COMPARING THE EFFICACY OF 0.01% ATROPINE EYE DROPS VERSUS PLACEBO EYE DROPS ON MYOPIA CONTROL IN SPECTACLES WEARERS

Background: Myopia is a common refractive error characterized by excessive axial elongation, causing light rays to focus anterior to the retina, resulting in blurred vision. It is particularly concerning in children, as early-onset myopia tends to progress rapidly and may lead to serious ocular complications. Atropine eye drops have been proposed as a pharmacological intervention to slow myopia progression. While high concentrations are well-studied, the long-term efficacy of 0.01% atropine remains under investigation. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of low-dose atropine (0.01%) in slowing myopia progression among spectacle-wearing children. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted at Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, including 68 children aged 5 to 15 years diagnosed with myopia. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either 0.01% atropine or a placebo for six months. Comprehensive ophthalmic assessments, including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), spherical equivalent refraction, and axial length measurements, were conducted at baseline and follow-up. Data analysis was performed using SPSS Version 27, applying paired t-tests and correlation analysis to assess treatment efficacy. Ethical approval was obtained, and informed consent was secured from all participants. Results: The mean age of participants was 9.25 ± 3.206 years, with 38 (55.9%) females and 27 (39.7%) males. The atropine group showed significant preservation of BCVA (right eye: r=0.966, p<0.001; left eye: r=0.934, p<0.001), whereas the placebo group had weaker correlations (right eye: r=0.310, p=0.074). Spherical equivalent in the right eye improved significantly with atropine (r=0.981, p<0.001), while the placebo group deteriorated (p<0.001). Axial length elongation was significantly lower in the atropine group (-0.14382 mm, p=0.000 right eye; -0.10382 mm, p=0.000 left eye) compared to the placebo group (-0.24647 mm, p=0.000 right eye; -0.23618 mm, p=0.000 left eye). Conclusion: The findings confirm that 0.01% atropine is a safe and effective intervention for slowing myopia progression in children, significantly reducing axial elongation and stabilizing refractive status without compromising visual acuity. Further long-term studies are recommended to assess its sustained efficacy.