Increasing number of myopic children and significant complications of high myopia enhance the necessity of effective control strategy. Instillations of low-dose atropine have been shown to reduce myopia progression in Asian populations but its effect in non-Asian populations is still unclear. This open prospective study with historical control is designed to investigate if 0.01% atropine can reduce myopia progression in Russian children, taking into account a change of difference between manifest and cycloplegic refraction, as well as, myopia progression rate at the time of recruitment.

The study is designed to test the following hypotheses:

• 0.01% atropine one drop nightly is safe and with no significant side effects.
• nightly instillations of 0.01% atropine does not influence tear production.
• 0.01% atropine one drop nightly reduces the progression of childhood myopia in Russian children.
• nightly instillations of 0.01% atropine decreases the manifest refraction and, consequently, difference between manifest and cycloplegic refractions.
• effectiveness of 0.01% atropine depends on the age and myopia progression rate at the time the therapy was started.

Inclusion Criteria:

• myopia progression rate of 0.5D or more per year;
• myopia with astigmatism of 1.0D or less;
• axial length and cycloplegic refraction data obtained 6 months before recruiting or earlier
• signed informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• congenital myopia;
• onset of myopia at 6 years old or earlier;
• allergic reactions to any eye drops in anamnesis;
• concomitant eye disorders, including strabismus.