A randomized trial of atropine regimens for treatment of moderate amblyopia in children.
OBJECTIVE
To compare daily atropine to weekend atropine as prescribed treatments for moderate amblyopia in children younger than 7 years.


METHODS
Prospective, randomized multicenter clinical trial (30 sites).


METHODS
One hundred sixty-eight children younger than 7 years with amblyopia in the range of 20/40 to 20/80 associated with strabismus, anisometropia, or both.


METHODS
Randomization either to daily atropine or to weekend atropine for 4 months. Partial responders were continued on the randomized treatment until no further improvement was noted.


METHODS
Visual acuity (VA) in the amblyopic eye after 4 months.


RESULTS
The improvement in VA of the amblyopic eye from baseline to 4 months averaged 2.3 lines in each group. The VA of the amblyopic eye at study completion was either (1) at least 20/25 or (2) better than or equal to that of the sound eye in 39 children (47%) in the daily group and 45 children (53%) in the weekend group. The VA of the sound eye at the end of follow-up was reduced by 2 lines in one patient in each group. Stereoacuity outcomes were similar in the 2 groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Weekend atropine provides an improvement in VA of a magnitude similar to that of the improvement provided by daily atropine in treating moderate amblyopia in children 3 to 7 years old. This article contains additional online-only material available at http://www.ophsource.com/periodicals/ophtha.
Repka
Michael X
MX
Jaeb Center for Health Research, 15310 Amberly Drive, Suite 350, Tampa, FL 33647, USA. rbeck@jaeb.org
Cotter
Susan A
SA
Beck
Roy W
RW
Kraker
Raymond T
RT
Birch
Eileen E
EE
Everett
Donald F
DF
Hertle
Richard W
RW
Holmes
Jonathan M
JM
Quinn
Graham E
GE
Sala
Nicholas A
NA
Scheiman
Mitchell M
MM
Stager
David R
DR
Wallace
David K
DK
D000550:Amblyopia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001285:Atropine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009184:Mydriatics / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D009184:Mydriatics; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D001285:Atropine