Hospital-prepared Low-dose Atropine Eye Drops for Myopia Progression Control using Atropine Sulfate Injection Diluted in Normal Saline and Lubricants

Abstract

BackgroundAs commercial low-dose atropine eye-drops for myopia progression control are available in some countries, in-house preparation by diluting the 0.1% atropine eye-drop with sterile water or normal saline has been a common practice. Atropine injection is readily available and could be a more feasible alternative.ObjectiveTo assess the properties of the in-house low-dose atropine eye-drops prepared by diluting the atropine injection in two solvents and tested in two temperature conditions.MethodThe 0.01% atropine eye-drops (15ml) were prepared by diluting atropine sulfate injection with normal saline and lubricant eye-drops and stored at room temperature and in a refrigerator. All samples were daily dropped for 12 weeks to mimic real-life use, one of which was assessed every two weeks for the biological contamination and chemical properties. The active substance was compared with freshly prepared samples at the 12th week.ResultsThe 0.01% atropine eye-drops contains no bacteria, fungi, or particulate matter. The levels of atropine sulfate on all samples were comparable to the freshly prepared samples at the 12th week, regardless of the solvents used or storage conditions.ConclusionThe low-dose atropine eye-drops prepared from readily available atropine sulfate injection at healthcare facilities could be alternative to commercial products.