An Irish study has concluded that children taking nightly 0.05% atropine eye drops experienced less myopia progression than those receiving placebo drops.
The research, published in JAMA Ophthalmology, was a secondary analysis of the three-year results of the 24-Month Myopia Outcome Study of Atropine in Children (MOSAIC) randomised clinical trial, conducted by the Centre for Eye Research Ireland and involving 199 children and adolescents.
Researchers found that the group receiving nightly 0.05% atropine eye drops exhibited less 12-month axial eye growth than participants switched from nightly 0.01% atropine eye drops to either placebo or tapering of 0.01% atropine eye drops.
Among the 66 participants who switched from nightly placebo drops to 0.05% atropine, 20% experienced transient blurred near vision or photophobia.
“These findings support consideration of treatment of childhood myopia with 0.05% atropine eye drops despite more adverse events in this group,” the researchers said.
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