Analysis of Changes in Refraction and Biometry of Atropine- and Placebo-Treated Eyes

To analyze changes in refraction and associated biometric changes in atropine- and placebo-treated eyes in the Atropine for Treatment of Myopia study (ATOM1).A total of 400 myopic children, aged 6 to 12 years, were assigned randomly to receive 1% atropine or a placebo agent in one eye daily for 2 years, after which drops were stopped and children monitored for another year. Cycloplegic autorefraction, A-scan biometry, and automated keratometry were performed at the initial visit, 2 weeks (baseline), and at 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 30, and 36 months.A total of 313 children (78.3%) completed the study. In placebo-treated eyes, there was myopic progression of -1.55 diopters (D), between baseline and 36 months, associated with reductions in corneal curvature (K; -0.13 D) and anterior chamber depth (ACD; -0.17 mm) and increases in lens thickness (LT; 0.05 mm), vitreous chamber depth (VCD; 0.65 mm), and axial length (AL; 0.53 mm). Multivariate analysis of change in spherical equivalent demonstrated that the hyperopic shift (0.20 D) noted in atropine-treated eyes between baseline and 4 months, and the myopic rebound (-0.74 D) noted between 24 to 30 months when atropine was stopped, were associated with a reduction and increase in VCD and AL, respectively, after adjusting for age and sex. Changes in K, ACD, and LT were less relevant. Between 4 and 24 months, atropine-treated eyes demonstrated gradual myopic progression (-0.40 D), accompanied by reduction in K (-0.06 D) and ACD (-0.07 mm) and increase in VCD (0.13 mm) and AL (0.06 mm).Atropine appeared to slow myopia progression mainly by reducing or slowing the growth in VCD, and thereby AL. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00371124.)