University of Houston Leads $25 Million Study on Atropine for Myopia

The University of Houston is co-leading a groundbreaking national study to determine if low-concentration atropine eyedrops can delay the onset of nearsightedness in children. This research, the first of its kind in the United States, aims to establish new standards in vision care, potentially impacting millions of young lives.

The study, known as the Delaying the Onset of Nearsightedness Until Treatment (DONUT) Study, is backed by two grants from the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health, which total $25 million. Researchers at the University of Houston and The Ohio State University will test the effectiveness of daily drops of 0.05% atropine in children aged 6 to 11.

Understanding Myopia and Its Risks

Nearsightedness, or myopia, is increasingly prevalent, with at least one-third of adults in the United States affected. The condition poses significant risks for serious complications later in life, including myopic degeneration, retinal detachment, and glaucoma. David Berntsen, co-principal investigator and Golden-Golden Professor of Optometry at the University of Houston, emphasized the study’s goal: “Our aim is to ultimately decrease how myopic someone becomes to hopefully reduce their risk of complications later in life.”

The clinical trial will recruit over 600 children identified as being at the highest risk for developing myopia. Previous research indicates that children who transition from being farsighted to a specific measure by the end of third grade are at a 90% accuracy rate for developing myopia by eighth grade.

Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either nightly drops of atropine or a placebo for a duration of two years. The researchers anticipate that the atropine treatment will reduce the incidence of nearsightedness from 20% in the placebo group to 10% in the treatment group. Additionally, they project that atropine will slow pre-myopic eye growth by 30%.

Previous Research and Future Implications

Prior studies in the United States and Asia indicated that atropine may slow the progression of myopia once it has already developed. However, this study aims to administer the drops before diagnosis in children deemed at risk. The research team, which includes Berntsen, Walline, and Lisa Jordan, a research professor and director at Ohio State, has previously co-led investigations demonstrating that multifocal contact lenses can effectively slow myopia progression.

In a 2020 follow-up study, they reported that multifocal lenses with high add power significantly reduced myopia progression in children as young as seven years old. The findings from this new study could provide critical insights for delaying the onset of myopia, addressing a growing public health challenge.

Myopia correction currently costs an estimated $4 billion to $7 billion annually in the United States alone. As the prevalence of myopia is projected to reach 50% of the global population by 2050, strategies to delay its onset could significantly alleviate the economic burden and improve quality of life.

Berntsen noted, “Anything that we can do to delay the onset of myopia in children has the potential to have a significant impact on this growing problem.” The DONUT Study represents a hopeful step forward in the fight against myopia, potentially shifting the paradigm of vision care for future generations.