It is my understanding that atropine (like scopolamine, cyclopentate, etc.) effectively paralyzes the ciliary muscles by blocking muscarinic receptors. This ena

It is my understanding that atropine (like scopolamine, cyclopentate, etc.) effectively paralyzes the ciliary muscles by blocking muscarinic receptors. This enables an ophtalmologist to measure the "true" refractive error of the eye. Atropine is also a mydriatic agent (dilates the pupils) and this lets you better see the retina, but that's a different effect than the one I was referring to.