Ophthalmic drops to control myopia in children

Myopia is an eye condition that hinders distance vision and affects not only adults but also children. For this reason, in order to control this disease in children, ophthalmology specialists now have a new treatment called atropine eye drops 0.01%, which is the most effective of those evaluated to date for slowing its progression in childhood.

Who are the most suitable candidates for treatment with atropine eye drops?

Recent research has shown that this treatment appears to be sufficiently safe when used in children between 6 and 12 years of age, for a maximum period of five years.

However, although it is currently the first treatment option, it should always be applied after a personalized assessment of the risk of myopia progression in each individual case.

Why are they not used in adults?

Diluted atropine acts by slowing down the rate of ocular growth that causes myopia, so in adult patients where the eye has reached its maximum growth it does not make sense to apply it.

How effective is atropine eye drops?

Studies conducted to demonstrate the clinical effect of diluted atropine have shown that this treatment slows the progression of myopia by 25-50% compared to untreated patients. It should also be taken into account that stopping its application in some patients may lead to a resurgence of myopia, especially in younger children and in those with a greater progression of myopia during the first year of treatment.

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Does atropine eye drops cause side effects?

The percentage of side effects observed so far that could force to abandon the use of atropine eye drops 0.01% is very small, recording:

  • Photophobia, i.e. sensitivity to light.
  • Headache
  • Difficulty in reading
  • Midriasis or what is known as the increase in diameter or dilation of the pupil of the eye.

There is a reported 5% of mild photophobia, very near reading difficulties and excessive mydriasis that do not generally require withdrawal of treatment.