ocular diagnostic drugs Flashcards
when do we use mydriatics?
*More thorough examination of peripheral crystalline lens, vitreous, fundus
*Facilitates a stereo fundus examination (volk)
*For treatment in Uveitis (stops iris sticking to lens and causing increase in IOP)
*If px is at risk of retinal detachment (high myopia more than 5D, family history, trauma)
*Symptoms: unexplained visual loss/visual field loss, visual disturbance, floaters, flashes, veils, shadows
*Screening for diabetes, high myopia, prior to ocular surgery
*Inadequate fundus view (lens/media opacities, miotic pupil less than 2mm in diameter)
what should you do prior to installation of a mydriatic?
*Good reason to use drug
*Explain procedure (tell them it will sting)
*Px consent (issue written information)
*Advise of after effects: glare, loss of stereo vision, no driving or operating machinery
*Minimise risk of adverse reaction
*Check for contraindications
how should you install the mydriatic?
*Write down DRUG, STRENGH, DOSAGE, EXPIRARY DATE, BATCH NUMBER and TIME of instillation
*Ask px to look up and pull down the lower eyelid.
*Instil one drop into lower conjunctival sac
*Occlude puncta-avoids drug draining int nasolacrimal duct. This reduces effectiveness of drug and increases likelihood of causing systemic signs and symptoms
what are the general contraindications of mydriatics?
Known hypersensitivity to the drug
*Iris clip IOL’s
*Narrow VH angle
*Patients with symptoms of sub-acute or chronic closed angle glaucoma (CAG)
*Patients diagnosed with CAG
*Px using pilocarpine for glaucoma treatment (constricts pupil which opens up drainage channels)
what are the sings and symptoms of closed angle glaucoma after using tropicamide?
blurred vision
haloes
headache
pain
vomiting/nausea
photophobia
closed angle
fixed mid-dilated pupil
cloudy cornea
conjunctival hypereamia
sudden increase in IOP (more than 40mmHg)
how can we minimise risk of CAG?
IOP-take pre and post dilation
check anterior angles: van herricks
existing symptoms: ask if already has sings of angle closure like haloes around lights, painful eye
use of a miotic drug (not done in optometric practice)
how do you do van herick’s technique
what do the rations mean
1 mm beam at 60 degrees
low mag (10x)
compare width of anterior chamber to width of corneal section
gap:cornea
1:1 grade 4
0.5:1 grade 3
0.25:1 grade 2
<0.25:1 grade 1
what are the types of mydriatics?
how do they work?
name them
Muscarinic antagonists/antimuscarinic/anticholinergic
Blocks Acetylcholine effect on muscarinic receptors
1.Tropicamide: most used
2.Cyclopentolate: rarely used as a mydriatic
3.Atropine: only available to independent prescribers. Unlikely to be used as mydriatic due to toxicity.
Sympathomimetic/alpha antagonist
Enhances noradrenaline effects on alpha 1 adrenoreceptors
- Phenylephrine: used more in USA
what does the sympathetic system do?
what does the parasympathetic system do?
what transmitter, receptor, and muscle is part of parasympathetic system?
what transmitter, receptor, and muscle is part of sympathetic system?
fight or flight
inhibit body overworking
transmitter: acetylcholine
receptor: muscarinic
muscle: ciliary and sphincter
transmitter: noradrenaline
receptor: alpha
muscle: dilator
how does anti-muscarinic action cause dilation?
parasympathetic stimulation causes contraction of the iris sphincter and constriction of the pupil.
paralysis of the parasympathetic system inhibits the action of Ach liberated at the postganglionic nerves. this produces mydriasis, cycloplegia, reduced tear secretion.
how does sympathomimetic action cause dilation?
*Noradrenaline is the transmitter in sympathetic system
*Mainly alpha 1 receptors in dilator pupillae muscle
*Alpha 1 is excitatory and alpha 2 is inhibitory
*Beta 1 is excitatory and beta 2 is inhibitory
*Phenylephrine is a selective alpha 1 adrenergic receptor activator acting on the iris dilator muscle
TROPICAMIDE
how long does mydriasis take?
how long does recovery take?
is light reflex absent?
what else does it cause?
how may contraindications are there?
