Response to mydriatics in the African.

Abstract

It is common clinical experience that the pupil in the African dilates slowly in response to mydriatics. Full mydriasis can be obtained in about 40 minutes in the Asian or European, but takes much longer in the African. This difference in response has been observed in the same clinic at the same time and using the same drug. Scott (I945) noted the need for stronger mydriatics to dilate the pupil in Negroes. There must be an intrinsic peculiarity in the African iris, and it has been shown that this is not due to faulty innervation (Scott, I945).