This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Sign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Diagnosis

Authoring team

The level of a complete lesion in Horner's syndrome can be identified by the use of pharmacological agents:

  • 4% cocaine eyedrops fail to dilate the pupil in Horner's syndrome:
    • cocaine inhibits the reuptake of noradrenaline, if there is no noradrenaline then cocaine is inactive
  • hydroxyamphetamine will not dilate a Horner's pupil if the lesion is post-ganglionic
  • weak adrenaline dilates a Horner's pupil when the lesion is post-ganglionic

In summary:

  • a normal pupil is dilated by cocaine and hydroxyamphetamine
  • when the lesion is pre-ganglionic only hydroxyamphetamine causes dilatation
  • when the lesion is post-ganglionic only adrenaline causes dilatation

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.