An intervention trial on efficacy of atropine and multi-focal glasses in controlling myopic progression.
OBJECTIVE
This randomized clinical trial assessed the treatment effects of atropine and/or multi-focal lenses in decreasing the progression rate of myopia in children.


METHODS
Two hundred and twenty-seven schoolchildren with myopia, aged from 6 to 13 years, who were stratified based on gender, age and the initial amount of myopia were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: 0.5% atropine with multi-focal glasses, multi-focal glasses, and single vision spectacles. Each subject was followed for at least eighteen months. These results report on the 188 patients available for the follow-up.


RESULTS
The mean progression of myopia in atropine with multi-focal glasses group (0.41 D) was significantly less than the multi-focal (1.19 D) and single vision group (1.40 D) (p < 0.0001). But no significant difference was noted between the last two groups (p = 0.44). The progression of myopia was significantly correlated with the increases of axial length (r = 0.65, p = 0.0001), but not with the changes of corneal power (r=-0.09), anterior chamber depth (r = -0.023), lens thickness (r = -0.08), or intra-ocular pressure (r = -0.008).


CONCLUSIONS
The 0.5% atropine with multi-focal lenses can slow down the progression rate of myopia. However, multi-focal lenses alone showed no difference in effect compared to control.
Shih
Y F
YF
Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei,Institute of Epidemiology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Hsiao
C K
CK
Chen
C J
CJ
Chang
C W
CW
Hung
P T
PT
Lin
L L
LL
D000293:Adolescent; D001285:Atropine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D018450:Disease Progression; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005139:Eyeglasses; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009184:Mydriatics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009216:Myopia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions
D009184:Mydriatics; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D001285:Atropine