Therapeutic effect of atropine 1% in children with low myopia

PURPOSE To evaluate the efficacy of topical atropine 1% in promoting unaided visual acuity, reducing myopia, and slowing the progression of ocular axial elongation in Chinese children with low myopia. METHODS Children with low myopia were randomly assigned to one of two groups, receiving either atropine 1% (treatment group) or placebo eyedrops (control group) once nightly for 1 year. After instillation of 3 drops of cyclopentolate 1%, unaided visual acuity, cycloplegic refraction, and ocular axial length were tested and recorded at baseline (2 weeks after atropine or vehicle eyedrops), 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year. RESULTS A total of 132 children 7-12 years of age with a refractive error of spherical equivalent -0.50 D to -2.00 were included. After 1 year, the mean unaided visual acuity in the treatment group was 0.31 +/- 0.16 logMAR; in the control group, 0.66 +/- 0.15 logMAR, (P < 0.0001). After treatment for 1 year, there was a decrease of 0.32 +/- 0.22 D from baseline in the treatment group and an increase of 0.85 +/- 0.31 D in the control group (P < 0.0001). The axial elongation in the treatment group was 0.03 +/- 0.07 mm; in the control group, 0.32 0.15 mm (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS In this study cohort, topical atropine1% reduced the degree of low myopia and slowed the progression of ocular axial elongation in children.