Researchers find a way to slow down myopia progression in children
Researchers from University of Oklahoma Department of Ophthalmology has found that daily use of medication called pirenzepine gel can slow down myopia progression in children.
Those with myopia see nearby objects clearly but distant objects appear blurred. With myopia, the eyeball is too long, or the cornea is too steep, so images are focused in the vitreous inside the eye rather than on the retina at the back of the eye. The opposite defect of myopia is hyperopia or "farsightedness" or "long-sightedness" — this is where the cornea is too flat or the eye is too short.
Myopia is possibly the most common disorder managed by pediatric ophthalmologists. Unlike disorders such as infections, amblyopia, or glaucoma, it is not cured, instead, physicians try to restore vision only to an acceptable state.
Various methods have been employed for an attempt to decrease the progression of myopia. Altering the use of eyeglasses between full-time, part-time, and not at all does not appear to alter myopia progression. Bifocal and progressive lenses have not shown significant differences in altering the progression of myopia.
In the study led by Dr. R. Michael Stiatkowski of Dean McGee Eye Institute/University of Oklahoma Department of Ophthalmology, children with myopia were randomly assigned to treatment with pirenzepine gel or an inactive placebo gel. All children initially had "moderate" myopia, with an average refractive error of about -2.00 diopters.
The new study presents the final results in 84 patients who continued treatment for a total of two years: 53 with pirenzepine and 31 with placebo.
At the end of two years, myopia increased by an average of 0.58 diopters in children using pirenzepine compared to 0.99 diopters with placebo.
New glasses are generally prescribed when myopia worsens by at least 0.75 diopters. During the study, 37 percent of children using pirenzepine met 0.75 diopters cut-off compared with 68 percent of the placebo group.
Previous studies have suggested that a drug called atropine can delay progression of myopia. The new results show that pirenzepine—a related drug with fewer side effects—is also safe and effective for this purpose.
However, at present, no other modality has been shown effective in properly conducted clinical trials other than application of topical atropine or pirenzepine. Because atropine is available but not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for affecting myopic progression, a long discussion with the parents of the potential benefits, side effects, risks, and lack of FDA approval for this purpose is warranted. If pirenzepine becomes clinically available and approved for this purpose in the future, a much longer discussion of the relative benefits, side effects, risks, and FDA approval status of the two medications will become necessary.
Source: Journal of AAPOS (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus).
Filed under Eye Treatment, Myopia
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