15 mins
8-9 hours
yes
mild cycloplegia effect, may cause rise in IOP
few
PHENYLEPHERINE
how long does mydriasis take?
how long does recovery take?
is light reflex absent?
does it effect accommodation and IOP?
how many contraindications are there?
30 mins
12-24 hours
no its retained
accommodation is retained, less likely to cause rise in IOP as sector mydriasis
numerous
what is the medical legislation for tropicamide?
what concentrations is it available in and how should it be stored?
who is 1% used in?
POM
single use minims kept at room temp
0.5%
1.0%
multi-dose containers refrigerated and protect from light
0.5%
1.0%
in people with darker irides or kids as increased cycloplegia effect
who should you avoid using tropicamide in?
*Avoid use in pregnancy but better option than phenylephrine
*Not to be used in breast-feeding women
what are the ocular side effects of tropicamide?
what are the general side effects on the body?
transient stinging, transient blurring, photophobia, raised IOP
prolonged administration: irritation, hyperaemia, oedema, conjunctivitis
dry mouth (reported in blue eyed blond hair children)
what is the medical legislation of phenylephrine?
what concentrations are available? how is it stored?
what else is this drug used for?
P
stored at 25 degrees, protect from light
2.5%
10% (contraindicated in children and elderly)
Is used as a test to distinguish between scleritis or episcleritis
what are the contraindications for using phenylephrine?
anti-hypertensives, tachycardia, cardiovascular problems medication
depression medication (MOIs, tricyclic antidepressants)
thyrotoxicosis (excess thyroid hormone)
insulin dependant diabetes
asthma
pregnancy/lactation (can cause fatal hypoxia)
use of pilocarpine (pupil block in older px and accommodative spasm in your px)
what are the ocular side effects of phenylephrine?
what are the general side effects?
transient stinging
transient blurring
photophobia
lid retraction
conjunctival allergic reaction
punctate keratitis
palpitations, tachycardia, cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension, headaches
what synergists combinations are available for mydriatics?
why may these be used?
*Can have tropicamide 0.5% and phenylephrine 2.5%
*Allows lower concentrations of antimuscarinic to be used so less cyclo effect
what is the medical legislation of mydriasert?
what is this?
when is it used and for how long?
*POM
*Insoluble ophthalmic insert
*Contains phenylephrine and tropicamide
*Gradual release of drug
*Used pre-operatively and diagnostically
*In adults its inserted up to max 2 hours before procedure.
*It’s removed within 30 minutes of mydriasis and within 2 hours of application.
what other mydriatic drugs are available?
cyclopentolate (anti-muscarnic)
homatropine (anti-muscarinic)
HOMATROPINE
how long does mydriasis take?
how long does recovery take?
are light and accommodative reflex absent?
maximal 30-40 mins
3 days
yes
what can phenylephrine cause?
is phenylephrine less effective in pigmented eyes?
widening if palpebral aperture
blanching of conjunctiva (vasoconstriction of conjunctival blood vessels)
yes
which curve shows decline in accommodation with age?
Duane’s curve
what are the optometric uses of cycloplegics?
*Assessment of refractive error.
*If concerned about latent hyperopia: accommodative muscles are used to increase the eyes focusing power.
*Penalisation instead of occlusion of one eye
*Helps Adaptation to spectacles (rare)
what are the ophthalmic uses of cycloplegics?
*Anterior uveitis-dilating pupil and alleviating ciliary spasm
*Corneal abrasion- alleviate ciliary spasm
what are the optometric indications for using cycloplegics from the history and symptoms?
Symptoms: asthenopia, reading difficulties
History of manifest deviation
Family history of refractive error at an early age or manifest deviations
what are the optometric indications for using cycloplegics from the clinical tests?
Binocular vision anomaly: manifest eso deviation, sometimes latent deviation
Fluctuating ret: large difference between subjective and objective. Poor fixation.
Accommodative anomalies
Visual acuity reduced