Prevention of Choroidal Thinning by 0.01% Atropine Administered 24 h Before Exposure to Hyperopic Blur in Young Myopes

Changes in choroidal thickness in myopic children with 0.01% atropine: Evidence from a 12-month follow-up

PURPOSE

To investigate the changes of low-dose atropine (0.01%) on the choroidal thickness (ChT) of young children with low myopia.

METHODS

A total of 25 eyes of 25 low myopic children were included. All subjects were prescribed 0.01% atropine eye drops to be applied once per night before bedtime in involving eyes. The ChT and ocular biometry parameters were measured before and after 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months. The children were followed up for 12 months.

RESULTS

At 3 months, the ChT under the fovea significantly increased (309.96±70.82 μm) in comparison with the baseline (297.92±66.31 μm, P<0.0001) and was continuous thickening till 12 months after treatments with 0.01% atropine. Similarly, the changes of ChT under the fovea significantly increased from baseline to 3 months in comparison with the baseline to 1 month after treatments (P<0.0001). There was a significant relationship between changes in subfoveal ChT and central cornea thickness (CCT, beta=-1.76, 95% confidence intervals: -3.49 to -0.04, P = 0.045).

CONCLUSIONS

Using low dose atropine eye drops significantly increased subfoveal ChT after 3 months in eyes of myopic children. In addition, the changes in subfoveal ChT may be associated with the changes of CCT.

Short-Term Effects of Atropine 0.01% on the Structure and Vasculature of the Choroid and Retina in Myopic Chinese Children

Introduction

To explore the short-term effects of atropine 0.01% on the structure and vasculature of the choroid and retina in myopic Chinese children.

Methods

This study was a single-center randomized clinical trial. A total of 40 subjects with myopia < − 6.0 D were enrolled and randomized to receive atropine 0.01% once nightly with regular single-vision lenses or to simply wear regular single-vision lenses at an allocation ratio of 1:1. Follow-up visits were planned at 1 month and 3 months. Choroidal thickness (ChT) was obtained by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Retinal vessel density (RVD), retinal thickness (RT), foveal avascular zone (FAZ) and choriocapillaris flow (CCF) were measured by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). The RVD and RT were measured at fovea, parafovea and perifovea area and four quadrants.

Results

Twenty-one subjects were allocated into the atropine group and 19 subjects into the control group. Over 3 months, the control group showed greater progression of myopia than those in the atropine group. ChT in the atropine group increased 11.12 ± 13.96 μm, which was not significant compared with that of the control group. None of the retinal sectors in atropine-treated eyes showed significant changes of RT and RVD compared with the control group. Besides, FAZ and CCF of the atropine group were not affected by atropine use over time, and there was no difference between the two groups.

Conclusion

Administration of atropine 0.01% eye drops demonstrated no effect on RVD, FAZ and CCF over 3 months, while a modest increase of ChT was observed in atropine-treated eyes.

Trial Registration Number

ChiCTR1800017154.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40123-022-00476-0.