AIM: To compare the effectiveness on 10g/L cyclopentolate and 10g/L atropine on cycloplegia in children before optometry.

METHODS: Eighty eyes of 40 children among 4-12 years old with refractive error were recruited in this study. 10g/L cyclopentolate eye drops were topically administered once per 5min for 3 times and optometry was performed after 45min. Three days after that, 10g/L atropine sulfate eye gel then was used 3 times per day for consecutive 3d and again the refractive diopter was obtained at the 4^thd. The differences of the results in retinoscopy refraction were compared between 10g/L cyclopentolate eye drops and 10g/L atropine sulfate eye gel.

RESULTS: Therefraction results of those given 10g/L cyclopentolate eye drops and 10g/L atropine sulfate eye gel were no statistical different in both 4-8 years group and 9-12 years group with myopia(≤-3.00D)(P=0.411, 0.924). The differences of refraction results of both the drugs were significant in 4-8 years group with low hypermetropia, medium hypermetropia and high hypermetropia(P=0.007, 0.007, 0.009). No significant difference was found in 9-12 years group with low hypermetropia(P=0.592), given 10g/L cyclopentolate eye drops and 10g/L atropine sulfate eye gel, but the differences of refraction results of both the ophthalmic preparations above were significant in 9-12 years group with medium and high hypermetropia(P=0.039, 0.012).

CONCLUSION: Both 10g/L cyclopentolate eye drops and 10g/L atropine sulfate eye gel have the cycloplegic effects, but their cycloplegic effects are significant different among hypermetropia children. Thus, the reasonable cycloplegic should be chosen according to the specific situation.