＂Myopia medicine＂ should be used with caution! Experts teach you the correct way to prevent ＂small glasses＂

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　　Recently, Shenyang Xingqi Eye Hospital said that its Internet hospital suspended the sale of 0.01% atropine sulfate eye drops (also known as low-concentration atropine eye drops). This eye drop was once popular on the Internet. Many parents think that the eye drops can relieve myopia of teenagers, and call them "myopia medicine".

　　So, what is atropine? Is low concentration atropine eye drops really a "medicine for myopia"? What signal did the online sales stop release? The reporter of Science and Technology Daily interviewed relevant experts.

　　Clear indications are not suitable for all myopia patients.

　　Atropine eye drops is a competitive muscarinic receptor (M receptor) antagonist, and its main component is atropine. According to the concentration of atropine, atropine eye drops can be divided into 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.1% and other different types. Generally speaking, considering the effectiveness, side effects and rebound probability of atropine after drug withdrawal, most of the atropine eye drops with low concentration (0.01%) are used in clinic at present.

　　The existing experimental data show that atropine eye drops may act on multiple targets and delay the progress of myopia through various ways. "Its main function has two aspects: one is to control the growth of the eye axis. The growth of axial length will accelerate the development of myopia, so it is very important to control the rapid growth of axial length to prevent and control myopia. Atropine eye drops can alleviate scleral hypoxia and increase choroidal blood perfusion pressure, thus inhibiting axial growth. The second is to relax the eye muscles. Atropine eye drops can block the innervation of cholinergic nerve to ciliary muscle and pupil sphincter, effectively relieve eye muscle spasm and fatigue, relax eyes, and then control the development of myopia. " An ophthalmologist who did not want to be named in a 3A hospital in Beijing told the reporter.

　　In recent years, studies have indeed found that low-concentration atropine eye drops can delay the development of myopia in children. However, atropine eye drops have specific clinical indications and are not suitable for all myopia patients. The above-mentioned doctors said that from the age point of view, the drug users should be myopic patients from 4 years old to adolescence, but children under 6 years old need more strict monitoring and follow-up if they use this drug; From the degree point of view, atropine eye drops are suitable for people whose equivalent spherical lens degree increases by more than 50 degrees every year; In addition, people with high myopia genetic history and other risk factors for rapid progress can also use the drug under the guidance of a doctor.

　　The above-mentioned doctors stressed that patients should comprehensively consider their effectiveness, side effects, indications and contraindications when choosing drugs.

　　Failure to reverse myopia has certain side effects.

　　In the eyes of some parents, low concentration atropine eye drops can not only delay the development of myopia, but even cure myopia. Is this really the case? In this regard, the above-mentioned doctor explained: "True myopia is difficult to reverse once it appears. We can only control the degree of myopia not to increase too fast. Low concentration atropine eye drops is a way to control the growth of myopia, but it cannot cure myopia. "

　　At the press conference held in National Health Commission in May, 2020, Wei Wenbin, vice president of Beijing Tongren Hospital and director of ophthalmology, said that low-concentration atropine eye drops were not a "magic medicine", and some children would be afraid of light, unable to see things clearly at close range and allergic to drugs after using them, and some children could not effectively control the development of myopia even if they used low-concentration atropine eye drops.

　　Therefore, experts do not recommend using low concentration atropine eye drops by themselves. The above-mentioned doctor who did not want to be named said that if he intends to use this eye drop, he should first go to a professional medical institution to let the ophthalmologist know the condition and give professional advice before using it. Parents should fully understand the effectiveness and risks of such drugs, and should not give their children low-concentration atropine eye drops without the guidance of a doctor. Some experts in the industry said that prescribing low-concentration atropine eye drops through "Internet hospital channel+qualification of hospital preparations" may lead to the risk of lax prescription review, expanding the scope of use and increasing the difficulty of follow-up observation.

　　Referring to the suspension of online sales of low-concentration atropine eye drops, the above-mentioned doctors who did not want to be named believe that this is good news. On the one hand, it is beneficial to standardize the use of atropine eye drops. At present, the atropine eye drops approved in China are all approved in the form of hospital preparations. Online sales are suspended, and atropine eye drops can only be purchased with prescriptions, which is equivalent to strengthening the doctor’s check-up function, helping to monitor the drug use effect, standardizing the management of myopia diagnosis and treatment procedures for adolescents, and also meeting the requirements of the whole course management. On the other hand, the concern about this matter means that people pay more and more attention to the problem of juvenile myopia, which is conducive to further promoting the prevention and control of juvenile myopia.

　　Wei Wenbin said, don’t rely solely on eye drops to prevent and control juvenile myopia. Reducing close eye use, paying attention to eye posture and increasing outdoor exercise are the most important ways to prevent and control myopia.