What medications are commonly used as topical anesthetics in ophthalmology?

Topical anesthetics in ophthalmology are essential for various procedures, as they help minimize discomfort for patients during examinations and minor surgical interventions. Proparacaine and tetracaine are the medications most commonly used in this field due to their properties that provide rapid onset of anesthesia with relatively short duration.

Proparacaine has been widely used because of its effectiveness and minimal systemic absorption, which reduces the risk of side effects. Its effects typically begin within moments and can last for about 10 to 20 minutes, making it ideal for quick procedures such as tonometry or foreign body removal. Tetracaine shares similar characteristics, providing effective local anesthesia for short procedures as well.

In contrast, the other medications listed, while they may have their applications in broader anesthetic contexts (such as dental procedures or surgical procedures requiring local anesthesia), are not primarily utilized as topical anesthetics in ophthalmology. For instance, lidocaine and benzocaine are more often associated with topical applications in dermatology. Ropivacaine and bupivacaine are primarily used for regional anesthesia due to their longer-lasting effects but are not typically used as topical agents in eye care. Articaine and prilocaine are commonly used in dental anesthesia rather than ophthalmic use