Daily or Less Frequent Topical 1% Atropine Slows Defocus-Induced Myopia Progression in Contact Lens-Wearing Guinea Pigs

PURPOSE: This study compared the efficacy of topical 1% atropine applied daily versus every 3 days for controlling myopia progression in guinea pigs. METHODS: To induce myopia, pigmented guinea pigs (New Zealand strain, n = 38) wore monocular −10 D rigid gas-permeable (RGP) contact lenses, which were replaced after 3 weeks with −15 diopter (D) contact lenses. Animals were treated with 1% atropine either daily (Atr-QD; n = 12), or every 3 days (Atr-Q3D; n = 11), or with artificial tears (control group; n = 15). Spherical equivalent refractive error (SER) and axial length (AL) data, as well as retinal and choroidal thickness data were collected weekly. RESULTS: Whereas mean (±SEM) interocular differences (treated - fellow) in both SER and AL at week 0 (baseline) were similar for all groups, significant differences between the atropine-treated and control groups were evident by week 6 (SER and AL, P < 0.001). The treated eyes of the control group showed relatively more axial elongation and myopia progression than both the Atr-QD and Atr-Q3D groups. Choroidal blood vessel area also decreased over time in the treated eyes of the control group, coupled with choroidal thinning overall, with these changes being attenuated by atropine. Retinal thickness showed a developmental decrease over the treatment period but was unaffected by atropine. CONCLUSIONS: For this defocus-induced guinea pig model of myopia, application of 1% topical atropine slows myopia progression, even when applied every 3 days. TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE: The results from this study suggest that the frequency of dosing for topical atropine may be reduced from the widely used daily dosing regimen without loss of myopia control efficacy.