Keywords
Choroidal thickness
Children
Myopia controlling
Submitted : 2025-04-02
Accepted : 2025-04-17
Published : 2025-05-02
Abstract
Purpose: To examine the changes in choroidal thickness (ChT) after 6-month topical treatment of 0.01% atropine eye drops in myopic children. Methods: A total of 46 low to moderate myopic children aged 8 to 12 years were recruited and received topical 0.01% atropine once a day for 6 months. Spherical equivalent (SE), axial length (AL), and ChT were measured at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Results: During the first and second 3-month treatment, there is no significant decrease in progression of SE and AL. Within the range of 3 mm from the temporal side of the fovea to the nasal side, no significant changes in ChT have been observed at any measuring points in low and moderate myopic participants. Changes in ChT were not significantly associated with gender or AL progression. Conclusion: A 6-month topical treatment of 0.01% atropine could not cause significant changes in ChT in myopic children.
References
Holden BA, Fricke TR, Wilson DA, et al., 2016, Global Prevalence of Myopia and High Myopia and Temporal Trends from 2000 Through 2050. Ophthalmology, 123(5): 1036–1042.
Williams KM, Bertelsen G, Cumberland P, et al., 2015, Increasing Prevalence of Myopia in Europe and the Impact of Education. Ophthalmology, 122(7): 1489–1497.
Wang J, Ying GS, Fu X, et al., 2020, Prevalence of Myopia and Vision Impairment in School Students in Eastern China. BMC Ophthalmology, 20(1): 2.
Chen C, Yao J, 2021, Efficacy and Adverse Effects of Atropine for Myopia Control in Children: A Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials. Journal of Ophthalmology, 2021: 4274572.
Chia A, Chua WH, Cheung YB, et al., 2012, Atropine for the Treatment of Childhood Myopia: Safety and Efficacy of 0.5%, 0.1%, and 0.01% Doses (Atropine for the Treatment of Myopia 2). Ophthalmology, 119: 347–354.
Yam JC, Zhang XJ, Zhang Y, et al, 2022, Three-Year Clinical Trial of Low-Concentration Atropine for Myopia Progression (LAMP) Study: Continued Versus Washout: Phase 3 Report. Ophthalmology, 129(3): 308–321.
Fu A, Stapleton F, Wei L, et al., 2020, Effect of Low-Dose Atropine on Myopia Progression, Pupil Diameter and Accommodative Amplitude: Low-Dose Atropine and Myopia Progression. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 104(11): 1535–1541.
McBrien NA, Moghaddam HO, Reeder AP, 1993, Atropine Reduces Experimental Myopia and Eye Enlargement via a Nonaccommodative Mechanism. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 34(1): 205–215.
Thomson K, Kelly T, Karouta C, et al., 2021, Insights into the Mechanism by Which Atropine Inhibits Myopia: Evidence Against Cholinergic Hyperactivity and Modulation of Dopamine Release. British Journal of Pharmacology, 178(22): 4501–4517.
Fischer AJ, McKinnon LA, Nathanson NM, et al., 1998, Identification and Localization of Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptors in the Ocular Tissues of the Chick. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 392(3): 273–284.
Hamzah F, Shinojima A, Mori R, et al., 2014, Choroidal Thickness Measurement by Enhanced Depth Imaging and Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography in Central Serous Chorioretinopathy. BMC Ophthalmology, 14: 145.
Kim SW, Oh J, Kwon SS, et al., 2011, Comparison of Choroidal Thickness Among Patients with Healthy Eyes, Early Age-Related Maculopathy, Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Central Serous Chorioretinopathy, and Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy. Retina, 31(9): 1904–1911.
Wang XQ, Zeng LZ, Chen M, et al., 2021, A Meta-Analysis of Alterations in the Retina and Choroid in High Myopia Assessed by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography. Ophthalmic Research, 64(6): 928–937.
Alzaben Z, Cardona G, Zapata MA, et al., 2018, Interocular Asymmetry in Choroidal Thickness and Retinal Sensitivity in High Myopia. Retina, 38(8): 1620–1628.
Yam JC, Jiang Y, Lee J, et al., 2022, The Association of Choroidal Thickening by Atropine with Treatment Effects for Myopia: Two-Year Clinical Trial of the Low-Concentration Atropine for Myopia Progression (LAMP) Study. American Journal of Ophthalmology, 237: 130–138.
Chiang ST, Turnbull PRK, Phillips JR, 2020, Additive Effect of Atropine Eye Drops and Short-Term Retinal Defocus on Choroidal Thickness in Children with Myopia. Scientific Reports, 10(1): 18310.
Ye L, Shi Y, Yin Y, et al., 2020, Effects of Atropine Treatment on Choroidal Thickness in Myopic Children. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 61(14): 15.
Burfield HJ, Patel NB, Ostrin LA, 2018, Ocular Biometric Diurnal Rhythms in Emmetropic and Myopic Adults. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 59(12): 5176–5187.
Zhao M, Yang XF, Jiao X, et al, 2016, The Diurnal Variation Pattern of Choroidal Thickness in Macular Region of Young Healthy Female Individuals Using Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography. International Journal of Ophthalmology, 9(4): 561–566.
Usui S, Ikuno Y, Akiba M, et al., 2012, Circadian Changes in Subfoveal Choroidal Thickness and the Relationship with Circulatory Factors in Healthy Subjects. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 53(4): 2300–2307.
Liu S, He X, Wang J, et al., 2022, Association Between Axial Length Elongation and Spherical Equivalent Progression in Chinese Children and Adolescents. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, 42(5): 1133–1140.
Fu A, Stapleton F, Wei L, et al., 2021, Risk Factors for Rapid Axial Length Elongation with Low Concentration Atropine for Myopia Control. Scientific Reports, 11(1): 11729.
Yam JC, Jiang Y, Tang SM, et al., 2019, Low-Concentration Atropine for Myopia Progression (LAMP) Study: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial of 0.05%, 0.025%, and 0.01% Atropine Eye Drops in Myopia Control. Ophthalmology, 126(1): 113–124.
Yam JC, Li FF, Zhang X, et al., 2020, Two-Year Clinical Trial of the Low-Concentration Atropine for Myopia Progression (LAMP) Study: Phase 2 Report. Ophthalmology, 127(7): 910–919.
Li W, Jiang R, Zhu Y, et al., 2020, Effect of 0.01% Atropine Eye Drops on Choroidal Thickness in Myopic Children. Journal Français d’Ophtalmologie, 43(9): 862–868.
Hao Q, Zhao Q, 2021, Changes in Subfoveal Choroidal Thickness in Myopic Children with 0.01% Atropine, Orthokeratology, or Their Combination. International Ophthalmology, 41(9): 2963–2971.