2023-06-05 14:50:00
The myopia is a disease that affects vision. A person with nearsightedness can clearly see objects that are close to them, but those farther away appear blurry. This phenomenon occurs when the shape of the eye forces light rays to bend inaccurately, so they are not focused on the retina.
According to the explanations, myopia usually appears in children 6 to 12 years old. During this period, children’s eyes may elongate abnormally. So far, multifocal lenses or corrective lenses have been used to slow the elongation of the eye and the progression of myopia. No drug has yet been approved in Europe and the United States to directly treat the progression of this disease. In this context, Ohio State University researchers found out he was possible to use ordinary eye drops to slow down the development of myopia.
It is estimated that myopia might affect approximately 50% of the world’s population by 2050. This disease is associated with complications that may appear later in life, such as myopic macular degeneration, cataracts, detachment of the retina, or even glaucoma.
A phase 3 clinical trial
During their study, the researchers conducted a phase 3 clinical trial to assess the safety and effectiveness of two low-dose eye drop formulations containing atropine. The latter is the medicine used to dilate the pupils before an eye exam.
The trial saw the participation of 489 people aged 3 to 16 and suffering from myopia. These participants were divided into three groups. The scientists administered a placebo to the first grouptreatment with 0.01% atropine on the secondand treatment with 0.02% atropine on the third. They have used a formulation without preservatives which is being developed to treat myopia.
The essay a lasted 3 years during which participants’ eye growth and eyeglass prescriptions were recorded.
The obtained results
During the clinical trial period, participants received one drop per eye before bed. The results then showed that atropine was more effective at slowing myopia progression than placebo. But the researchers also found that the 0.01% formulation was better than the 0.02% formulation. The latter was more effective than the placebo, but the results were inconsistent.
Apart from that, the scientists noted that the two formulations containing atropine were well tolerated and safe. There were Side effects such as light sensitivity, allergic conjunctivitis, eye irritation, dilated pupils and blurred vision, but few have been reported.
Thus, the researchers concluded that from a risk/benefit perspective, the observed efficacy and safety suggest that low-dose atropine may be a treatment option for the children of 3 to 17 years old with progressive myopia. Use of this product might reduce the frequency of changing glasses and make the correction less severe. The risks of possible long-term sequelae would also be reduced.
SOURCE: New Atlas
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