Ocular Cyclopentolate: A Mini Review Concerning Its Benefits and Risks.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Cycloplegic and mydriatic agents are crucial for diagnosing and treating eye conditions.
• Cyclopentolate offers distinct advantages over other cycloplegics and mydriatics.
• Concerns regarding adverse drug reactions (ADRs) warrant a review of cyclopentolate's benefits and risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a literature review on the benefits and risks associated with cyclopentolate use in ophthalmology.
• To identify specific clinical applications where cyclopentolate provides advantages.
• To detail the spectrum of local and systemic ADRs and identify patient risk factors.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was performed using Medline/PubMed and Google Scholar.
• The search focused on identifying studies detailing the benefits and risks of cyclopentolate.
• Data on clinical applications, ADRs, and patient populations were extracted and analyzed.

Main Results:

• Cyclopentolate is highly effective for evaluating refractive errors (especially in hyperopic children), pseudomyopia, anterior uveitis, childhood myopia, and pre-refractive surgery examinations.
• Local ADRs (burning, photophobia, blurred vision) are common but mild and temporary.
• Systemic ADRs (hallucinations, ataxia) are rare and primarily occur in at-risk individuals; six cases of abuse were noted.

Conclusions:

• Cyclopentolate is an effective and generally safe treatment for various ophthalmic conditions.
• Special precautions are necessary for susceptible patients (children, elderly, those with neurological disorders, etc.).
• Recommendations include using lower cyclopentolate concentrations, potentially combined with phenylephrine, and employing nasolacrimal duct occlusion to minimize systemic absorption and ADRs.