Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Myopia Progression in Pediatric Patients Treated with Atropine Eyedrops
10.3341/jkos.2023.64.10.886
- Author:
Gahye LEE
1
;
Minwook CHANG
Author Information
1. Department of Ophthalmology, Dongguk university Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society
2023;64(10):886-891
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Purpose:We investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on myopia progression in pediatric patients who received low-dose atropine (0.01%) eye drops.
Methods:We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of pediatric patients who received ≥ 12 months of low-dose atropine (atropine sulfate 0.01%) eye drops for myopia. The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic was defined as February 2020. Patients were divided into two groups for comparative analysis. Patients in group A received low-dose atropine for ≥ 12 months between July 2013 and January 2020, whereas patients in group B received low-dose atropine between February 2020 and July 2021; atropine eye drops were administered once daily. The spherical equivalent and axial length of the right eye were measured at the initiation of treatment and after 12 months.
Results:Among the 72 patients, 34 in group A received low-dose atropine before the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas 38 in group B received low-dose atropine after the COVID-19 pandemic. After 12 months of treatment with low-dose atropine eye drops, the changes in spherical equivalent were -0.58 ± 0.47 diopters (D) in group A and -0.84 ± 0.56 D in group B (p = 0.045). Moreover, the changes in axial length were 0.30 ± 0.23 mm in group A and 0.50 ± 0.31 mm in group B (p = 0.011).
Conclusions:The efficacy of low-dose atropine eye drops in pediatric myopia patients has decreased since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
