Effects of atropine 0.01% on refractive errors in children with myopia

Xingxue Zhu; Yuliang Wang; Yujia Liu; Chaoying Ye; Xingtao Zhou; Xiaomei Qu

Heliyon (Aug 2023)

Effects of atropine 0.01% on refractive errors in children with myopia

Xingxue Zhu,
Yuliang Wang,
Yujia Liu,
Chaoying Ye,
Xingtao Zhou,
Xiaomei Qu

Affiliations

Xingxue Zhu: Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
Yuliang Wang: Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
Yujia Liu: Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
Chaoying Ye: Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
Xingtao Zhou: Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China; Corresponding author. Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Xiaomei Qu: Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China; Corresponding author. Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 9, no. 8
p. e18743

Abstract

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Background: Little is known about changes in astigmatism during atropine treatment. We aimed to explore the effects of atropine 0.01% eye drops on both spherical and cylindrical refractive errors in myopic children. Methods: Children aged 6–14 years with myopia ≥ −6.00 D and −2.00 D in at least one eye were enrolled. Subjects were randomised either to receive atropine 0.01% once nightly with single-vision lenses or simply to wear single-vision lenses and were followed up at 3-month intervals. Cycloplegic refraction and axial length were measured. The magnitude and direction of total astigmatism (TA), corneal astigmatism (CA), and residual astigmatism (RA) were evaluated. Results: Overall, 119 eyes (69 eyes in the atropine group and 50 eyes in the control group) were included in the final analyses after 9 months. Atropine-treated eyes showed significantly less progression of myopia than did control eyes (spherical equivalent: −0.35 ± 0.33 vs. −0.56 ± 0.49 D, p = 0.001; axial length: 0.20 ± 0.19 vs. 0.33 ± 0.19 mm, p < 0.001). Compared with control eyes (−0.04 ± 0.23 D), a significant increase in TA was observed in the atropine-treated eyes (−0.14 ± 0.29 D); this was mainly attributed to the increase in CA (−0.17 ± 0.26 D) rather than the minor decrease in RA (0.02 ± 0.32 D). Conclusions: Atropine 0.01% was effective in preventing myopia progression, whereas 9 months of atropine treatment resulted in a clinically small, but statistically significant increase in TA in myopic Chinese children.

Published in Heliyon

ISSN: 2405-8440 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science: Science (General); Social Sciences: Social sciences (General)
Website: https://www.cell.com/heliyon/home

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