Efficacy and safety of 0.05% atropine eye drops for retarding myopia progression in Chinese primary school students / 中国学校卫生

ABSTRACT

Objective@#To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 0.05% atropine eye drops for retarding myopia progression and ocular axial elongation in school children,and to provide a reference for the relevant prevention and control measures of myopia.@*Methods@#A total of 188 children with myopia were randomly assigned to the experimental group(93) or to the control group(95). During the phase (first 24 months) I,children received treatment in each eye once a day. During the phase II (from 25th to the 36th month),no treatment was given. Standardized eye examinations including spherical equivalent(SE),axial length(AL),intraocular pressure(IOP) and potential atropine-related side effect assessment were performed every 6 months.@*Results@#In phase I, the annual progression rates of equivalent spherical degree [(-0.35±0.21)D/year] and axial length [(0.11±0.07)mm/year] in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group [(-0.83±0.26)D/year and (0.37±0.22)mm/year] (P<0.05). After withdrawal of atropine eye drops (phase II), the equivalent spherical degree progression rate [(-0.40±0.29)D/year] and axial length progression rate [(0.10±0.04)mm/year] in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group [(0.73±0.40)D/year and (0.30±0.11)mm/year]. No serious adverse events associated with atropine were found during the follow up period. After the withdrawal of atropine, the pupil size, near visual acuity and adjustment gradually returned to the pre-treatment level.@*Conclusion@#0.05% atropine eye drops may not only maintain the efficacy and reduce potential side effects of atropine but also significantly increase the compliance of children,0.05% atropine is a safe and effective treatment for retarding myopic progression in moderate myopia.