Progression of myopia slowed

Daily use of an anti-muscarinic appears to slow the rate of progressive myopia.

A study in the latest Journal of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (August 2008, Vol 12, 4, pp322-324) has shown that use of pirenzipine, a drug similar to atropine but with far fewer side effects, over a two-year period resulted in a slower rate of myopic progression than with a placebo.

At the end of the trial, the test group had progressed by 0.58D as compared to a change of 0.99D in the placebo group. Unlike atropine, pirenzipine (offered as a 2 per cent gel) causes minimal mydriasis and problems with accommodation, though uncommon, were managed with bifocals. The research team, led by Dr R Michael Stiatkowski, suggest that the method may mean that it may be possible to moderate a child's myopia if the drug is made clinically available and is approved.