Myopia Control · Atropine
A nightly eye drop that can help slow your child's myopia.
Low-dose atropine is a simple, well-studied option for slowing childhood myopia — just one drop before bed.
What Is Atropine Therapy?
Atropine has long been used in eye care, but low-dose formulations — generally in the 0.01% to 0.05% range — have become one of the most studied options for slowing myopia progression in children. It's currently used off-label in the US, with doses typically compounded by a pharmacy based on your child's needs.
Researchers believe atropine acts on receptors in the eye that influence how the eye grows, helping to slow the elongation that drives worsening myopia. Large randomized trials have compared different concentrations to find the balance between effectiveness and side effects — lower concentrations like 0.025% tend to cause the fewest side effects, while some studies point to slightly stronger results at concentrations closer to 0.05%.
Worth knowing
Atropine doesn't correct blurry vision on its own — it's meant to slow the pace of myopia progression, so your child will likely still need glasses or contacts for clear sight.
Why Consider Atropine
Backed by large clinical trials
Randomized studies from multiple countries have tested atropine at various strengths, consistently finding it slows myopia progression compared to no treatment.
One drop, once a night
There's no lens to fit or wear schedule to track — just a drop in each eye before bed, which makes it easy to stick with.
Generally well tolerated
Most side effects are mild — some children notice light sensitivity or trouble focusing up close, especially at higher concentrations, and these tend to ease over time.
Dosing tailored to your child
Because concentrations and responses vary, we adjust the dose and monitor your child's progress rather than using a one-size-fits-all regimen.
Atropine may be worth discussing if your child
- —Has myopia that keeps progressing year over year
- —Isn't a great candidate for Ortho-K or soft contact lenses
- —Would do better with a simple drop than a lens-based routine
Research suggests earlier intervention tends to have a bigger impact, so children who start treatment younger — generally before age 12 — often see the most benefit.
What Treatment Looks Like
Initial exam
We review your child's refractive history to see how quickly their myopia has been changing.
Personalized dosing
Based on that history, we recommend a starting concentration and walk you through how and when to use the drops.
Regular check-ins
We track your child's prescription and eye growth every few months and adjust the plan if needed.
Atropine therapy is typically part of a multi-year plan, and our optometrists monitor progress closely to keep it working as intended for your child's eyes.