Given as a peroral premedicant for geriatric patients having cataract surgery under regional block, a butyrophenone neuroleptic melperon (15-30 mg, n = 50) ranked equally with diazepam (4-10 mg, n = 50), assessed using a qualitative subjective estimation of the patients' anxiety. The patients treated with melperon needed significantly fewer supplementations with intravenous drugs, to withstand the surgery, compared to those medicated with diazepam. Melperon is a compatible alternative, but its possible propensity to cause occasional arterial hypotension must be noticed.