The effects of topical 0.01% atropine on ocular biometrics over 1 year follow-up

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate changes of ocular parameters in myopic children receiving 0.01% atropine eye drops over a one-year period. Methods: Cycloplegic spherical equivalent (SE) refraction and tonometry were evaluated using TonoRef (III). Ocular axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness (LT), central corneal thickness (CCT) were measured using IOL Master. Healthy children from 6 to 12 years old, whose cycloplegic SE refraction was from -0.5 to -5.5, astigmatism 1.50 D or less and known one-year myopia progression were included to the study and randomly assigned to the treatment or control groups. Only measurements of the right eye were included. The results are presented as average (±SD). Results: 43 children were allocated to the control group and 42 children to the 0.01% atropine eye drops group. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups regarding the age (p=0.423) and gender (p=0.826). Baseline AL and SE were statistically difference between the groups with longer AL and lower SE in atropine group: AL 24.04 (±0.94) mm and 24.61 (±0.68) mm (p=0.002), SE -2.10 (±0.87) D and -2.80 (±1.28) D (p=0.004). Prior to the study, SE progression was -0.74 (±0.46) D/year in the control group and -1.00 (0.48) D/year in atropine group (p=0.004); over 1-year follow-up, SE progression rate in the control group was -0.59 (±0.50) (p=0.150) and decreased to -0.54 (±0.41) D in the atropine group (p<0.001). Changes in ACD, LT, CCT and IOP remained similar in the groups: ACD 0.01 (±0.05) mm and 0.02 (±0.06) mm, LT -0.01 (±0.05) mm and -0.02 (±0.05) mm, CCT -0.24 (±6.39) µm and -0.50 (±6.30) µm, IOP -0.32 (±2.48) mmHg and 0.44 (±2.94) mmHg in the control group and atropine group, respectively (p>0.05). Conclusions: Usage of 0.01% atropine eye drops reduced myopia progression based on changes in SE and had no effect on IOP, ACD, LT, CCT over the period of 12 months.