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

This is a retrospective multicentre study (20 centres) in India over two years, monitoring the progression of myopia after starting treatment with 0.01% atropine drops. Seven-hundred and thirty-two children were recruited in the study, between six and 14 years old, with myopia ranging between -0.5 to -6 dioptres, <-1.5D of astigmatism, anisometropia <-1.0D and myopic progression of >-0.5D in the previous year before starting the atropine treatment. The mean myopia progression at baseline was -0.75+/-0.31D. After initiating the atropine treatment, the myopic progression decreased significantly to -0.27+/-0.14D at the end of first year and -0.24+/- 0.15D at the end of second year (p<0.001). Younger children and higher baseline myopia were associated with greater myopia progression (p<0.001), and poorer treatment response (p< 0.001). The authors concluded that 0.01% atropine is effective to reduce the myopia progression over two years in Indian children.

Low-dose atropine 0.01% for the treatment of childhood myopia: a pan-India multicentric retrospective study.
Saxena R, Gupta V, Dhiman R, et al.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
2024;104:588–92.