In order to obtain the age distribution of normal values of the effects of topical
tyramine or
cocaine on the pupil, we measured the pupillary light reflexes of 50 normal volunteers before and 45 minutes (
tyramine) or 90 minutes (
cocaine) after the topical instillation in right eyes. Left eyes were used as controls. An infrared videopupillogram (HTV-C301) was used. Topical
tyramine as well as
cocaine caused
mydriasis, increase of maximum %-velocity of dilatation (%-VDmax), reduction of %-amplitude of constriction (%-A) and decrease of maximum %-velocity of constriction (%-VCmax). These alternations of pupillary parameters coincided with the changes induced by topical
epinephrine. The effects of
tyramine or
cocaine significantly increased as the age of the subjects increased, though the increase of %-VDmax caused by
cocaine was only related to age. Age-related augmentation of pupillary changes were also been observed in a previous study using topical
epinephrine or topical
pilocarpine which concluded that the effects of any topical autonomics were increased by aging. No physiological senile
Horner's syndrome was detected. It was concluded that the age-related augmentation of pupillary changes caused by topical autonomics probably resulted from the increment of corneal permeability in the aged which was confirmed in the previous fluorophotometric study by the authors following topical
fluorescein administration. It is possible to assess the pupillary sensitivity to topical
adrenergics of the patients with bilateral
Horner's syndrome by comparing the age-related normal values obtained in this study.