Low-dose atropine 0.01% for the treatment of childhood myopia: a pan-India multicentric retrospective study

Abstract

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of low-dose atropine 0.01% in controlling myopia progression among Indian children over a 2-year period.MethodsThis retrospective study, conducted across 20 centres in India, monitored the progression of myopia over 2 years after initiating treatment with 0.01% atropine eye drops. This included children between 6 and 14 years with baseline myopia ranging from −0.5 D to −6 D, astigmatism≤−1.5 D, anisometropia ≤ −1 D and documented myopia progression of ≥0.5 D in the year prior to starting atropine. Subjects with any other ocular pathologies were excluded.ResultsA total of 732 children were included in the data analysis. The mean age of the subjects was 9.3±2.7 years. The mean myopia progression at baseline (1 year before starting atropine) was −0.75±0.31 D. The rate of myopia progression was higher in younger subjects and those with higher baseline myopic error. After initiating atropine, myopia progression significantly decreased to −0.27±0.14 D at the end of the first year and −0.24±0.15 D at the end of the second year (p<0.001). Younger children (p<0.001) and higher baseline myopia (p<0.001) was associated with greater myopia progression and poor treatment response (p<0.001 for both).ConclusionLow-dose atropine (0.01%) effectively reduces myopia progression over 2 years in Indian children.