A single low dose atropine eye drop (0.01%–0.1%) can produce daylong effects in managing myopia, without short-term structural effects on the eye, according to new research from University of Houston.1
Although widely prescribed to slow myopia progression in children, the short-term retinal and choroidal effects of low concentration atropine remain incompletely understood.
The study evaluated short-term effects of a range of low atropine concentrations on the length of the eye, the blood vessels in the retina, and the thickness of the retina and choroid; described as important measurements given the association of longer eye length with myopia.
Led by Professor of Optometry Lisa Ostrin, the double-masked, randomised study included 20 healthy adults, who each received a single instillation of either a placebo or atropine in the right eye during five separate sessions. Researchers then checked the eye structure, thickness, and length in the central retina, both one-hour and 24-hours later.
Together, the studies indicate that atropine induces early functional and vascular effects in the eye, in the absence of structural change.
Results from previously published research by Prof Ostrin, investigating the short-term effects of a range of low-dose atropine concentrations on the pupils of young adults, found similar results with a single drop of atropine inducing significant changes in the pupils.2
Together, the studies indicate that atropine induces early functional and vascular effects in the eye, in the absence of structural change.
“By linking objective ocular responses with subjective visual experience, this work advances our understanding of how atropine works and supports more precise, evidence-based, and individualised approaches to myopia management,” said Prof Ostrin.
References
- Fickman, L. University of Houston press release. Available at New Study Finds Low-Dose Eye Drops Successful in Managing Adult Myopia for 24 Hours [accessed June 2026].
- Lal B, Queener HM, Ostrin LA. Dose dependent effects of atropine on static and dynamic pupil and accommodation metrics in young adults. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2025 Jun 2;66(6):34. doi: 10.1167/iovs.66.6.34.
