Higher atropine concentrations effective for myopia treatment in younger kids: LAMP Study

China: Younger patients should be treated with a higher concentration atropine for slowing myopia development, finds a recent study. According to the study, published in the journal Ophthalmology, low concentration of atropine ophthalmic solution at 0.05%, 0.025%, and 0.01% is associated with poor treatment outcomes in younger age.

Among atropine concentrations studied, younger children required the highest concentration of 0.05% for achieving the same reduction in myopic progression as older children on lower concentrations. 

Fen FenLi, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and colleagues investigated the effect of age of treatment and other factors on the treatment response  to atropine in the Low-concentration Atropine for Myopia Progression (LAMP) study.

For the purpose, the researchers performed the secondary analysis from a randomized trial. It included 350 children (aged 4 to 12 years). The randomization was stratified by age and gender, originally assigned to receive 0.05%, 0.025%, 0.01% atropine, or placebo once daily in both eyes who completed 2 years of the LAMP study. In the second year, the placebo group was switched to 0.05% atropine group.