October 23, 2025
Safal Khanal, OD, PhD; Photo provided by UAB School of Optometry
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Optometry, led by Safal Khanal, OD, PhD, have joined 14 clinical research centers for a $25 million NIH-funded initiative to combat childhood myopia. Through the Delaying the Onset of Nearsightedness Until Treatment (DONUT) study, researchers will evaluate whether daily use of low-concentration atropine eye drops can delay the onset of myopia in children.
Dr. Khanal, assistant professor, serves as the Principal Investigator for the UAB Clinical Center for this five-year multi-center clinical trial. Co-led by the University of Houston College of Optometry and The Ohio State University College of Optometry, the DONUT trial represents the first U.S. study of its kind to test atropine as a preventive therapy for childhood myopia. UAB plans to enroll at least 45 children aged 6-11 years who are at high risk of developing myopia, with recruitment expected to begin in the spring of 2026.
Trial Design
Collaborating on this project are Nick Onken, OD, Katherine Weise, OD, MBA, Tamara Oechslin, OD, and Janene Sims, OD, PhD, who will each play key roles in implementing the study locally. Participants will receive nightly 0.05% atropine or placebo drops for two years, allowing researchers to determine whether the treatment can delay or reduce the onset of nearsightedness. Children who become myopic during the trial will begin atropine treatment and receive annual vouchers for corrective lenses.
Researchers predict that daily instillation of atropine eye drops could reduce the proportion of children who develop myopia and slow excessive elongation of the eyeball that leads to myopia. These findings also have the potential to transform early intervention strategies for children most at risk of developing myopia.
“The alarming rise of myopia worldwide represents one of the most serious public health challenges of our time,” Dr. Khanal said. “By delaying its onset in early childhood, we may be able to prevent progression to more severe forms that can lead to irreversible, sight-threatening complications later in life. Participating in this groundbreaking national collaborative effort reflects our commitment to advancing research that safeguards vision from childhood through adulthood.”
Families who are interested in participating in this groundbreaking study should contact Sindhu Gurrala at 205-975-3881. For more information about Khanal’s research program, please visit https://sites.uab.edu/skhanal/.
