
Efficacy and safety of low dose atropine and caffeine eye-drops in slowing the rate of myopia progression in children
Supervisors: Professor Padmaja Sankaridurg, A/Professor Yen Hai Tran, A/Professor Tuan Diep Tran, Dr Monica Jong and Dr Fabian Conrad
Abstract
Myopia refers to a condition with a mismatch between ocular refractive power and eye length. It is a global public health issue with nearly 30% worldwide affected and estimates indicating that up to 50% of the populated to be affected in 2050. Higher levels of myopia increase the risk of complications that may result in visual impairment or blindness. For those reasons, an effective and safe intervention to ameliorate myopia progression is critical.
Amongst all the optical and pharmaceutical interventions for myopia control, atropine eye drops were consistently proven to be the most effective in slowing the progression of myopia and were found to have a dose-dependent efficacy. Higher doses of atropine are associated with intolerable side effects such as photophobia and reduced near vision (0.5%-1%) and additionally atropine was cytotoxic to the cornea at doses over 0.038%. Therefore, atropine can be used at only low concentrations. Although 0.01% atropine was effective in slowing myopia progression by nearly 60% with respect to spherical equivalent there was no significant change in slowing eye growth. However, the side effects produced with this concentration were minimal. Therefore, my plan is to assess the efficacy of combining low dose atropine (0.02% and lower) with compounds such as caffeine (approximately 2%) eye drops for it’s effect in slowing myopia. Caffeine or 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine is said to affect dopamine levels that have been found to play a role in myopia and it is possible it plays a role in amplifying the myopia control efficacy observed with low dose atropine.
Current Appointments
Lecturer - Clinical Instructor
Division of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine
University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Active Senior Consultant – Medical Director
General Ophthalmology and Neuro-Opthalmology
Myopia Clinic - Hai Yen Eye Care
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Active Member
Vietnam Ophthalmological Society
(Member of International Council of Ophthalmology)
Active Member
North-American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society
Active Member
Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
Personal Data
Present mailing address:
118 Ly Nam De Street, District 11
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam700000
(084) 090 711-0892 Mobile
(084) 0283 855-9673 Home
Year |
Degree/Certificate |
Institution |
Descipline |
2009 |
Medical Doctor (with high honor) |
Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine |
Medicine |
2013 |
Residency |
University of Medicine and Pharmacy at HCM |
Ophthalmology |
2012 |
Master of Science |
University of Medicine and Pharmacy at HCM |
Ophthalmology |
2014 |
Clinical Observership |
Straub Clinic and Queens Medical Center, Hawaii, United States of America |
Ophthalmology |
2014 |
Clinical Observership |
Wilmer Eye Institute – John Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, United States of America |
Neuro-Ophthalmology |
2014 |
Active lectures course |
Havard Medical School – Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA, USA |
Ophthalmology |
2017 |
Online lectures course |
Brien Holden Vision Institute – Academy, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Managing Myopia |
Optometry and Vision Science |
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
RESEARCH AND TEACHING ACTIVITIES
Publications
Talks
Cooperative investigator
4/16-4/17 Evaluation of presbyopia treatment with Raindrop Corneal Inlay in pocket
In the collaboration with Revision Optics, California, U.S.A
Principal Investigator: Yen H. Tran, MD, PhD, Associate Professor
9/18-current Multi-ethnic myopia study (MEMS)
In the collaboration with Brien Holden Vision Insitute to currently enrol and follow 5500 children with myopia, aged between 4-15 years old, in four countries including Australia, China, India, and Vietnam.
Principal Investigator (Vietnam site): Huy DM Tran, MD, MSc
RECOGNITION
Awards and Honours
2009 Best Medical Student award, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, HCM City, Vietnam (Academic awards for top ten excellent students)