Tropicacyl

Tropicamide is a prescription medication used to dilate the pupils of the eye for certain situations such as eye exams or eye surgery. Tropicamide belongs to a group of drugs called anticholinergics, which work by blocking the action of a muscle of the eye. This causes the pupils to grow larger in size.

This medication comes in eye drop solution form. This medication is to be administered by a healthcare professional.

Common side effects of tropicamide include stinging, blurred vision, and sensitivity to light. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how tropicamide affects you.


 

You should not use tropicamide ophthalmic if you are allergic to it.

To make sure this medicine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

• glaucoma; or

• any drug allergies.

It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant.

It is not known whether tropicamide ophthalmic passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Do not give this medicine to a child without medical advice.

This section provides information on the proper use of a number of products that contain tropicamide. It may not be specific to Tropicacyl. Please read with care.

To use:

• First, wash your hands. Tilt the head back and, pressing your finger gently on the skin just beneath the lower eyelid, pull the lower eyelid away from the eye to make a space. Drop the medicine into this space. Let go of the eyelid and gently close the eyes. Do not blink. Keep the eyes closed and apply pressure to the inner corner of the eye with your finger for 2 or 3 minutes to allow the medicine to be absorbed by the eye. This is especially important in infants.
• Immediately after using the eye drops, wash your hands to remove any medicine that may be on them. If you are using the eye drops for an infant or child, be sure to wash the infant's or child's hands also, and do not let any of the medicine get in the infant's or child's mouth.
• To keep the medicine as germ-free as possible, do not touch the applicator tip to any surface (including the eye). Also, keep the container tightly closed.

Use this medicine only as directed. Do not use more of it and do not use it more often than your doctor ordered. To do so may increase the chance of too much medicine being absorbed into the body and the chance of side effects.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

• For ophthalmic solution (eye drops) dosage form:
  • For cycloplegic refraction (eye examination):
    • Adults—One drop of 1% solution, repeated once in five minutes.
    • Children—One drop of 0.5 to 1% solution, repeated once in five minutes.
  • For examination of fundus of eye:
    • Adults and children—One drop of 0.5% solution fifteen to twenty minutes before examination.

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:

• Clumsiness or unsteadiness
• confusion
• fast heartbeat
• flushing or redness of face
• hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there)
• increased thirst or dryness of mouth
• skin rash
• slurred speech
• swollen stomach in infants
• unusual behavior, especially in children
• unusual drowsiness, tiredness, or weakness

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

• Blurred vision
• headache
• sensitivity of eyes to light
• stinging of the eye when the medicine is applied

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.