[ADDITION OF LOW-CONCENTRATION ATROPINE IN COMBINATION OF DUAL-FOCUS CONTACT LENSES FOR MYOPIA CONTROL TREATMENT].

Introduction: The importance of myopia management lies in the desire to minimize the potential ocular risks that increase with high myopia.

Aims: To assess the decrease in myopia progression using topical low dose atropine combined with peripheral blur contact lenses (CL).

Methods: This retrospective review study included 25 children between the ages of 8.5 years to 14 years. The children all had a minimal increase in myopia of 0.75D during the year prior to treatment. The children were divided into two groups. The control group included 14 children who wore single-vision spectacles )SV) averaging 3.20±0.9D ranging from 1.5-5.3D. The study group included 11 children who wore dual-focus CL, with an average prescription of 3.4±0.7D ranging from 2.5 to 4.3D, for one year. At that point, when an additional myopia increase was observed, the children were additionally treated with topical 0.01% atropine for two years (CL+A0.01).

Results: There was an increase in myopia in the SV group of 1.12±0.52D, 1.08±0.56D and 0.96±0.53D in the first, second, and third years, respectively. The myopia increase in the CL+A0.01 group was 0.57±0.48D, 0.14±0.34D, and 0.17±0.29D in the first, second, and third years, respectively.

Conclusions: Low-dose atropine combined with peripheral blur contact lenses was effective in decreasing myopia progression in this study. Additional, larger-scale studies are required in the future.

Discussion: This study found a significant decrease in myopia progression in the second and third years of treatment. The CL group showed less effectivity than the CL+A0.01 group.