Low-dose atropine eyedrops safe for use in children aged 6 to 17 years
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Key takeaways:
- Both 0.03% and 0.05% atropine eyedrops significantly enlarged pupil size.
- Low-dose atropine drops had no significant effect on accommodation, binocular vision or visual acuity.
Both 0.03% and 0.05% atropine eyedrops significantly enlarged pupil size in photopic and scotopic conditions in children aged 6 to 17 years, with no significant change in binocular vision assessments and visual acuity, according to a study.
“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to determine the effect of 0.01%, 0.03%, 0.05% atropine eye drops on binocular vision measurements,” researchers at Illinois College of Optometry wrote in Optometry and Vision Science.
In a study of 46 children aged 6 to 17 years (28 girls, 18 boys), participants were randomized into four groups: placebo, 0.01% atropine, 0.03% atropine and 0.05% atropine.
The researchers measured habitual visual acuity at distance and near, pupil size, dissociated phoria at distance and near, negative and positive fusional vergence, near point convergence, near point convergence stamina and fragility, accommodative lag and amplitude of accommodation. Each assessment was made before applying eyedrops and 30 minutes, 60 minutes and 24 hours after application.
The study authors reported that pupil diameters under phototropic and scotopic conditions were significantly different between all three atropine groups and placebo. Notably, participants in the 0.03% and 0.05% atropine groups had enlarged pupils from baseline at each interval (P < .05). Although those in the 0.01% atropine group experienced minimal change in pupil size, the scotopic 60-minute time point was statistically significant (P = .02).
The researchers also reported no significant effect on visual acuity, accommodation and binocular vision with administration of all atropine concentrations compared with placebo.
“Although both 0.03% and 0.05% atropine eye drops increased pupil size in photopic and scotopic conditions, visual acuity, accommodation, and binocular vision function remained unaffected,” the authors wrote. “Thus, we conclude that it is safe to utilize 0.01%, 0.03% and 0.05% atropine in children ages 6 to 17 years.”
Collapse
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts