The effect of topical 1 % atropine on ocular dimensions and diurnal rhythms of the human eye.

The effect of topical 1 % atropine on the diurnal rhythms of the human eye was investigated. Participants wore an activity monitor on Days 1-7. A set of measures (epochs) encompassing intraocular pressure (IOP), ocular biometry, and retinal imaging were obtained on Day 7 (baseline), followed by eight epochs on Day 8, and one on Day 9 from both eyes of healthy participants (n = 22, 19-25 years). The sleep time of participants (collected via actigraphy) was used as a reference in scheduling epochs. Topical 1 % atropine was instilled in the dominant eye on Day 8, 2 h after habitual wake time, using the fellow eye as control (paired-eye design). Sinusoids with a 24-h period were fitted to the data, and a non-linear mixed-effects model was used to estimate rhythmic statistics. There were no interocular differences in any of the measured parameters at baseline. Comparing pre- versus post-atropine in treated eyes revealed lower IOP, deeper anterior chamber (ACD), decreased crystalline lens thickness and shorter axial length (AL). The same trends were observed when comparing atropine-treated versus fellow control eyes, except for IOP and AL (no differences). Both atropine-treated and fellow control eyes showed significant diurnal variations in all ocular parameters, with atropine-treated eyes revealing larger AL and retinal thickness amplitudes, smaller vitreous chamber depth (VCD) amplitudes, and a significant phase advancement for ACD and VCD. There were no interocular differences in choroidal thickness rhythms. In conclusion, while ocular diurnal rhythms persisted after instillation of 1 % atropine, many rhythmic parameters were altered.

Seasonal and Annual Change in Physiological Ocular Growth of 7- to 11-Year-Old Norwegian Children.

Purpose: To investigate seasonal and annual change in physiological eye growth in Norwegian school children. Methods: Measurements of ocular biometry, non-cycloplegic spherical equivalent autorefraction (SER), and choroidal thickness (ChT) were obtained for 92 children (44 females) aged 7 to 11 years at four time points over a year (November 2019-November 2020). Seasons (3- and 5-month intervals) were classified as winter (November-January), winter-spring (January-June), and summer-autumn (June-November). Cycloplegic SER was obtained in January and used to group children. The seasonal and annual changes were tested with a linear mixed-effects model (P values were adjusted for multiple comparisons). Results: All the children experienced annual ocular growth, irrespective of SER, but less so during the summer-autumn. The baseline SER was lower (P < 0.001), axial length (AL) was longer (P < 0.038), and choroids were thicker in 10- to 11-year-old than 7- to 8-year-old mild hyperopes (P = 0.002). Assuming mild hyperopes (n = 65) experience only physiological eye growth, modeling revealed seasonal and annual increases in AL across sex and age (P < 0.018), with less change during the summer-autumn than winter-spring. The 7- to 8-year-olds had a larger decrease annually and over winter-spring in SER (P ≤ 0.036) and in ChT over winter-spring than the 10- to 11-year-olds (P = 0.006). Conclusions: There were significant seasonal and annual changes in AL in children who had physiological eye growth irrespective of age within this cohort. Annual changes in SER and seasonal choroidal thinning were only observed in 7- to 8-year-old children. This indicates continued emmetropization in 7- to 8-year-olds and a transition to maintaining emmetropia in 10- to 11-year-olds.

Seasonal Variation in Diurnal Rhythms of the Human Eye: Implications for Continuing Ocular Growth in Adolescents and Young Adults.

Purpose: To investigate the diurnal rhythms in the human eye in winter and summer in southeast Norway (latitude 60°N). Methods: Eight measures (epochs) of intraocular pressure, ocular biometry, and optical coherence tomography were obtained from healthy participants (17-24 years of age) on a mid-winter's day (n = 35; 6 hours of daylight at solstice) and on a day the following summer (n = 24; 18 hours of daylight at solstice). Participants wore an activity monitor 7 days before measurements. The epochs were scheduled relative to the individual's habitual wake and sleep time: two in the day (morning and midday) and six in the evening (every hour until and 1 hour after sleep time). Saliva was collected for melatonin. A linear mixed-effects model was used to determine significant diurnal variations, and a sinusoid with a 24-hour period was fitted to the data with a nonlinear mixed-effects model to estimate rhythmic statistics. Results: All parameters underwent significant diurnal variation in winter and summer (P < 0.002). A 1-hour phase advance was observed for melatonin and ocular axial length in the summer (P < 0.001). The degree of change in axial length was associated with axial length phase advance (R2 = 0.81, P < 0.001) and choroidal thickening (R2 = 0.54, P < 0.001) in summer. Conclusions: Diurnal rhythms in ocular biometry appear to be synchronized with melatonin secretion in both winter and summer, revealing seasonal variation of diurnal rhythms in young adult eyes. The association between axial length and seasonal changes in the phase relationships between ocular parameters and melatonin suggests a between-individual variation in adaptation to seasonal changes in ocular diurnal rhythms.