Efficacy of low-concentration atropine (0.01%) eye drops for prevention of axial myopic progression in premyopes

PURPOSE: Low-concentration atropine (LCA; 0.01%) is known to reduce the progression of myopia in axial myopes. The purpose of this study was to understand the role of LCA in premyopic children in preventing progression. METHODS: A randomized case–control study of known premyopes was done between the use of LCA and no intervention. A total of 30 children were included in both groups. RESULTS: The mean age in the LCA group was 7.7 ± 2.1 years (5–12 years), and in the control group, it was 7.2 ± 1.9 years (4–12 years). The mean baseline progression per year in the LCA group (before starting the eye drops) was − 0.72 ± 0.3 D, and in the control group, it was − 0.69 ± 0.4 D. At the end of the first year, the mean progression in the LCA group was − 0.31 ± 0.3 D versus − 0.76 ± 0.4 D, and the axial length increase was 0.12 ± 0.1 mm in the LCA group and 0.21 ± 0.2 mm in the control group. At the end of the second year, the mean progression compared with the baseline in the LCA group was − 0.6 ± 0.3 D versus − 1.75 ± 0.4 D, and the axial length showed an increase from baseline in the LCA group by 0.21 ± 0.2 mm, and in the control group, the increase was 0.48 ± 0.2 mm in 2 years. CONCLUSION: Low-concentration eye drops (0.01%) work in preventing the progression of axial myopia in premyopic children.