Drug name– Atropine sulphate 1%
Approval date by FDA– 7/09/2001
Medicine form– liquid given as eye drops
Usage – it is generally used to dilate your pupils during an eye examination. It helps dilate the eye, allowing for more detailed observation. To read more, check out the patient leaflet for the given drug. It is also used to treat certain eye conditions like amblyopia (lazy eyes) and cycloplegia.
Contraindications-
- Patients with closed-angle glaucoma- a condition where your eyes may likely have high optical pressure upon exposure to the eye drops.
- Pregnancy- As the drug can cross the placenta and can affect fetal heart rate by causing tachycardia.
Possible side-effects
- Itching
- Redness of the eye
- Swelling
- Increased body temperature
Brief mechanism of action
The target for this drug is Acetylcholine. It stimulates the contraction of the circular pupillary sphincter muscle in the eye. Atropine sulphate, on the contrary, blocks the chemical acetylcholine, relaxing the ciliary muscle of the eyes, resulting in a dilated pupil.
Latest research
Atropine in Myopia Control
A large Taiwanese study found that while children with myopia have a higher risk of eye complications than nonmyopic peers, atropine use itself was not linked to increased risks of cataracts, glaucoma, or maculopathy. However, using atropine for more than 3 years may slightly raise the risk, highlighting the need for careful long-term monitoring.
0.01% Atropine in Pre-Myopia
In a year-long randomized trial of 5–12-year-olds with pre-myopia, nightly 0.01% atropine eye drops cut myopia progression by 53% compared to placebo. Axial length growth was modestly reduced but not statistically significant. Importantly, no persistent safety issues were observed, supporting early preventive use.
If you find the ‘Drug of the Week’ concept useful, don’t miss the other posts in this series and let me know in the comments which drug you’d like covered next.