Pharmaceutical intervention for myopia control.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pharmacology
• Developmental Biology

Background:

• Myopia results from a mismatch in eye optical power and axial length, with excessive elongation increasing risks of visual impairment and blindness.
• High myopia is linked to pathologies like retinal detachment, driving the need for effective myopia control strategies.
• Current clinical treatments for myopia are limited, necessitating further research into novel therapeutic interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review clinical and animal studies on myopia treatments, focusing on atropine and emerging drug targets.
• To evaluate the efficacy and limitations of existing myopia control methods, particularly topical atropine.
• To explore novel therapeutic targets and bioengineering approaches for myopia treatment development.

Main Methods:

• Review of clinical trials involving myopic children and animal models of myopia.
• Analysis of pharmacological studies targeting the retina, retinal pigment epithelium, and sclera.
• Assessment of in vitro and in vivo drug efficacy for controlling axial elongation.

Main Results:

• Atropine, a nonselective muscarinic antagonist, is the most studied drug but has significant shortcomings in clinical use.
• Animal and in vitro studies have advanced understanding of eye growth regulation but have not yielded new clinical treatments.
• No new anti-myopia drugs have successfully transitioned to clinical application despite extensive research.

Conclusions:

• Existing myopia treatments, including atropine, have limitations requiring further investigation.
• New bioengineering and drug delivery strategies are essential for advancing myopia treatment development.
• Continued research into novel targets and less conservative approaches is critical for future myopia control therapies.