Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Eye Care (Expert Forum)
Re: Tropicamide 0.4% - long-term use for child's myopia?
Our Ask A Doctor Ophthalmology Forum is where you can post your question and receive a personal answer from physicians affiliated with the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Re: Tropicamide 0.4% - long-term use for child's myopia?
by Dave-Carlson, Jan 01, 1995 12:00AM
Posted By Dave Carlson on June 30, 1999 at 20:27:02
I'm a Michigander, now living in Japan.
My 9-year old daughter was recently diagnosed as very mildly nearsighted, but not enough so to warrant corrective lenses.
Her eye doctor here in Japan described the condition as possibly temporary, and he said that through treatment and proper reading habits that my daughter's condition might be reversible.
Treatment consists of the daily use of tropicamide 0.4% solution (sold as "Midorin M" here in Japan, it contains only tropicamide and no other medicine).
Following the doctor's instructions, we have been putting one drop in each eye at bedtime for the past 6 weeks. At a recently follow-up visit, my daughter's eyesight was worse, not better. The doctor then prescribed more night-time tropicamide drops for the next 6 weeks.
I'd like to know more about this type of treatment.
Specifically, is there research evidence that long-term daily application of tropicamide can reverse nearsightedness?
Also, is this considered orthodox treatment in the US?
Thanks!
I'm a Michigander, now living in Japan.
My 9-year old daughter was recently diagnosed as very mildly nearsighted, but not enough so to warrant corrective lenses.
Her eye doctor here in Japan described the condition as possibly temporary, and he said that through treatment and proper reading habits that my daughter's condition might be reversible.
Treatment consists of the daily use of tropicamide 0.4% solution (sold as "Midorin M" here in Japan, it contains only tropicamide and no other medicine).
Following the doctor's instructions, we have been putting one drop in each eye at bedtime for the past 6 weeks. At a recently follow-up visit, my daughter's eyesight was worse, not better. The doctor then prescribed more night-time tropicamide drops for the next 6 weeks.
I'd like to know more about this type of treatment.
Specifically, is there research evidence that long-term daily application of tropicamide can reverse nearsightedness?
Also, is this considered orthodox treatment in the US?
Thanks!
The concept is that the more the eye focuses on images up close, the eye will adjust to this working distance by becoming more nearsighted. Tropicamide temporarily prevents the eye from focusing up close and so may reduce this cycle.
In reality, this theory is not well supported and is not usually considered an orthodox treatment in the US. People with a predisposition for nearsightedness usually become more nearsighted as the eye grows longer.
Hopefully, there will be some treatment to prevent the nearsightedness from developing or progressing in high risk patients but currently we have no such treatment.
This information is provided for educational purposes only.
Follow Ups:
Tropicamide 0.4% - long-term use for child's myopia? D.C. 7/01/1999
(1)
Re: Tropicamide 0.4% - long-term use for child's myopia? HFHS MD - NI 7/01/1999
(0)