Please select the arm or intervention descriptions that belong to the clinical trial below.
Title: Effect of Tetracaine on Pain Management and Corneal Healing in Patients With Acute Corneal Abrasion
Brief Summary: Corneal abrasions are associated with significant discomfort during a 24-48 hrs healing phase. Current practice guidelines discourage the use of topical anesthetics in treating these patients due to concerns that these medications may prevent proper corneal epithelial healing. These concerns are based primarily on decades old animal based research. However, recent evidence suggests topical anaesthetics are a safe and effective way of managing patient pain in the short term. This study will investigate the effect of topical 0.5% tetracaine on corneal healing and pain management in patients with corneal abrasions in the first 48 hours.

This will be a prospective, double blind, randomized, controlled study of 260 adults with uncomplicated acute corneal injuries presenting to the tertiary acute care settings in Kingston. Patients will be randomly assigned to receive either 0.5% tetracaine or saline in addition to usual care as outpatients. They will be followed through the ophthalmology emergency eye clinic to assess healing at 36-48hrs. after the acute care visit. The primary outcome will be an assessment of pain as measured every 4 hours for 48 hrs. using a 10mm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes will include assessments of corneal healing, use of adjunct pain medications, time lost from work/usual activities, quality of sleep, ability to read and the SF12 quality of life questionnaire.

This study will better inform the safety and effectiveness of short-term tetracaine usage in patients with simple corneal abrasions for optimal treatment of patients in the future.


Options:
A: Arm Label: Topical tetracaine; Type: EXPERIMENTAL; Interventions: Drug: topical tetracaine hydrochloride 1% | Arm Label: Balanced artificial tear solution; Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR; Interventions: Drug: Placebo | Intervention Type: DRUG; Name: topical tetracaine hydrochloride 1%; Assigned to Arm(s): Topical tetracaine | Intervention Type: DRUG; Name: Placebo; Assigned to Arm(s): Balanced artificial tear solution
B: Arm Label: 1; Type: EXPERIMENTAL; Interventions: Drug: Proparacaine drops 0.05% | Arm Label: 2; Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR; Interventions: Drug: saline drops | Intervention Type: DRUG; Name: Proparacaine drops 0.05%; Assigned to Arm(s): 1 | Intervention Type: DRUG; Name: saline drops; Assigned to Arm(s): 2
C: Arm Label: Tetracaine Group; Type: EXPERIMENTAL; Interventions: Drug: Ophthalmic Tetracaine | Arm Label: Normal Saline Group; Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR; Interventions: Other: Normal Saline | Intervention Type: DRUG; Name: Ophthalmic Tetracaine; Assigned to Arm(s): Tetracaine Group | Intervention Type: OTHER; Name: Normal Saline; Assigned to Arm(s): Normal Saline Group
D: Arm Label: Tetracaine 0.5% ophthalmic drops; Type: EXPERIMENTAL; Interventions: Drug: Tetracaine 0.5% ophthalmic drops | Arm Label: placebo (Normal Saline placebo drops); Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR; Interventions: Drug: Normal Saline placebo drops | Intervention Type: DRUG; Name: Tetracaine 0.5% ophthalmic drops; Assigned to Arm(s): Tetracaine 0.5% ophthalmic drops | Intervention Type: DRUG; Name: Normal Saline placebo drops; Assigned to Arm(s): placebo (Normal Saline placebo drops)

Answer: D