Therapeutic effect of atropine 1% in children with low myopia

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of topical atropine 1% in promoting unaided visual acuity, reducing myopia, and slowing the progression of ocular axial elongation in Chinese children with low myopia.

Methods: Children with low myopia were randomly assigned to one of two groups, receiving either atropine 1% (treatment group) or placebo eyedrops (control group) once nightly for 1 year. After instillation of 3 drops of cyclopentolate 1%, unaided visual acuity, cycloplegic refraction, and ocular axial length were tested and recorded at baseline (2 weeks after atropine or vehicle eyedrops), 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year.

Results: A total of 132 children 7-12 years of age with a refractive error of spherical equivalent -0.50 D to -2.00 were included. After 1 year, the mean unaided visual acuity in the treatment group was 0.31 ± 0.16 logMAR; in the control group, 0.66 ± 0.15 logMAR, (P < 0.0001). After treatment for 1 year, there was a decrease of 0.32 ± 0.22 D from baseline in the treatment group and an increase of -0.85 ± 0.31 D in the control group (P < 0.0001). The axial elongation in the treatment group was -0.03 ± 0.07 mm; in the control group, 0.32 ± 0.15 mm (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions: In this study cohort, topical atropine1% reduced the degree of low myopia and slowed the progression of ocular axial elongation in children.