Myopia management offers a unique opportunity to help our patients, both visually and through disease-risk mitigation. In this weekly series, we will review the 4 main myopia management options being utilized in practice today, starting with atropine drop therapy.
Atropine has been used in myopia control for decades and was initially prescribed at 1% and 0.5% concentrations. These options were effective but caused unwanted side effects such as near blur and glare. Therefore, starting in 2006, studies began to evaluate the efficacy, side effect profiles, and rebound effects of lower dosages. Through the ATOM1, ATOM2, LAMP, and CHAMP studies, low-dose atropine demonstrated efficacy at strengths as low as 0.01%, though 0.05% emerged as the frontrunner for initial treatment due to success rates and minimal side effects.
Ultimately, the prescribed dosage selected should be patient-driven and can be amended if progression is noted or side effects are bothersome. Atropine should be dosed once nightly regardless of strength, and children should be monitored for any visual discomfort during their day. Currently, there are no FDA-approved low-dose atropine drops available in the United States, so bottles must be compounded locally or through mail-order pharmacies.
Next week, we’ll look at MiSight contact lenses.
This editorial content was supported via unrestricted sponsorship.