Cyclogyl
Cyclogyl is cyclopentolate 1% eye drops, used to widen the pupil and relax the focusing muscle before an eye examination. Sold in packs of 2, 4 or 6 bottles.
- Category
- Eye Care
- Active ingredient
- Cyclopentolate
- Route
- Ophthalmic
- Form
- Eye drops
- Strengths
- 1%
You will receive a quality generic equivalent, depending on stock.
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Conditions
- Eye examination · Pupil dilation
- Therapeutic Class
- Anticholinergic
- Pharmacological Class
- Muscarinic antagonist
- Minor Side Effects
- Blurred vision, Burning
- Moderate Side Effects
- Light sensitivity
- Dosage Forms
- Eye drops
- Administration Route
- Ophthalmic
- Originator
- Alcon
- Onset Time
- 25–75 minutes
- Duration
- 24 hours
- Storage Instructions
- Store properly.
- Age Restrictions
- Caution in infants.
What you will receive
Cyclogyl is the originator brand name, made by Alcon. We use it to identify the medicine; the pack you receive is a generic equivalent, not the original Cyclogyl.
- The same active ingredient (Cyclopentolate) at the same strength.
- The exact brand supplied depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
FAQ
Which pack sizes of generic Cyclogyl can I order?
Generic Cyclogyl comes as 1% bottles in packs of 2, 4 or 6. The pack contains generic cyclopentolate, not the original Cyclogyl. Larger packs cost less per bottle.
How are generic Cyclogyl bottles delivered to Hong Kong?
Generic Cyclogyl bottles can go by tracked courier in 5 to 9 business days with online tracking, or by standard airmail in 14 to 21 business days, up to 30, untracked. Every parcel arrives in plain, unbranded packaging.
How long do Cyclogyl eye drops last?
Half an hour after the drop the pupil is opening, and it stays wide for roughly 6 to 12 hours. Close work is the last thing to recover, so plan for a long evening of listening rather than reading. In older adults, near vision can still look blurry the following morning.
Is cyclopentolate the same as Cyclogyl?
Yes. Cyclogyl is a brand name and cyclopentolate is the active ingredient; the drops sold here are a 1% cyclopentolate solution. Other eye drops contain the same ingredient under different names and at different strengths, so the strength printed on the bottle is the thing to compare.
What does 1% mean on a Cyclogyl bottle?
It means 1 part of cyclopentolate in every 100 parts of the liquid, and 1% is the only strength sold here. Other eye drops can carry a different percentage, so the figure on the label is what to compare.
Can I drive home after Cyclogyl drops?
Better not to. Close-up vision is blurred and sunlight and oncoming headlights dazzle, for several hours. Get a lift, take a taxi or wait until your eyes have cleared, and pack sunglasses for the way out.
Do Cyclogyl drops sting?
Yes, for a few seconds: a quick sting or burn as the drop lands, sometimes with a bitter taste at the back of the throat from the tear duct draining. It fades fast and is expected.
About Cyclogyl
What the drops do to the eye
Cyclogyl is a 1% cyclopentolate solution — an anticholinergic, which means it blocks the nerve signals that keep two muscles in the eye switched on. The iris sphincter lets go, so the pupil opens wide, and the ciliary muscle relaxes, so the eye can no longer focus on anything close. Both effects are the point of an eye examination: a wide pupil gives a clear view of the retina and optic nerve at the back of the eye, and a still focusing muscle gives a truer measurement of short- or long-sightedness. The same relaxation helps when the iris and the uveal tract (the middle layer of the eye) are inflamed and a pupil that keeps moving is painful. It is not a treatment for infection or allergy.
At the examination
The drop goes into each eye around 40 minutes before the examination, with a second drop 15 minutes later if the pupil needs it; full effect takes 30 to 60 minutes. The 1% solution sold here is chosen when a full effect matters — children, and adults whose eyes are darkly pigmented, often need it to open the pupil fully.
Expect blurred vision, a pupil that stays wide and discomfort in bright light for several hours. Most people are back to normal within 6 to 12 hours; in older people it can stretch to a day. Sunglasses help outdoors, and it is easier to be driven home than to drive.
Side effects and the pressure warning
A sting as the drop goes in, blurred near vision and light sensitivity are ordinary. Because some of the drop drains into the nose and is swallowed, children and older adults can become restless, drowsy or confused, or see things that are not there.
A sudden rise in eye pressure is the reaction that matters: eye pain, a red eye, headache, feeling sick or halos around lights need urgent treatment. Anyone with narrow-angle glaucoma (a drainage angle in the eye that is already narrow) is not given cyclopentolate, since opening the pupil can push the pressure up.
Strength, packs and keeping the bottle
Cyclogyl is one brand name for cyclopentolate, sold as a 1% solution in bottles. Stand the bottle in its carton somewhere cool and dark rather than on a sunny windowsill, and keep it out of reach of children. Do not use it past the expiry date or if the solution has changed colour.
Sources
- Cyclopentolate Ophthalmic: MedlinePlus Drug Information — National Library of Medicine
- Mydrilate 0.5% Eye Drops - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc) — electronic medicines compendium (emc) / Esteve Pharmaceuticals