Ohio University scientists have developed eye drops to slow the progression of myopia (myopia) in children. Study published magazine JAMA Ophthalmol.
Conventional corrective measures such as glasses and contact lenses provide immediate improvement in vision, but do not address the underlying problem of myopia progression. Therefore, it is important to develop methods that stop the development of the disease. Myopia is associated with a change in the shape of the eyeball, that is, its elongation along the longitudinal axis. This causes the light beam reflected from distant objects to be focused in front of it and not on the retina. As a result, the image is blurry.
The study evaluated the safety and efficacy of two low dose concentrations of atropine (0.01% and 0.02%) versus placebo. Surprisingly, the 0.01% atropine solution showed the most significant reduction in axial elongation when compared with control groups of children with myopia aged 6 to 10 years. A total of 489 children participated in the study.
Slowing this prolongation is critical as myopia worsens during adolescence and can lead to various complications later in life. The results of this study show significant progress in myopia research and offer hope for the development of effective methods for its treatment.