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Inducement and Evaluation of a Murine Model of Experimental Myopia
Published on: January 22, 2019
Low-Concentration Atropine (0.01%, 0.025%, 0.05%) for Myopia Progression in Children: A Systematic Review and
Qi Wan1, Qiong Wang1, Ran Wei1
1Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610044, China.
Journal of Clinical Medicine
|July 28, 2026
Summary
Low-concentration atropine eye drops effectively control myopia progression in children, with higher concentrations showing greater efficacy. All tested doses (0.01%-0.05%) are safe, but 0.01% offers a good balance of effectiveness and tolerability.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Clinical Trials
- Public Health
Background:
- Myopia is a global epidemic, projected to affect 50% of the world population by 2050.
- Low-concentration atropine eye drops (0.01%, 0.025%, 0.05%) are a primary intervention for myopia control.
- Existing meta-analyses lack recent trial data and separate analyses for premyopia prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze the efficacy and safety of low-concentration atropine for myopia progression control.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of these concentrations for premyopia prevention.
- To analyze outcomes based on atropine concentration, follow-up duration, and population.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
- Searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL up to April 2026.
- Included RCTs comparing low-concentration atropine (0.01%-0.05%) with placebo in children; meta-analysis used random-effects models.
Main Results:
- Eight RCTs (n=1756) were included. 0.01% atropine showed significant efficacy for myopia progression at 1 and 2 years.
- The 0.05% concentration demonstrated the largest effect on myopia progression.
- All concentrations exhibited an excellent safety profile with no serious adverse events; premyopia prevention data showed high heterogeneity.
Conclusions:
- Low-concentration atropine is effective for myopia progression control, with a dose-dependent effect (0.05% > 0.025% > 0.01%).
- The 0.01% concentration provides a favorable balance between efficacy and tolerability.
- Further research is needed to validate 0.05% efficacy and conduct well-designed RCTs for premyopia prevention.
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