How we control the myopia of our own children

According to traditional biological theory. ocular refractions are determined mainly by polygenic inheritance: thus, it was not thought necessary to try to control myopia in children. However, when we noticed that the risk of becoming myopic in Taiwan is high and that the environment plays a definite role in getting myopia. it became our responsibility to prevent the formation and/or the progression of myopia in young people. Both as eye doctors and parents, we have tried in many ways to control the myopic progression of our own children. Daily instillation of 1% atropine eyedrops has been used oil two daughters from age 8-9 through 15 years. All the cycloplegic ocular refractions together with optical components and disc morphology were checked annually. After cessation of atropine, accommodative function was successively measured during recovery, file myopia was satisfactorily controlled. Further well-designed clinical trials with atropine for arresting myopia are indicated.