title: Topical mydriatic and cycloplegic spray for Chinese children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy and tolerance of mydriatic and cycloplegic spray versus drops for Chinese children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effects of the spray (cyclopentolate 0.25%, phenylephrine 0.625%, and tropicamide 0.5%) and the drops (cyclopentolate 1%, phenylephrine 0.5%, and tropicamide 0.5%) were evaluated in 29 children (58 eyes) in two separate sessions. There was a 1-week period between the applications of the spray and the drops. Dilated pupil size and refraction after cycloplegia were the primary outcome variables used to assess the efficacy. A subjective discomfort score was used to assess acceptance of the spray and the drops.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the study population was 4.33 +/- 1.39 years (range, 3 to 8 years). The mean pupil size was 6.9 mm for the spray and 6.6 mm for the drops. The spray appeared to be slightly more effective than the drops, with a mean difference of 0.3 mm that was statistically significant (P = .001, two-tailed t test). No statistically significant difference in cycloplegic response was found between the spray and the drops (P = .535, two-tailed t test). Administration of the spray caused less discomfort than did administration of the drops (P < .001, Wilcoxon signed-rank test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The spray system appears to be clinically equivalent to the drops for achieving effective pupil dilation and cycloplegia, even in a population with dark irides such as ours. Tolerability and acceptance improved because the spray was applied to the closed eyelids.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Authority Ophthalmic Services, Hong Kong Eye Hospital, Kowloon, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chun-yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Dorothy S P
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Christopher B O
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Dennis S C
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lam
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D044466:Asian People; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003519:Cyclopentolate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009184:Mydriatics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012996:Solutions; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014331:Tropicamide / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D009184:Mydriatics; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D012996:Solutions; D010656:Phenylephrine; D003519:Cyclopentolate; D014331:Tropicamide