Retinal vasculature changes after 0.125% atropine treatment in children with myopia measured using optical coherence tomography angiography: A pilot study.

Abstract

Purpose: The study assessed the microvascular changes in the retina after the use of 0.125% atropine in children with myopia and the association between retinal microvascular changes and the effects of myopia treatment.

Materials and methods: This is a prospective cohort study. Children with myopia aged 5-18 years old were included in the study. Retina microvascular parameters were measured with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography devices during the follow-up. The main outcome measurements include vessel density of the superficial vascular plexus (SVP), deep vascular plexus, and axial length (AL).

Results: A total of 64 eyes of 36 patients were included. A significant decrease in parafoveal vessel density of the SVP was observed in the first 3 months (P = 0.032). The change in parafoveal vessel density of the SVP in the first 3 months correlated negatively with the change in the AL after 1 year (r = -0.430, P = 0.028).

Conclusion: These results suggest that 0.125% atropine might induce changes in the retina vasculature in children with myopia and that these changes might correlate with myopia progression. Nevertheless, as a pilot study, this result may need to be confirmed in larger studies.