Experiences with cycloplegic drops in German-speaking centers of pediatric ophthalmology and stabology--results of a 1999 survey

Abstract

Because of its advantages, topical cyclopentolate is often preferred over the gold standard, atropine. The purpose of the study was to obtain an overview over current cycloplegia protocols and to estimate the likelihood of severe complications due to the use of cycloplegics. A questionnaire was sent to 107 German-speaking centres with a supposed high cycloplegia frequency. 57 centres answered, whereby 1,112 cumulated years of experience with cycloplegia were available for analysis. The frequency of cycloplegias varied between 2 and 180/week/centre, median 25/week/centre. A cumulated amount of 1.7 million cycloplegias was computed. The average extrapolated experience with cycloplegia was 49,000 cycloplegias/30 years. Severe complications which would cause a medical follow up of several hours or which led to a follow up in a ward were named 47 times and 2 times, respectively. During 30 years of a cycloplegia career with an average of 34 cycloplegias/week, one may expect 2-10 severe complications. In current practice, the patient risk of severe complications is very small. Health care professionals and parents should be informed about the frequent occurrence of light side effects in order to reach a good compliance with cycloplegia.