<p>The Effect of 0.01% Atropine Eye Drops on the Ocular Surface in Children for the Control of Myopia—The Primary Results from a Six-Month Prospective Study</p>

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of 0.01% atropine eye drops on the ocular surface in children for the control of myopia. Methods: A total of 72 participants were recruited for this prospective study. Prior to and after 1, 3, and 6 months of 0.01% atropine administration, an ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire was obtained, Keratograph 5M was used for the measurement of the tear meniscus height (TMH), noninvasive keratographic tear film break-up time (NK-BUT, the first keratographic break-up time, [NK-BUT first ] and the average keratographic break-up time, [NK-BUT ave ]), bulbar redness (BR), meiboscore (MS), and anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) was used to calculate the inferior tear meniscus area (TMA). Results: After using the 0.01% atropine eye drops for 1 month, 9 subjects complained of discomfort immediately after administration, but this quickly subsided, and 1 subject was temporarily dazzled. All the ocular surface symptoms were mild and occurred rarely. After 3 months, these complaints no longer occurred. Compared with the baseline values, the OSDI scores (0.08 ± 0.28), values of TMH (0.23 ± 0.04 mm), TMA (0.0420 ± 0.0444 mm 2), NK-BUT first (9.39 ± 5.25 s), NK-BUT ave (10.49 ± 4.94 s), BR (0.63 ± 0.37), and MS (0.89 ± 0.70) did not change significantly after 6 months of 0.01% atropine eye drop administration (P > 0.05). Conclusion: In this 6-month prospective study, no side effects were observed on the ocular surface after using 0.01% atropine in children.

Low concentration atropine combined with orthokeratology in the treatment of axial elongation in children with myopia: A meta-analysis

“…29 However, the study of Larkin et al 30 showed that 0.01% atropine eye drops considerably slows the progression of myopia in a group of American children who have been treated for more than 2 years. In a 6-month prospective study of Cheng et al, 31 atropine at a concentration of 0.01% shows no obvious side effects on the ocular surface in children with myopia. Although studies have demonstrated the efficacy of the OK lens in the treatment of myopia, 9,10 several adverse events exist, such as keratitis, 32 the decline of tear film stability, 33 bacterial adhesion, 34 etc.…”

The possibilities of pharmacological intervention in myopia

“…Following these studies, a mass-scale use of atropine in myopia treatment in many countries has been observed. It has been found that a 0.01% solution of atropine decreases the development of myopia and does not induce side effects in the anterior segment [39][40][41][42]. It has also been observed that 0.02% atropine eye drops had a better effect on myopia progression than 0.01% atropine.…”

Corneal Penetration of Low-Dose Atropine Eye Drops

“…The question remains as to what precise extent continuous therapy can contribute to the risk of dry eye or a stressed surface [ 47 ]. Apart from single reports of ocular discomfort, according to the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) and the objective parameters of the tear film at break-up time, meiboscore, or the anterior segment, optical coherence tomography was not changed at all in children treated for at least six months ( n = 72) [ 60 ]. One study found no significant differences in the amount of tear secretion or signs of ocular surface inflammation between normal healthy children ( n = 38) and myopic children receiving topical atropine treatment ( n = 126) [ 61 ].…”