General: The lacrimal sac should be compressed by digital pressure for two to three minutes after instillation to reduce excessive systemic absorption.
Information for Patients: Do not touch dropper tip to any surface, as this may contaminate the solution. Patient should be advised not to drive or engage in potentially hazardous activities while pupils are dilated. Patient may experience sensitivity to light and should protect eyes in bright illumination during dilation. Parents should be warned not to get this preparation in their child's mouth and to wash their own hands and the child's hands following administration.
Drug Interactions: Tropicamide may interfere with the antihypertensive action of carbachol, pilocarpine, or ophthalmic cholinesterase inhibitors.
Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility: There have been no long-term studies done using tropicamide in animals to evaluate carcinogenic potential.
Pregnancy: Pregnancy Category C. Animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with tropicamide. It is also not known whether tropicamide can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman or can affect reproduction capacity. Tropicamide should be given to a pregnant woman only if clearly needed.
Nursing Mothers: It is not known whether this drug is excreted in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk, caution should be exercised when tropicamide is administered to a nursing woman.
Pediatric Use: Tropicamide may rarely cause CNS disturbances which may be dangerous in pediatric patients. Psychotic reactions, behavioral disturbances, and vasomotor or cardiorespiratory collapse in children have been reported with the use of anticholinergic drugs (See WARNINGS). Keep this and all medications out of the reach of children.
Geriatric Use: No overall differences in safety or effectiveness have been observed between elderly and younger patients.
