EIKANCE · LOW-DOSE ATROPINE

Eikance eye drops for myopia control

Low-dose atropine slows myopia progression in children. We prescribe Eikance directly — and explain when low-dose atropine is the right concentration for your child.

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Reviewed by Dr Mark Joung · Last updated 11 May 2026

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EIKANCE EYE DROPS

What is Eikance?

A TGA-approved low-dose atropine eye drop

Eikance is a TGA-approved atropine eye drop prescribed to slow myopia progression in children aged 4 to 14. It comes as preservative-free single-dose ampoules at 0.01% or 0.05% strength. Low-dose atropine reduces the signals that drive abnormal eye growth, slowing how quickly your child becomes more short-sighted.

Atropine has been used in eye care for more than a century. At the doses used to control myopia in children, it works very differently to the higher doses ophthalmologists use for other conditions — the side effects are minimal at 0.01%, and most children notice little difference day to day.

Manufactured by Aspen Pharmacare Australia, Eikance is the only TGA-registered low-dose atropine for myopia in Australia. It's available at 0.01% (registered since 2021) and 0.05% (registered since February 2026).

SUITABILITY

Who is low-dose atropine for?

Children with progressing myopia, ages 4 to 14

We typically recommend low-dose atropine for children whose short-sightedness is progressing measurably year on year — either by prescription change or by axial length growth on our IOLMaster 500.

Good candidates

  • Aged 4 to 14, with myopia confirmed on examination
  • Prescription progressing ≥0.50 D per year, or axial length increasing ≥0.20 mm per year
  • Children who can't or won't wear Ortho-K or MiyoSmart
  • Faster progressors using atropine as combination therapy with Ortho-K or MiyoSmart

Not suitable for

  • Children with angle-closure glaucoma or a family history of it
  • Children with a known atropine allergy
  • Children who cannot reliably have a drop instilled each evening

CONCENTRATION CHOICE

Choosing the right strength

Concentration matters more than brand

Low-dose atropine for myopia comes at three concentrations: 0.01%, 0.025%, and 0.05%. The right one depends on your child's progression rate and whether atropine is being used on its own or alongside Ortho-K or MiyoSmart. Some concentrations are available as Eikance, others are made by a compounding pharmacy — we use whichever matches the clinical need.
Concentration Source When we prescribe it Approx. cost / month
0.01% Eikance only Combination therapy with Ortho-K or MiyoSmart, where atropine boosts the primary treatment ~$50
0.025% Compounded Monotherapy — mild to moderate progression where Ortho-K and MiyoSmart aren't suitable or wanted ~$40–50
0.05% Compounded → Eikance (transitioning) Monotherapy — faster progressors needing stronger dose response ~$50

We match the concentration to clinical need first, then use the TGA-approved product where it's available at that concentration. Eikance 0.01% is the only option at the low dose (legally, 0.01% atropine cannot be compounded while a registered product exists). Eikance 0.05% became available in February 2026 and we're transitioning patients across as scripts are renewed. The 0.025% strength remains compounded because no TGA-registered version exists.

This approach follows the Pharmacy Board of Australia Guidelines on Compounding of Medicines, which state a medicine should not be compounded if a suitable commercial product is available. For us, that means TGA-approved Eikance where it exists at the strength clinically indicated — not a brand preference, a regulatory and clinical alignment. For a deeper look at the atropine clinical research including the LAMP study, see our dedicated atropine page.