J Emerg Med
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Review Meta Analysis
Safety and Effectiveness of Topical Anesthetics in Corneal Abrasions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Topical anesthetics are used in the emergency department (ED) to relieve eye pain and allow eye examinations in patients with corneal abrasions. There is concern for delayed corneal healing, which is associated with the long-term use of topical anesthetics, so outpatient use is not recommended. ⋯ There were no differences regarding pain, persistent symptoms, or corneal healing when comparing short-term use of topical anesthetics to placebo in the treatment of corneal abrasion. Data on safety are sparse, and the use of this treatment is currently not supported by evidence.