Study supports potential of low-dose atropine for myopia

Results of a clinical trial suggested the safety and efficacy of low-dose atropine could provide a treatment option for childhood myopia progression.  

The study, which was published in Jama Ophthalmology, explored if 0.01% and 0.02% concentrations of atropine slowed the progression of myopia.  

It was a randomised clinical trial with participants aged three to 16 years old from North America and Europe who either received a placebo or low-dose atropine.  

Researchers found that, compared with placebo, low-dose atropine 0.01%, significantly increased the proportion of eyes with less than 0.5D myopia progression after three years of treatment.  

It also slowed mean spherical equivalent refractive error progression difference and slowed axial elongation. There were no serious ocular adverse events and few serious non-ocular events, and none were judged as associated with atropine.