SUMMARY
The authors assess the influence of the chlorpromazine dose on the development of specific ophthalmologic disturbances, in 38 psychiatric inpatients kept in the São Pedro Psychiatric Hospital on chronic use of this drug.
Twenty-two patients (58%) had adverse ocular effects, manifested by bilateral opacities of the lens and, in severe cases, corneal endothelial impregnation. The patients were classified in increasing grades according to the lens alterations. Zero grade stands far no alterations while grade IV stands far marked bilateral lens opacities of anterior lens capsule in stellate pattern. The frequency of the eye changes is analyzed considering with age, pattern use and dose.
The authors suggest the possibility of a higher susceptibility in elderly patients and conclude to be the total dose chlorpromazine the most important factor in the genesis of the ocular changes.