Talk about a sight for sore eyes!

In the U.S., about 40% of children have myopia, also known as nearsightedness—when it is difficult to see far away. Until recently, the only treatment was eyeglasses. But promising research finds that a low dose of the medication atropine used in eye drops can help when given at bedtime.

“Nothing can reverse myopia, but research shows atropine eye drops can slow its progression,” said NorthShore-affiliated Pediatric Ophthalmologist Deena Leonard, MD. “Most children don’t experience any side effects, and studies show that for about 90% of kids, their rate of myopia progression decreases or slows by about half. The sooner they start taking it, the less nearsighted they’ll be overall.”