Does 0.01% Atropine Sulfate Eye Drops (EIKANCE) have the function of dilating mydriasis?

0.01% Atropine Sulfate Eye Drops (EIKANCE) is a low-concentration atropine preparation mainly used for myopia control in children. Atropine is an anticholinergic drug that blocks the stimulation of the ciliary muscle by parasympathetic nerves and reduces the contractility of the ciliary muscle, thereby delaying the growth of the axial length of the eye. Whether it has the function of dilating mydriasis is closely related to the concentration of the drug.

Traditional high-concentration atropine (such as 1% or 0.5%) has a significant mydriatic effect and can completely relax the ciliary muscles, causing pupil dilation and significant inhibition of accommodation function. At this concentration, mydriasis takes a long time and light sensitivity is obvious, so you need to wear shading glasses to protect your vision. However, the concentration of EIKANCE 0.01% is only one percent of that of traditional atropine. Its pharmacological effects are relatively mild and its inhibition of the ciliary muscle is limited. Therefore, its mydriasis effect is extremely weak, and most users cannot detect obvious pupil dilation under normal lighting conditions.

Clinical data show that low-concentration atropine mainly achieves myopia control by weakly inhibiting ciliary muscle contraction, while it has a slight effect on pupil diameter and does not significantly change the light response or produce obvious glare. Some children may observe slight pupil dilation during use, but this is mostly imperceptible to the naked eye and does not produce significant light sensitivity or limited accommodation like high-concentration atropine. Because of this, low concentrations of atropine can be used safely in home and school settings without the need for special optical protection.

Although low-concentration atropine has a mild mydriasis effect, it may still cause transient pupil dilation or mild accommodation disorders in individual sensitive patients. When doctors prescribe EIKANCE, they will conduct an individualized assessment based on the axial growth rate, age and visual needs, and inform parents of possible minor visual changes. Overall, the design goal of EIKANCE 0.01% is to minimize the side effects of mydriasis while maintaining the myopia control effect.

Reference materials:https://www.eikance.com.au/