This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Study shows efficacy of low-dose atropine to prevent myopia progression
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Low-concentration atropine eye drops showed efficacy in reducing myopia progression with no adverse effect on vision-related quality of life in a study at 1 year.
A total of 438 myopic children 4 to 12 years old were included in the Low-Concentration Atropine for Myopia Progression (LAMP) Study, carried out at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. They were randomized to receive 0.05%, 0.025% or 0.01% atropine or placebo eye drops once nightly in both eyes. Myopia progression and axial length (AL) change were measured at 1 year.
All atropine concentrations showed efficacy in slowing myopia progression when compared with placebo, with a significant concentration-dependent difference in the results in favor of the higher concentration. Axial length elongation was larger in the placebo group.
At 1 year, there was a reduction of 67%, 43% and 27% in mean spherical equivalent and 51%, 29% and 12% in AL elongation in the 0.05%, 0.025% and 0.01% atropine groups as compared with the placebo group, respectively. All three concentrations were well tolerated with minimal or no loss of accommodation, near vision and best corrected distant vision. Vision-related quality of life was not affected.
“Our study is the first placebo-controlled trial to provide good evidence of efficacy of low-concentration atropine in retarding myopia progression. Our data are relevant to children with myopia progression in all parts of the world,” the authors wrote.
The study is ongoing, and efficacy and safety at 2 years will be reported. A subsequent phase 3 study will address the question of whether atropine could be discontinued without rebound effect once myopia progression is under control. Finally, phase 4 will determine efficacy at 5 years in children whose myopia and AL progressed during the washout period. – by Michela Cimberle
Disclosure: The authors reported no relevant financial interests.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts