Cocaine is still legally used for what procedure?

• A. Eye surgery
• B. Spine surgery
• C. Appendicitis
• D. Brain surgery

Answer: (A)

Cocaine’s value here lies in its dual action as a local anesthetic and a vasoconstrictor. In eye procedures, numbing the surface of the eye while simultaneously constricting blood vessels helps reduce bleeding and provides quick, targeted anesthesia, which is particularly useful in ophthalmology. For spine, brain, or abdominal surgeries, other anesthetics are safer and more effective, and the vasoconstrictive and systemic risks of cocaine make it inappropriate. Because of these considerations, cocaine remains legally used in specific eye procedures, making eye surgery the best answer.