Atropine Therapy for Myopia
Low Dose Atropine
Considering myopia control options for your children?
Atropine therapy
What Is It?
Studies show that a low-dose of atropine, typically given as eye drops at bedtime, can significantly slow the progression of myopia in children, preventing severe near-sightedness. Myopia isn’t reversible and kids treated with low-dose atropine still need glasses. But in most cases, their near-sightedness doesn’t get nearly as bad as it does for kids who haven’t received the treatment. Until recently, the only treatment for pediatric myopia was glasses, with frequent prescription updates as vision gets worse.
How Does Is It Work?
Studies show that a low dose of atropine, typically administered as eye drops in the evening, has the potential to significantly slow the progression of myopia in children.
The results have been dramatic, “What we’re seeing is that for most kids — about 90 percent — their rate of myopia progression decreases or slows by about half. The sooner they start taking it, the less nearsighted they’ll be overall,”
Better yet, most kids receiving the treatment have no side effects. About 1 percent of children report a little redness or itching in or around the eye.
Research also shows that once atropine treatment stops, myopia progression ramps up again. So getting a diagnosis as early as possible and using atropine consistently through the eye’s growth years are key.
