Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 13, 2026

A Rat Dry Eye Model with Lacrimal Gland Dysfunction Induced by Scopolamine
04:06

A Rat Dry Eye Model with Lacrimal Gland Dysfunction Induced by Scopolamine

Published on: February 9, 2024

Visual side-effects from transdermal scopolamine (hyoscine)

Alison Y Firth1, Karen Walker

  • 1Academic Unit of Ophthalmology and Orthoptics, University of Sheffield, UK. a.firth@sheffield.ac.uk

Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
|January 19, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Transdermal scopolamine can reduce drooling in children with disabilities but may cause vision problems. These visual side effects, including dilated pupils and reduced near vision, resolved after discontinuing the medication.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Ophthalmology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Transdermal scopolamine is a treatment option for managing drooling in children with disabilities.
  • Potential side effects include mydriasis (pupil dilation) and cycloplegia (impaired accommodation).

Observation:

  • Two male pediatric patients with neurological conditions (epilepsy with spinal dysraphism and cerebral palsy) were treated with transdermal scopolamine for drooling.
  • Both patients exhibited reduced near visual acuity and mydriasis with diminished pupillary light reflexes.

Findings:

  • Discontinuation of the transdermal scopolamine patch led to the normalization of visual acuity and pupillary responses.
  • The observed visual side effects were directly attributable to the transdermal scopolamine treatment.

Implications:

  • Clinicians should monitor for visual disturbances in children with disabilities receiving transdermal scopolamine.
  • The cumulative effects of scopolamine and patients' potential inability to communicate adverse events necessitate careful clinical vigilance.

More Related Videos

A Computerized Test Battery to Study Pharmacodynamic Effects on the Central Nervous System of Cholinergic Drugs in Early Phase Drug Development07:02

A Computerized Test Battery to Study Pharmacodynamic Effects on the Central Nervous System of Cholinergic Drugs in Early Phase Drug Development

Published on: February 11, 2019

Technique and Considerations in the Use of 4x1 Ring High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS)15:05

Technique and Considerations in the Use of 4x1 Ring High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS)

Published on: July 14, 2013

Related Concept Videos

Cholinergic Antagonists: Pharmacokinetics01:24

Cholinergic Antagonists: Pharmacokinetics

Cholinergic antagonists—such as antimuscarinics—are available in oral, topical, ocular, parenteral, and inhalational formulations. Most antimuscarinics are oral formulations,  while scopolamine is available as a topical patch, and ipratropium and tiotropium are available as inhalation aerosols or powders. Atropine, tropicamide, and cyclopentolate are topically instilled in the eye. Most antimuscarinics are lipid-soluble and readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and the conjunctiva.
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents01:17

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents

Sedatives and hypnotics encompass a wide range of substances, each with its unique mechanism of action, uses, and potential adverse effects.
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...
Cholinergic Antagonists: Pharmacological Actions01:28

Cholinergic Antagonists: Pharmacological Actions

Antimuscarinic drugs block muscarinic receptors in multiple systems, including the gut, eye, smooth muscles, respiratory tract, cardiovascular, and central nervous systems. They produce similar effects with varying selectivity depending on the specific agent and tissue. Here are the key pharmacological actions of antimuscarinics:
Gastrointestinal Effects: Antimuscarinics reduce gut contractions, increase gastric emptying, and slow intestinal transit. They partly inhibit gastric acid secretion...
Local Anesthetics: Adverse Effects01:12

Local Anesthetics: Adverse Effects

While local anesthetics are generally safe and well-tolerated, they can occasionally cause adverse effects that vary in severity. Local anesthetics can induce toxicity at two distinct levels. They can either produce local effects through direct contact with the neural elements or be absorbed into the bloodstream from the injection site, leading to systemic effects.
Once absorbed into the systemic circulation, local anesthetics can affect the organs that depend on the functioning of sodium...
Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Pharmacological Actions00:59

Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Pharmacological Actions

Direct-acting cholinergic agonists exert their pharmacological actions by mimicking the effects of acetylcholine on postsynaptic muscarinic receptors to generate parasympathetic responses. These agents elicit a range of physiological responses, including cardiovascular effects. For example, activation of muscarinic receptors induces bradycardia, decreased cardiac output, reduced peripheral resistance, and consequent hypotension. In the eye, stimulation of M3 receptors leads to smooth muscle...
Cholinergic Antagonists: Therapeutic Uses01:26

Cholinergic Antagonists: Therapeutic Uses

Antimuscarinic drugs have various therapeutic applications by inhibiting parasympathetic stimulation in different systems. Here are the key therapeutic uses of antimuscarinics:    
Respiratory Tract: Ipratropium, aclidinium, and tiotropium treat asthma, chronic bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). They protect against bronchoconstriction caused by irritants like cigarette smoke, sulfur dioxide, and ozone. They also help reduce nasopharyngeal secretions in common...