Choroidal Changes During and After Discontinuing Long-Term 0.01% Atropine Treatment for Myopia Control

Purpose: Few studies have explored choroidal changes after cessation of myopia control. This study evaluated the choroidal thickness (ChT) and choroidal vascularity index (CVI) during and after discontinuing long-term low-concentration atropine eye drops use for myopia control. Methods: Children with progressive myopia (6–16 years; n = 153) were randomized to receive 0.01% atropine eye drops or a placebo (2:1 ratio) instilled daily over 2 years, followed by a 1-year washout (no eye drop use). Optical coherence tomography imaging of the choroid was conducted at the baseline, 2-year (end of treatment phase), and 3-year (end of washout phase) visits. The main outcome measure was the subfoveal ChT. Secondary measures include the CVI. Results: During the treatment phase, the subfoveal choroids in both treatment and control groups thickened by 12–14 µm (group difference P = 0.56). During the washout phase, the subfoveal choroids in the placebo group continued to thicken by 6.6 µm (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.7 to 11.6), but those in the atropine group did not change (estimate = -0.04 µm; 95% CI = –3.2 to 3.1). Participants with good axial eye growth control had greater choroidal thickening than the fast-progressors during the treatment phase regardless of the treatment group (P < 0.001), but choroidal thickening in the atropine group's fast-progressors was not sustained after stopping eye drops. CVI decreased in both groups during the treatment phase, but increased in the placebo group after treatment cessation. Conclusions: On average, compared to placebo, 0.01% atropine eye drop treatment did not cause a differential rate of change in ChT during treatment, but abrupt cessation of long-term 0.01% atropine eye drops may disrupt normal choroidal thickening in children.