Effects of benztropine mesylate (Cogentin) on accommodation in normal volunteers.

Abstract

Previously I reported that combinations of psychotropic drugs that included benztropine mesylate (Cogentin) reduced the accommodation in prepresbyopic patients. In the present study, benztropine mesylate alone was given to paid volunteer employees in a Veterans Administration hospital. Although known side effects and lower amplitude of accommodation were noted, there was no reduction in near visual acuity. This suggests that the reduced accommodation reported in the previous study was due to a greater than linear additive effect of the combined medications.