Can 0.01% atropine sulfate eye drops (EIKANCE) effectively treat myopia in children?

0.01% atropine sulfate eye drops (EIKANCE) is currently one of the most widely used low-concentration atropine preparations in children myopia control. Its core mechanism of action is to selectively inhibit excessive eyeball growth, thereby slowing down the progression of refractive errors. Atropine acts on dopamine and acetylcholine-related pathways in the eye to regulate the growth signals of the posterior segment of the eyeball, thereby reducing the increase in myopia during the growth period.

Multiple clinical studies around the world have shown that 0.01% atropine has a relatively mild but long-lasting effect on myopia control in children, and can significantly reduce the risk of high myopia. Compared with high-concentration atropine, its advantage is that it has low side effects and children can still maintain good reading and learning abilities during the medication without significant glare or near-accommodation impairment. With long-term use, this low-concentration drug can help children gradually stabilize their refractive progress and reduce the incidence of high myopia in adolescence.

It should be noted that 0.01% Atropine Eye Drops is not a drug to "treat" myopia, but an intervention to "slow down the progression". It cannot reverse the degree of myopia that has already been formed, but it can reduce the rate of myopia progression by continuously regulating the growth of the eyeball. Parents need to be patient during use, use it once a day as directed by the doctor, and review vision and corneal health regularly to ensure efficacy.

In addition, there are large individual differences in drug effects, which are closely related to children's genetic background, medication compliance and environmental factors (such as the time for close eye use and the amount of outdoor activities). Combined with comprehensive intervention (such as increasing outdoor activities and standardizing eye usage habits), the effect of myopia control can be further improved. In general, EIKANCE, as a low-concentration atropine eye drop, has clear effects and high safety in the management of myopia progression in children. It is currently one of the main clinically recommended intervention options.

Reference materials:https://www.eikance.com.au/