CHAMP study

Why is this study important?

Myopia is a condition that causes poor vision when looking at distant objects such as the board in school. This is generally due to the eye growing too long. Myopia tends to occur during childhood and becomes more severe until the late teenage years or mid-20s.

Myopia can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses or surgery but higher amounts of myopia are linked with developing sight-threatening eye conditions in adulthood. There is evidence that treatment with atropine eye drops is effective to control myopia in Chinese children, but there is limited evidence from UK children and those of the white race on how effective atropine will be to prevent myopia progression.

What is the aim of the study?

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of low dose atropine (0.01%) eye drops to reduce the progression of myopia in UK children.

What does the study involve?

The study involved five visits (one at the beginning of the study and then every six months) to the Vision Centre at Glasgow Caledonian University over a two-year period. At the initial visit, eligible children will receive a prescription for eye drops which need to be instilled into each eye every day for a period of two years.

Children will be randomly assigned to receive either the active atropine drops or a placebo drop. Twice as many children will have atropine than placebo (2:1 allocation).

Several units in the UK are involved in this study (Belfast, Glasgow, Birmingham, Cambridge and London)

PPI involvement

Views from parents of children with myopia have informed the design of the study and two parents sit as lay members on the steering committee.

Who can take part in the study?

Please note that recruitment for this study has finished.

Contact information

If you would like more information on the study, please contact

Dr Stephanie Kearney
Tel: +44 (0)141 331 3978
Email: stephanie.kearney@gcu.ac.uk 

Co-Investigator: Professor Niall Strang