Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Atropine eye drops raise eye pressure and pupil size in dogs
By Kovalcuka, Liga et al.·Published in Veterinary ophthalmology·2015·Faculty of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Comparison of the effects of topical and systemic atropine sulfate on intraocular pressure and pupil diameter in the normal canine eye.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs received either a drop of topical atropine sulfate or an injection of systemic atropine sulfate to see how it affected their eye pressure and pupil size. The dogs that received the topical treatment showed a significant increase in eye pressure in the treated eye, while the systemic treatment raised eye pressure in both eyes. The topical treatment also made the treated eye's pupil larger, but the systemic treatment affected both eyes. Because atropine can raise eye pressure, it should be used carefully in dogs with glaucoma or those at risk for it.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of topical 1% atropine sulfate and systemic 0.1% atropine sulfate on the intraocular pressure (IOP) and horizontal pupil diameter (HPD) in the canine eye. PROCEDURES: Four groups, each containing 10 dogs of varying age, breed, and sex were treated as follows: (i) One 30 μL drop of topical 1% atropine sulfate was applied unilaterally in each dog, (ii) A control group, one drop of 0.9% saline was used, (iii) 0.06 mg/kg atropine sulfate was given by intramuscular injection, and (iv) Control with saline injected intramuscularly. In all groups, IOP and HPD were measured every 5 min over 60 min. RESULTS: Topical atropine significantly increased IOP in the treated eye with no change in the untreated eye. A maximum increase in IOP from 17.7 ± 3.1 to 20.3 ± 3.1 mmHg (14.7% increase) was obtained 23.0 ± 14.3 min post-treatment. Maximal HPD of 12.1 ± 1.7 mm in the treated eye occurred 46.5 ± 6.3 min after treatment, with no increase in the untreated eye. Systemic atropine caused an increase in IOP in both eyes, showing a maximum at 15.5 ± 10.6 min post-treatment with an IOP of 17.3 ± 4.6 mmHg in the right eye and 17.1 ± 5.2 mmHg in the left eye (21.8% increase in the right eye and 21.6% in the left eye). Maximal HPD was noted in both eyes 30.0 ± 11.6 min after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Atropine sulfate causes a significant increase in IOP when given both topically and by intramuscular injection. It should be used with caution, or indeed avoided entirely, in dogs with glaucoma or in those with a predisposition to the condition.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24428364/