Comparison of myopia progression between different concentrations and application frequencies of atropine eye drops in children

Objective

To compare the clinical effect of 0.02% atropine eye drops once every two days and 0.01% atropine eye drops once every day in myopia control and adverse reactions in children.

Methods

A randomized controlled study was performed.The 231 Han nationality myopic children wearing full-corrected single-vision spectacle lenses enrolled from June 2016 to June 2017 in The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Eye Hospital were divided into two groups by random number table, with 110 children in the 0.02% atropine group and 121 children in the 0.01% atropine group.The subjects were treated with 0.02% atropine eye drops once every two days or 0.01% atropine eye drops once every day to each eye before bedtime for one year.Ninety-two cases and 101 cases were followed up for one year in the 0.02% and 0.01% atropine group, respectively.The right eyes were selected as experimental eyes, and the spherical equivalent refraction (SER), axial length (AL), amplitude of accommodation (AMP), pupil diameter (PD), anterior chamber depth (ACD), and corneal curvature were recorded at baseline and 12 months after treatment.Discomfort symptoms were also observed during the 1-year follow-up.The study protocol was approved by an Ethics Committee of The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University (No.2016-35). Written informed consent was obtained from guardians prior to any treatment.

Results

After 1 year of treatment, the mean SER change was (-0.46±0.49)D and (-0.48±0.46)D, and the mean AL change was (0.38±0.21)mm and (0.39±0.19)mm, and the mean AMP change was (-1.49±0.29)D and (-1.61±0.26)D, and the mean PD change was (0.72±0.44)mm and (0.70±0.40)mm in the 0.02% atropine group and 0.01% atropine group, respectively.There was no significant difference in the change of SER, AL, AMP, PD between the two groups (all at P>0.05). There were 21 cases (19.1%) in the 0.02% atropine group and 25 cases (20.7%) in the 0.01% atropine group that represented mild photophobia in bright sunlight, which disappeared in 12 and 13 cases during 1-6 months respectively.The photophobia symptoms of the remaining children were alleviated.There existed 5 cases (4.5%) and 6 cases (5.0%) in the two groups that developed mild near blurred vision that lasted no more than 1 month.

Conclusions

Compared with 0.01% atropine eye drops once a day, 0.02% atropine once every two days has the same efficacy on controlling myopia progression in children with no more adverse reactions.