Atropine Eye Therapy in River Grove, IL

What Is Atropine Therapy?

Low-dose atropine is an eye drop treatment used for managing myopia progression in children. Unlike regular atropine used for other eye conditions, the concentration for myopia control is much lower, typically between 0.01% and 0.05%, to minimize side effects while still being effective in slowing down the elongation of the eye that causes myopia.

Here’s how it works:

1. Slows Eye Growth: Myopia progresses when the eye grows too long, causing light to focus incorrectly in front of the retina. Low-dose atropine helps reduce the rate of eye growth, thereby slowing the progression of myopia.

2. Daily Application: The treatment involves applying a drop of low-dose atropine to each eye once a day, typically before bedtime. The drops are easy to use and generally well-tolerated by children.

3. Minimal Side Effects: In low doses, atropine minimizes common side effects associated with higher concentrations, such as light sensitivity (pupil dilation) and difficulty focusing on close objects (accommodation). Children using low-dose atropine can still participate in regular activities without significant disruptions.

4. Long-Term Vision Protection: By slowing myopia progression, low-dose atropine helps reduce the risk of developing high myopia, which is linked to serious eye conditions like retinal detachment, glaucoma, and myopic macular degeneration.

Low-dose atropine is often used in combination with other treatments, such as MiSight lenses or orthokeratology, to offer a comprehensive approach to managing myopia in children.

Should I Consider Atropine Therapy For My Child?

If you have concerns that your child is developing myopia, or is becoming more myopic each year, then call our office or use the link below to schedule a consultation with our doctors at Grand Eye Care to see if your child qualifies for atropine therapy.

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What Exactly Does My Child See? Click Here to Try the Myopia Vision Simulator