Effect of tropicamide on aqueous flare before and after cataract surgery

Purpose: To examine the effect of tropicamide on flare intensity under phakic and pseudophakic conditions and to differentiate between the possible mechanisms of action of tropicamide on aqueous flare. Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Vienna General Hospital, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. Methods: In this prospective study, aqueous flare was measured with the laser flare-cell meter in 20 eyes of 20 patients with age-related cataract enrolled for cataract surgery. Measurements were performed before and 30, 90, and 180 minutes after pupil dilation with tropicamide 0.5%. This measurement was performed in the phakic eye on the day before surgery and in the pseudophakic eye on postoperative days 1, 3, 7, and 28. Results: After tropicamide instillation, aqueous flare decreased preoperatively and on all postoperative days. There was a continuous flare decrease until 3 hours after Instillation, reaching a maximum decrease of about 30%. Pupil diameter reached its maximum after 30 minutes. Conclusion: Tropicamide significantly decreased aqueous flare, seemingly by pharmacological means, not volumetric changes. The time between drug application and measurement should be kept constant. J Cataract Refract Surg 2000; 26:382-385 (C) 2000 ASCRS and ESCRS.