrine hydrochloride 25 mg per 1 mlMinims

phenylephrine hydrochloride 2. 5 % eye drops 0. 5 ml unit dose| 20 unit

dosep£ 11. 87

Phenylephrine hydrochloride 100 mg per 1 mlMinims

phenylephrine hydrochloride 10 % eye drops 0. 5 ml unit dose| 20 unit

dosep£ 11. 87

4.1 Post-operative pain and

inflammation

Eye, surgical and peri-operative

drug use

Ocular peri-operative drugs

Drugs used to prepare the eye for surgery and drugs that are

injected into the anterior chamber at the time of surgery are

included here.

Sodium hyaluronate p. 674 is used during surgical

procedures on the eye.

Apraclonidine p. 686 , an alpha 2 -adrenoceptor agonist,

reduces intra-ocular pressure possibly by reducing the

production of aqueous humour. It is used for short-term

treatment only.

Balanced Salt Solutionis used routinely in intra-ocular

surgery.

Povidone-iodine p. 679 is used for peri-ocular and

conjunctival antisepsis before ocular surgery to support

postoperative infection control.

Ocular local anaesthetics

Oxybuprocaine hydrochloride below and tetracaine below

are widely used topical local anaesthetics. Proxymetacaine

hydrochloride below causes less initial stinging and is useful

for children. Oxybuprocaine hydrochloride or a combined

preparation of lidocaine hydrochloride p. 826 andfluorescein

sodium p. 679 is used for tonometry. Tetracaine produces a

more profound anaesthesia and is suitable for use before

minor surgical procedures, such as the removal of corneal

sutures. It has a temporary disruptive effect on the corneal

epithelium. Lidocaine hydrochloride, with or without

adrenaline/epinephrine p. 136 , is injected into the eyelids for

minor surgery. Local anaesthetics should never be used for

the management of ocular symptoms.

Local anaesthetic eye drops should be avoided in preterm

neonates because of the immaturity of the metabolising

enzyme system.

ANAESTHETICS, LOCAL

Fluorescein with lidocaine

lINDICATIONS AND DOSE

Local anaesthesia

▶TO THE EYE

▶Child:Apply as required

lCONTRA-INDICATIONSAvoid in pre-term neonate

(immature metabolising enzyme system)

lPRESCRIBING AND DISPENSING INFORMATIONAlthough

multi-dose lidocaine andfluorescein eye drops commonly

contain preservatives, preservative-free unit dose vials

may be available.

lMEDICINAL FORMS

There can be variation in the licensing of different medicines

containing the same drug.

Eye drops

▶Lidocaine and Fluorescein(Bausch & Lomb UK Ltd)

Fluorescein sodium 2.5 mg per 1 ml, Lidocaine hydrochloride

40 mg per 1 mlMinims lidocaine and fluorescein eye drops 0. 5 ml

unit dose| 20 unit doseP£ 11. 69

Oxybuprocaine hydrochloride

(Benoxinate hydrochloride)

lINDICATIONS AND DOSE

Local anaesthetic

▶TO THE EYE

▶Child:Apply as required

lCONTRA-INDICATIONSAvoid in preterm neonates

lINTERACTIONS→Appendix 1 : anaesthetics, local

lPRESCRIBING AND DISPENSING INFORMATIONAlthough

multi-dose oxybuprocaine eye drops commonly contain

preservatives, preservative-free unit dose vials may be

available.

lMEDICINAL FORMS

There can be variation in the licensing of different medicines

containing the same drug.

Eye drops

▶Oxybuprocaine hydrochloride(Bausch & Lomb UK Ltd)

Oxybuprocaine hydrochloride 4 mg per 1 mlMinims

oxybuprocaine hydrochloride 0. 4 % eye drops 0. 5 ml unit dose| 20 unit

doseP£ 10. 56

Proxymetacaine hydrochloride

lINDICATIONS AND DOSE

Local anaesthetic

▶TO THE EYE

▶Child:Apply as required

lCONTRA-INDICATIONSAvoid in preterm neonates

lINTERACTIONS→Appendix 1 : anaesthetics, local

lPRESCRIBING AND DISPENSING INFORMATIONAlthough

multi-dose proxymetacaine eye drops commonly contain

preservatives, preservative-free unit dose vials may be

available.

lMEDICINAL FORMS

There can be variation in the licensing of different medicines

containing the same drug.

Eye drops

▶Proxymetacaine(Bausch & Lomb UK Ltd)

Proxymetacaine hydrochloride 5 mg per 1 mlMinims

proxymetacaine 0. 5 % eye drops 0. 5 ml unit dose| 20 unit doseP

£ 12. 12

Tetracaine

(Amethocaine)

lINDICATIONS AND DOSE

Local anaesthetic

▶TO THE EYE

▶Child:Apply as required

lUNLICENSED USENot licensed for use in neonates.

lCONTRA-INDICATIONSAvoid in preterm neonates

lINTERACTIONS→Appendix 1 : anaesthetics, local

lPRESCRIBING AND DISPENSING INFORMATIONAlthough

multi-dose tetracaine eye drops commonly contain

680 Eye procedures BNFC 2018 – 2019

Eye

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