Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-30T22:47:59.078Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Anticholinergic visual hallucinosis from atropine eye drops

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 May 2015

Andrew G. Bishop  and
John M. Tallon
Andrew G. Bishop
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, New Halifax Infirmary, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
John M. Tallon*
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, New Halifax Infirmary, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
*
Department of Emergency Medicine, New Halifax Infirmary, 1796 Summer St., Halifax NS B3H 3A7; jtallon@is.dal.ca

Abstract:

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

A 37-year-old man with type I diabetes mellitus and chronic renal failure presented to the emergency department complaining of hallucinations. He was 5 days postoperative for left pars plana vitrectomy and intra-ocular lens implantation and had been taking ophthalmic atropine, tobramycin and prednisolone. He had presented 5 months earlier, on the same ophthalmic medications, with postoperative hallucinations after a right pars plana vitrectomy. Visual hallucinations are a major side effect of anticholinergic poisoning. Ophthalmic instillation of atropine has been documented to cause many central nervous sytstem symptoms, including hallucinations.

Keywords

anticholinergicatropinepsychosisophthalmologyrenal failure
Type
Case Reports • Observations
Information
Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine , Volume 1 , Issue 2 , July 1999 , pp. 115 - 116
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians 1999

References

1.Katzung, BG.Basic and clinical pharmacology. 6th ed. Norwalk: Appleton and Lange; 1995. p. 102–7.Google Scholar
2.Newell, FW.Ophthalmology: principles and concepts. 7th ed. St. Louis: Mosby–Year Book; 1992. p. 107–8.Google Scholar
3.Bryson, PD.Comprehensive review of toxicology. 3rd ed. Washington: Taylor and Francis; 1997. p. 123–4.Google Scholar
4.Fisher, CM.Visual hallucinations on eye closure associated with atropine intoxication. Can J Neurol Sci 1991;18:18–27.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5.Lamens, D, De Hert, S, Vermeyen, K.Tea of thornapple leaves: rare cause of atropine intoxication. Acta Anaesthesiol Belg 1994;45:55–7.Google ScholarPubMed
6.Coremans, P, Lambrecht, G, Schepens, P, Vanwelden, J, Verhaegen, H.Anticholinergic intoxication with commercially available thorn apple tea. J Clin Toxicol 1994;32:589–92.Google ScholarPubMed
7.Kimura, Y, Miwa, H, Furukawa, M, Mizukami, Y.Relapsing polychondritis presented as inner ear involvement. J Laryngol Otol 1996;110:154–7.Google Scholar