Background: The topical administration of eyedrops is often an unpleasant procedure in the pediatric population. We sought to learn whether a combination mydriatic-cycloplegic solution would be an effective mydriatic if applied as a spray.
Methods: We used a prospective, examiner-masked, parallel-group study design and randomized 38 subjects (age range 6 months-12 years, mean = 7.3 years) into four groups such that the same combination mydriatic-cycloplegic solution was administered under the following conditions: 1) eyedrops to eyes that were closed; 2) eyedrops to eyes that were open; 3) spray to eyes that were closed; 4) spray to eyes that were open. Both eyes of each subject received the solutions administered under one of the four conditions. Photographs were taken of each subject's pupils at times 0, 5, 15, 25, 40, and 55 mins following administration of the medications.
Results: Repeated measures analysis of variance revealed no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) in mydriatic efficacy among the four methods of drug administration.
Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the mydriatic efficacy of a mydriatic-cycloplegic spray is comparable to that associated with eyedrop instillation. Mydriatic sprays may have important clinical advantages over conventional ophthalmic solutions in the pediatric population.