The time courses of changes in the effects of topical pilocarpine and tropicamide on the index of the blood-aqueous barrier permeability to plasma protein (Pin) were determined in normal volunteers. Before and after drug instillation in one eye, protein concentration in the anterior chamber (Ca) was determined from aqueous flare intensity with a laser flare-cell meter and from aqueous flow by fluorophotometry. The Pin was calculated from the Ca, plasma protein concentration, and aqueous flow. One percent pilocarpine produced a maximum increase of 21 +/- 10% in the Ca (mean +/- SEM, n = 10), no significant change in the aqueous flow (n = 5), and a maximum increase of 29 +/- 10% in the Pin (n = 10). Three percent pilocarpine produced a maximum increase of 55 +/- 11% in the Ca (n = 8), a maximum increase of 34 +/- 13% in the aqueous flow (n = 5), and a maximum increase of 74 +/- 18% in the Pin (n = 8). Tropicamide (0.4%) produced a maximum decrease of 17 +/- 7% in the Ca (n = 8), a maximum decrease of 15 +/- 11% in the aqueous flow (n = 8), and a maximum decrease of 24 +/- 13% in the Pin (n = 8). The results indicated that pilocarpine increased the blood-aqueous barrier permeability to plasma protein in a dose-dependent manner and that tropicamide reduced it.