Journal Club - Low dose atropine has been found to be effective in treating myopia

Previous reviews and meta-analyses reported that among various treatment options available, topical atropine shows a maximum reduction in myopia progression. A recent Study in Scientific Reports has evaluated the efficacy and safety of low-dose atropine compared to placebo in the Indian population and also to study the impact of various modifiable and non-modifiable factors on myopia progression (MP) and drug efficacy (DE).

The Study was a single-centred prospective placebo-controlled interventional study, which included a total of 43 participants aged 6–16 years with progressive myopia. All the participants received 0.01% atropine in the right eyes (treatment) and placebo in the left eyes (control) for 1-year. The main outcome measures were annual myopia progression and axial length elongation (ALE) in treatment and control eyes and their drug efficacy.  

It was then found that, myopia progression showed 63.89% reduction with respective axial length elongation at 44.44% reduction. Reduction in both the parameters was statistically significant in all children irrespective of age-group, baseline MP, family history, screen- time, near and outdoor-time. The researchers concluded that 0.01% atropine was effective and safe in retarding myopia progression and axial length elongation in Indian eyes, lifestyle and habits might also have a crucial role to play in it.   

We now have with us, the lead author of this study, Dr. Shweta Chaurasia, Assistant Professor at the Advanced Eye Centre, PGIMER Chandigarh.