Myopia Controlling using Low Dose Atropine Eye Drop.

Purpose: To determine myopic progression, axial length elongation, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), pupil dilation, and accommodation amplitude following 24 months of Atropine 0.01% usage among progressive myopic patients.

Methods: Fifty-one progressive myopic patients (age range, 3.5-17 years) were included in the present study. Fifteen patients were excluded due to loss to follow-up (eight patients) and Atropine complications (seven patients) and 36 patients continued therapy. Myopic progression, axial length, far and near BCVA, pupil diameter, and accommodation amplitude were measured at baseline examination and repeated every 6 months up to 2 years. All patients were recommended to instill one drop of Atropine 0.01% in each eye every night. Absolute success of therapy was defined as myopic progression ≤0.50 diopter (D) and axial length growth ≤0.2 mm per year.

Results: Mean myopic progression was 0.16 and 1.28 D and mean axial length change was 0.05 and 0.69 mm at months 12 and 24, respectively. Pupil dilation was 1.26 and 1.84 mm and accommodation reduction was 3.38 and 3.37 D at the same follow-ups, while BCVA was not changed. Absolute success rate for myopic progression control was 56.8% at 12 months and 70.8% at 24 months follow-up. In addition, the success rate in respect to axial length changes was 44.4% and 58.3% at the same time points.

Conclusions: Atropine 0.01% can slow myopic progression and axial length elongation at least in 50% of myopic cases at 12- and 24-month follow-up with no significant complications. Therefore, Atropine therapy is recommended in cases of progressive myopia in children and teenagers.