Prolonged parasympathetic paralysis and psychosis caused by atropine eye drops

The characteristic mental symptoms of atropine intoxication include a confusional state with vivid visual hallucinations, restlessness, muscular incoordination and later emotional lability with a short period of retrograde amnesia. These symptoms, and the characteristic parasympathetic paralysis, are usually observed after oral or parenteral administration and persist for about 48 hours. The authors report on an unusual case of protracted systemic and mental symptoms following instillation of 1% atropine sulphate eye drops.