findings after atropinisation

SUMMARY Cyclopentolate 1 % is significantly less effective than atropine 1 % at producing cycloplegia in 1-year-old children. If cycloplegic refraction is to be used for investigation or screening children for visual defects during the sensitive period, the more prolonged and profound cycloplegia following atropine could potentially have a disastrous effect on the development of vision. Cyclopentolate 1 % would have to be used, and allowance made for its inadequacy as a cycloplegic. The feasibility study of screening 1-year-old children (Ingram et al., 1979) was followed up and extended into adjacent parts of this district using atropine 1 % and cyclopentolate 1 % for cycloplegia. If retinoscopy after cycloplegia is to be used for further investi-gation of the possibility of preventing amblyopia and squint, and if it is ever to become a recognised method of screening large numbers of infants for visual defects, the choice of cycloplegic drug might be important. The advantages and disadvantages of atropine and cyclopentolate, the 2 drugs that are probably most commonly used, need to be compared, particularly with regard to (1) their efficiency as a cycloplegic; (2) their side effects and safety; (3) whether the mothers had a preference for one or the other, because it is no good having an efficient screening test if the public cannot be persuaded to use it. Samples of children Children born between January 1975 and December 1976 and registered on their first birthday with 3 group practices in the town of Rushden were used in this investigation. Those born in 1975 had cyclopentolate 1 % instilled once, 30 minutes before retinoscopy. Those born in 1976 had cyclopentolate 1 % instilled twice, 40 and 30 minutes before retinoscopy. The mothers instilled the cyclopentolate drops, as it was thought it would be more convenient for them and the clinical staff