It would be about two years before researchers at the Singapore Eye Research Institute and hospitals could get an idea of whether the drug slows down, stops or prevents myopia. About 40 myopic children aged six to 12 are using pirenzepine ointment here, said the study's principal investigator, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, who is a senior consultant ophthalmologist and chief executive officer of the Singapore General Hospital. The drug will be tested on about 300 children in the US, Thailand, Taiwan and Hongkong. Pirenzepine has already been used for years to treat ulcers by blocking the production of gastric juices. Scientists are not sure how it works on the eye.
Some researchers believe it blocks signals from the retina that tell the eye to grow.