Corneal and lenticular opacities in mentally retarded young adults treated with thioridazine and chlorpromazine.

Of 18 mentally retarded institutionalized subjects who had received long-term, high-dose treatment primarily with thioridazine or chlorpromazine, 2 developed definite corneal and lenticular opacities and 2 had equivocal ocular changes. In view of this finding, the authors suggest that alternative treatment, including different neuroleptics, be considered with mentally retarded institutionalized subjects; when that is not possible, subjects should be given periodic evaluation, including annual slit-lamp examination.