Related Experiment Video
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Inducement and Evaluation of a Murine Model of Experimental Myopia
Published on: January 22, 2019
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Photorefraction Screening Plus Atropine Treatment for Myopia is Cost-Effective: A Proof-of-Concept Markov Analysis
Chuen Yen Hong1, Matt Boyd2, Graham Wilson3
1Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Clinical Ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.)
|June 20, 2022
Summary
Introducing myopia screening and low-dose atropine treatment for 11-year-old New Zealand children is cost-effective. This approach prevents blindness and progression of myopia, offering significant public health benefits.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Public Health
- Health Economics
Background:
- Global increase in myopia prevalence poses risks of visual impairment.
- Low-dose atropine eye drops are effective in reducing myopia progression.
- New Zealand school children receive eye checks at age 11.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the cost-effectiveness of photorefractive myopia screening at age 11 in New Zealand.
- To assess the impact of 0.01% atropine eye drops for positive screening results.
Main Methods:
- Markov cohort simulation modeling over a lifetime horizon.
- Societal perspective analysis with a 3% discount rate.
- Calculation of Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) using Quality-Adjusted Life-Years (QALYs).
Main Results:
- The ICER was NZ$1590 per QALY gained.
- Screening and atropine treatment prevented 7 cases of lifetime blindness per 100,000 children.
- Multivariate sensitivity analyses were performed.
Conclusions:
- Photorefraction screening and atropine treatment are likely cost-effective for 11-year-old children in New Zealand.
- Results support considering a real-world trial and further cost-effectiveness analysis.
- Early intervention can mitigate myopia-associated visual impairment.
