Myopia control: short-term effect of 0.01% atropine vs. defocus incorporated multiple segment lenses—a retrospective study in European children

PURPOSE: To compare 0.01% atropine with DIMS spectacle lenses in the prevention of myopia progression in European children. METHODS: This was a retrospective study including data from pediatric European patients with myopia. From November 2021 to March 2022, only 0.01% atropine was prescribed because DIMS lenses were still not available in Portugal. From March to October 2022, only DIMS spectacle lenses were prescribed due to patients’ parents’ preference. Myopia progression endpoints were axial length (AL) and spherical equivalent (SE) differences between before and 6 months after treatment. AL and SE evolution were compared using a general linear model with repeated measures. RESULTS: The study included 98 eyes from 50 patients: 47 in the atropine group and 51 in the DIMS group. There were no statistically significant differences between groups in terms of initial AL, initial SE, sex or age. The mean AL elongation at 6 months was 0.057 mm in the atropine group (SD = 0.118) and 0.002 mm (SD = 0.077) in the DIMS group. SE progression was − 0.098 (SD = 0.232) D in the atropine group and − 0.039 (SD = 0.105) D in the DIMS group. AL elongation was significantly lower in the DIMS lens group (p = 0.038, partial Eta(2) = 0.045). There was no difference in SE progression between groups (p = 0.302, partial Eta(2) = 0.011). CONCLUSION: Comparison between 0.01% atropine eyedrops and DIMS spectacle lenses for slowing the progression of myopia favored DIMS lenses in terms of AL elongation in a short-term follow-up. There was no difference in terms of SE between groups.