Comparison Of The Cycloplegic Effects Of1%Cyclopentolate-1%Tropicamide Mixed Eye Drops And1%Atropine Eye Drops In School Children

Objective To determine the efficacy of1%cyclopentolate-1%tropicamide as a combined drug for use as a cycloplegic agent forretinoscopy in3-15year olds; comparing the effects of the drug inpatients with different refractive error statuses, magnitudes of error andcases of amblyopia and strabismus. Also to determine if there are anyadverse reactions associated with the routine use of this combination drug. Methods140children reporting to the strabismus and amblyopia clinicwere chosen for the study and examined. They underwent visual acuitytesting, ocular motility, cover-uncover test and retinoscopy afterinstillation of two drops each of1%cyclopentolate and1%tropicamide.A week later, subjects were tested after instilling one drop of1%atropinethree times a day for three days. Three weeks later, patients BCVA wastested. Spherical equivalent (SE) refractive error was calculated fromretinoscopy results from both drugs and the mean difference in refractiveerror was calculated. The same was done for astigmatism measured. Theresults were used to classify patients as amblyopes and the results werecompared for different age groups, refractive error statuses andmagnitude of visual impairment. Results The results of the statistics showed that21.43%of patients weremyopic,66.43%had hyperopia and10.71%were emmetropic.31.43%ofall cases of ametropia were mild,37.83%moderate and29.29%severe.Cycloplegia under1%Cyclopentolate-1%Tropicamide revealed0.43Dless of hyperopia than1%atropine (t=6.6554, p<0.01),0.49D moremyopia (t=3.9157, p<0.01). There were no statistical differences in theamount of astigmatism detected by the two drugs in the study (m=0.06D,t=1.5345, p>0.05). There were no systemic adverse effects recorded inthe use of the combination drug but there was one case of adversereactions when1%Atropine sulphate was used. Conclusions Though mean spherical differences between the two drugs were statistically significant, taking into consideration the stable effects of1%Cyclopentolate-1%Tropicamide in all types and magnitude of refractive error and also the effect of ciliary muscle tonus on modification of the spectacle prescription,1%Cyclopentolate-1%Tropicamide combination is a suitable drug for use as a cycloplegic agent in Chinese school going children...