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. 2024 Apr 11;24(1):161.
doi: 10.1186/s12886-024-03433-6.

Brimonidine as a possible treatment for myopia

Zixuan Peng #  1   2 , Aiqun Xiang #  1 , Hong He  3 , Yaqi Luo  1   2 , Shunliang Wu  1   2 , Yanting Luo  1   2 , Junming Yang  1   2 , Ke Nie  1   2 , Xingwu Zhong  4   5   6
Affiliations

Brimonidine as a possible treatment for myopia

Zixuan Peng et al. BMC Ophthalmol. .

Abstract

Background: Myopia is becoming a huge burden on the world's public health systems. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of brimonidine in the treatment of form-deprivation myopia (FDM) and the relationship between intraocular pressure (IOP) and myopia development.

Methods: Monocular form deprivation myopia (FDM) was induced in three-week-old pigmented male guinea pigs. They were treated with 3 different methods of brimonidine administration (eye drops, and subconjunctival or intravitreal injections). Four different concentrations of brimonidine were tested for each method (2µg/µL, 4µg/µL, 20µg/µL, and 40µg/µL). All treatments continued for a period of 21 days. Tonometry, retinoscopy, and A-scan ultrasonography were used to monitor intraocular pressure, refractive error and axial length (AL), respectively.

Results: Treatment with subconjunctival brimonidine at 40µg/µL, and intravitreal brimonidine at 2µg/µL and 4µg/µL, inhibited the development of FDM. The myopic refraction, excessive axial length, and elevation of IOP were significantly decreased. Brimonidine in eye drops was ineffective.

Conclusion: Brimonidine at appropriate doses significantly reduced the development of FD myopia in guinea pigs. The IOP may change with FD myopia.

Keywords: Brimonidine; Form deprivation; Guinea pig; Myopia.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
(a) Change in AL (7d– 0d) over the course of 7 days. (b) Change in AL (14d– 0d) over the course of 14 days. (c) Change in AL (21d– 0d) over the course of 21 days. *P < 0.05vs B. A: No treatment; B: Monocular FD alone; C: FD + eyedrops; D4: FD + subconjunctival; E: FD + intravitreal
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Change in AL over the course of 3 weeks. B: Monocular FD, no drug; D4, and E1,2: FD + brimonidine at stated concentration, by different delivery routes. D4: FD + 40µg/µL subconjunctival; E1,2: FD + 2.0µg/µL, 4.0µg/µL intravitreal. *P < 0.05 B compared to values for all other groups. #P < 0.05 B compared to values of the other groups, excluding D4
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
(a) Change in SE refractive error (10d– 0d) over the course of 10 days. (b) Change in SE refractive error (21d -0d) over the course of 21 days. *P < 0.05 vs. B
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Change in SE refractive error over the course of 3 weeks. *P < 0.05 B compared to values for all other groups
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Changes in intraocular pressure over the course of 3 weeks. *P < 0.05 vs. B
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Correlations of AL with IOP in baseline group B and treatment groups D4, E1 and E2
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Changes in intraocular pressure over the course of 3 weeks in left eye (untreated eye)
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