Effects of different concentrations of atropine on controlling myopia in myopic children

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatric medicine
• Pharmacology

Background:

• High-concentration atropine (1%) is effective for myopia control but causes side effects.
• Adverse effects of 1% atropine include photophobia, blurred vision, and poor patient compliance.
• Investigating lower atropine concentrations is crucial for improving myopia management strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of different low-dose atropine concentrations in controlling myopia progression in children.
• To compare the effectiveness of 0.1%, 0.25%, and 0.5% atropine eye drops against a placebo.
• To assess the safety and tolerability profile of low-dose atropine for pediatric myopia management.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 186 children aged 6-13 years.
• Participants received nightly treatments of 0.1%, 0.25%, 0.5% atropine, or a control solution for up to 2 years.
• Myopic progression was measured in diopters per year (D/Y).

Main Results:

• All atropine groups demonstrated significantly less myopic progression than the control group (0.04-0.47 D/Y vs. 1.06 D/Y).
• The 0.5% atropine group showed the greatest reduction in myopia progression (0.04 D/Y).
• Higher percentages of children achieved no myopic progression with increasing atropine concentrations (42-61%) compared to the control (8%).

Conclusions:

• Low-dose atropine (0.1%, 0.25%, 0.5%) is effective in controlling myopia progression in children.
• The 0.5% atropine concentration was the most effective in reducing myopia.
• Lower atropine doses offer a promising alternative for myopia management with potentially fewer side effects.