Atropine, the latest solution against myopia
The view is one of our most precious senses and you have to know how to take care of it. But, sometimes vision problems such as myopia are certainly difficult to stop. Recent studies say that Atropine is the ultimate solution against myopia because it can stop it, especially the so-called galloping that affects children. Do you know how this drug works and why it can be of great help to short-sighted children? We tell you
Myopia, amblyopia and atropine
These three words that seem odd separately, are more complex when pronounced together. Therefore, to understand how atropine can stop myopia according to recent scientific studies, it is convenient to explain little by little what each thing is.
- Myopia It is a defect of vision that occurs because the images are formed a little before reaching the retina.
- Amblyopia it is the loss of the ability to see clearly through one eye. It is also called "lazy eye" and is one of the most common vision problems among young children. That's why we're used to seeing children on the street wearing a patch for example.
- Atropine It is a drug that has its origin in some plants and that is thought to slow myopia.
Diagnosis of myopia and amblyopia in children
Both to diagnose myopia and to determine whether or not a child has amblyopia, a complete examination of the eyes is necessary. There is no specific age from which you can begin to diagnose any of these problems. Therefore, we have to be like parents attentive to the symptoms.
If our child has problems in school to see the blackboard this may be one of the causes. Remember that myopia occurs if the child does not see from afar and can be one of the causes of school failure, not the only one, of course.
If we believe that our son can be myopic we will have to take him to the ophthalmologist's office. The specialist will show the child a panel with several rows of letters, larger or smaller. Is the Snellen panel. Depending on the successes and failures that the child commits, the ophthalmologist will be able to know whether or not he has myopia and to what degree. You can also use a phoropter or refractor. The child is placed in a chair and places his chin on a stand to be able to tell the doctor what he sees and what he does not see on a screen that will be at eye level.
Study of atropine to stop myopia
It is believed that treatment with atropine may be valid especially in the youngest ones, so a sample of 400 children between 6 and 12 years old was taken for the study because although as we said before there is no stipulated age as of that myopia can be diagnosed, it is true that it is seen more from six and up to 12. It is at that moment when the problem of vision evolves and the diopters increase. Although this does not necessarily always happen.
The chosen children had between one and six diopters. During the two-year period, the children were given atropine treatment without prior surgery. When it was over, the children were followed up for months. What was observed? That the diopters that the children had were less when they were given the drug. The question now is whether the results will be optimal in the long term or not.
These conclusions have been reached through a study conducted at the American Academy of Ophthalmology and has been championed by Donald Tan of the Singapore Eye Research Institute. Between some things and others, the investigations until the extraction of these deliberations have extended during a total of five years in the time. It is said soon and instead there is a long way to go because it has been seen that after three years of having suspended the treatment in the small ones, the results lose quality and the expectations of recovery or the final braking of the graduation increase are reduced.
If you think your son is short-sighted, take him to the specialist and he will determine what solution is right for him. Do not obstruct yourself with putting less graduation than you have because there are pediatric ophthalmologists who believe that this is a false myth and that myopia is not reduced the more you force your eyesight. The important thing is that your child feels comfortable in any circumstance and that problems related to visual acuity are not a hindrance in their social relations normal development of school life.
Elisa García
