[COMBINED TREATMENT OF RAPIDLY INCREASING MYOPIA: A CASE SERIES]

This case series demonstrates the combination of topical 0.05% atropine, wearing a peripheral defocus (MF60) contact lens, and increased outdoor activity during daylight hours to treat myopia's rapid progression in three children. It includes two boys and one girl with an average age of 12.5±0.5 years with spherical equivalent (SE) of -4.06±0.35 diopters (D) and an average axial length (AL) of 25.11±0.49 mm at the beginning of treatment. All children exhibited myopia progression the year before treatment, averaging 1.29±0.13- D SE. The children had not previously undergone myopia management treatment. Due to this rapid progression, a combination of daily instillation of 0.05% atropine and wearing a daily disposable soft contact lens of a unique design was initiated. Cycloplegic refraction was checked, and a slit-lamp examination was conducted every six months. The children's 8-item Contact Lens Dry Eye Questionnaire (CLDEQ-8) score was 19.33±2.52. Over a year, the average myopia progression decreased to -0.34±0.12 diopters, and the average AL growth was 0.16±0.10 mm. This case series reports successful combined treatment for the rapid progression of myopia and a mini-review of the medical literature on the subject.