The funduscopic examination is essential in neonatology to screen for retinopathy in the pre-term infant. Mydriatic eyedrops, which are used for this examination, are known to induce digestive side effects. We present a case of necrotizing enterocolitis developing in a pre-term infant as a complication of mydriatics. This in was a girl born at 28 weeks gestation and 5 days, with Down's syndrome, who died on the 44th day of life, due to necrotizing enterocolitis, after instillation oft drop of atropine 0.3% in each eye. The chronology of events, the application method, and the clinical symptoms of at impregnation argue in favor of a causal relationship between at opine and neerotizing enterocolitis. The review of the literature made on the basis of this observation shows that side effects of mydriatic eyedrops are frequent in pre-term infants and raise the question of atropine hypersensitivity in pre-term infants with Down's syndrome. (c) 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.