What is this medication for?

Atropine eye drop helps to slow down the progression of myopia in children and teenagers. Myopia, also known as near-sightedness or short-sightedness, is a condition where a person can see near objects well (when reading a book or working on the computer) but has difficulty seeing objects that are far away (road signs or bus numbers).

Usually a low dose of atropine (0.01% to 0.10%) will be prescribed first. If the dose is not effective in slowing down short-sightedness, a higher dose of atropine (0.5% to 1.0%) may be prescribed.

How should I take/use this medication?

• Proper use of eye drop

  • Click on this link for a step-by-step guide on how to apply eye drops for your child / how your child can apply eye drops by himself or herself.
    _{https://www.healthhub.sg/a-z/medications/A-Step-By-Step-Guide-On-How-To-Instil-Eye-Drops}
    

  • If your child needs to use more than 1 drop of medication, or if your child is using another type of eye drop, wait at least 5 to 10 minutes before applying the next eye drop. This is to prevent the first drop of medication from being washed away by the second drop of medication before it has time to work. This also prevents any interactions between different eye drops.
    

  • If your doctor prescribed both eye drops and eye ointments, your child should use the eye drops first.
    

• Your child should not stop using medication without checking with your healthcare professional.
  

What should I do if I forget to take/use this medication?

If your child forgets to use a dose, use it as soon as you remember. Then use your next dose at the usual time. Do not use two doses to make up for the missed dose.

What precautions should I take?

Inform your healthcare professional if:

• Your child is allergic to this medication or any of the other ingredients of this medication.

• Your child is taking any other medications, including supplements, traditional medications and herbal remedies.

• Your child has a history of closed-angle or narrow-angle glaucoma. (This is a condition where the fluid drainage structure inside the eye gets blocked. This results in fluid buildup and increased eye pressure that damages the eye’s nerve.)

• Your child is using any other eye preparations.

What are some common side-effects of this medication?

• Eye stinging or burning sensation

• Eye redness

• Glare/ Sensitivity to bright light (usually only with higher doses)

  • Tinted glasses, sunglasses or hats may be used to reduce glare

• Blurring of near vision (usually only with higher doses)

  • Your child may have difficult doing any activities that require concentration (e.g reading/close work)

Side effects of glare/blurring of near vision are less likely to occur with low-dose atropine. Check with your healthcare professional if these conditions are severe or do not improve.

What are some rare but serious side-effects that I need to seek medical advice immediately?

The symptoms of a drug allergy include one or more of the following:

• Swollen face/eyes/lips/tongue

• Difficulty in breathing

• Itchy skin rashes around the eyes or over the whole body

If your child experiences any of these symptoms, he/she should stop the medication and see his/her healthcare professional immediately. In most cases, the allergy is mild and can be controlled with anti-allergy medication. If the allergy is severe, atropine may be stopped.

How should I store this medication?

Store in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight.

Keep this medication away from young children.

Discard this medication 1 month after opening.

How should I throw away this medication safely?

Pack this medication into a black trash bag and seal it tightly before throwing it into the rubbish chute or bin.

Disclaimers

If you take more than the recommended dose, please seek medical advice immediately. The information provided on this page does not replace information from your healthcare professional. Please consult your healthcare professional for more information.

This article is jointly developed by members of the National Medication Information workgroup. The workgroup consists of cluster partners (National Healthcare Group, National University Health System and SingHealth), community pharmacies (Guardian, Unity and Watsons) and Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore. The content does not reflect drug availability and supply information in pharmacies and healthcare institutions. You are advised to check with the respective institutions for such information.

Last updated on December 2022