Postoperatively, a patient cannot focus on near objects after receiving scopolamine preoperatively. What is the most likely cause?

Postoperatively, a patient cannot focus on near objects after receiving scopolamine preoperatively. What is the most likely cause?

• A. Emergence delirium from ketamine anesthesia
• B. Effect of scopolamine
• C. Effect of glycine in the irrigating solution
• D. Corneal abrasion

Answer: (B)

The main idea is the anticholinergic effect of scopolamine on the eye. Scopolamine blocks muscarinic receptors, including those in the ciliary muscle that controls lens accommodation. When accommodation is blocked, the eye cannot focus for near objects, causing blurred near vision postoperatively. While other scenarios like emergence delirium, corneal abrasion, or irrigation solutions have their own signs, they don’t specifically explain the loss of near vision caused by ciliary muscle relaxation from scopolamine.

The main idea is the anticholinergic effect of scopolamine on the eye. Scopolamine blocks muscarinic receptors, including those in the ciliary muscle that controls lens accommodation. When accommodation is blocked, the eye cannot focus for near objects, causing blurred near vision postoperatively. While other scenarios like emergence delirium, corneal abrasion, or irrigation solutions have their own signs, they don’t specifically explain the loss of near vision caused by ciliary muscle relaxation from scopolamine.