Ophthalmologists have found that daily treatment with the drug, pirenzepine, may slow the progression of myopia, or nearsightedness, in children. The study, published in the Journal of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS), examined the efficacy of a pirenzepine gel applied to the eyes of myopic children.

Myopia is a condition where objects that are nearby are seen more clearly than ones from a distance, which can appear blurry. It is generally caused by either the change in length of the eyeball or a shift in the curvature of the cornea, and in many instances, can gets worse over time. Rates of myopia have have risen over the last 30 years.

In the study in question, researchers looked at two groups of children over the course of 24 months. One group received pirenzepine gel and the other, a placebo. Myopia worsened in both groups of children, but at a much slower rate in the group that received pirenzepine. The use of pirenzepine was found to be safe in the children, though a small percentage of them (11%) discontinued use because of eye irritation.

By using the standard means to measure the progression in myopia (i.e., change in diopters), whereby a certain degree of change results in a new prescription being issued, it was observed that 37% of the children who received pirenzepine needed new glasses, compared to 68% of the children in the placebo group. New glasses are usually required when a change in vision by at least 0.75 diopters occurs. In the study, children who received pirenzepine experienced an average change of 0.58 diopters versus 0.99 diopters for the ones in the placebo group.

Currently, myopia is the leading cause of vision loss in this country, affecting approximately 25% of the adult population. The standard means to treat myopia includes the use of corrective lenses, and rigid contact lenses can sometimes help to maintain the shape of the cornea. In certain situations, surgery can be used to improve vision.

An alternative treatment for myopia that is safe and effective may help to prevent the worsening of the condition as well as improve the quality of life for the patient, perhaps resulting in a decreased dependence on corrective lenses.

Though the results are intriguing, more work needs to be done before any broad recommendations can be made regarding the use of pirenzepine to treat myopia, especially where optimal dosages and long term effects are concerned.

For more information on myopia, speak to your physician or optometrist, and check out the website for the American Optometric Association.