|
| Andhra Pradesh ~ India ~ International ~ City ~ Entertainment ~ Business ~ Bullion ~ Forex ~ Sports ~ Technology ~ Health ~ Features |
| Lung Cancer ~ Lung Cancer ~ Breast Cancer ~ Heart attack ~ All Health Topics |
|
Home
/ Health News / 2008 / August 2008 / August 27, 2008 Gel helps slow progression of myopia in kids |
Sack lunches may not provide adequate nutrients to preschooler
Packing lunch for your child might not be a good idea, for a new study has found that sack lunches may not regularly provide adequate nutrients for the growth and development of young children. ANI
Health-monitoring system helps maintain older adults well-being
Many older adults want to remain active and independent for as long as possible. Now, researchers from University of Missouri suggest that installing health monitoring system can help keep check on the health of the elderly and ensure their privacy. ANI
New drug shows potential to treat angina, other cardiac problems
A compound, designed to prevent chest pains in heart patients, could act as a drug to treat angina and possibly other cardiac pathologies, according to a study on animals. ANI
A new study from University of Oklahoma Department of Ophthalmology has found that daily use of medication called pirenzepine gel can slow down myopia progression in children, say researchers.
Washington, Aug 27 : A new study from University of Oklahoma Department of Ophthalmology has found that daily use of medication called pirenzepine gel can slow down myopia progression in children, say researchers.
Myopia or nearsightedness is a condition in which focus on near objects is good, but distant objects appear blurry. Caused by a problem with the length of the eyeball or the curvature of the cornea, myopia gets worse over time in many children.
In the study led by Dr. R. Michael Stiatkowski of Dean McGee Eye Institute/University of Oklahoma Department of Ophthalmology, children with myopia were randomly assigned to treatment with pirenzepine gel or an inactive placebo gel. All children initially had "moderate" myopia, with an average refractive error of about -2.00 diopters.
Over a year of treatment, the team found that the average increase in myopia was significantly less for children using pirenzepine.
The new study presents the final results in 84 patients who continued treatment for a total of two years: 53 with pirenzepine and 31 with placebo.
Although myopia worsened in both groups of children, the rate of progression was slower with pirenzepine.
At the end of two years, myopia increased by an average of 0.58 diopters in children using pirenzepine compared to 0.99 diopters with placebo.
New glasses are generally prescribed when myopia worsens by at least 0.75 diopters. During the study, 37 percent of children using pirenzepine met 0.75 diopters cut-off compared with 68 percent of the placebo group.
Treatments to slow worsening myopia could also have important quality-of-life benefits.
Previous studies have suggested that a drug called atropine can delay progression of myopia. The new results show that pirenzepine-a related drug with fewer side effects-is also safe and effective for this purpose.
The study appears in the August issue of the Journal of AAPOS (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus).
ANI
