US approves first eye drop that can eliminate the need for reading glasses
As a kid, you would have seen your grandparents carry around their reading glasses, especially to read their morning paper. With age, our eyes lose their elasticity and the lens begins to have challenges with becoming more rounded. This is when we get presbyopia, an eye condition which typically begins after age 40. You’ll have trouble focusing on closer objects at a reading distance and would ultimately need reading glasses. It’s quite common and there are approximately 1.8 billion people worldwide with presbyopia.
Can eye drops replace your reading glasses?
The United States Food and Drug Administration recently approved the first eye drop to improve age-related near-vision. Vuity is an eye drop solution that you can apply to have a better vision throughout the day and you will no longer need your reading glasses everywhere you go. The drop is most effective in people aged 40 to 55 who struggle to see clearly when performing daily tasks—such as reading your phone or computer screen.
How it works
It is recommended to apply one drop to each eye daily. The drops
start working 15 minutes after application and the effects last for
about six hours.
Vuity is a formulation of a well-known drug known as pilocarpine.
Researchers used technology to allow for the eye drop to rapidly adjust
to the pH of the tear film. Vuity takes advantage of our eyes’ ability
to reduce pupil size — near- and intermediate vision improves, while
distance vision is retained.
Each prescription lasts roughly 30 days and the drop’s effectiveness will increase after 30 days of use.
Clinical trial results of the eye drops
Two randomized clinical trials have been conducted which included
750 subjects with presbyopia, aged 40 to 55 years old. Half of the
participants got the new eye drops, while the others got placebo eye
drops.
The participants put one eye drop of VUITY or a placebo in each eye,
once a day. The medicine began to show positive effects in about 15
minutes, with a sharper vision lasting for around 6-10 hours.
The researchers reported no serious side effects in either of the clinical studies. The most common adverse reactions included mild headaches and eye redness. People may also have temporary challenges in adjusting their focus due to eye drops use.
Who all can use it?
The drops can be offered to those who have mild to intermediate presbyopia. Unfortunately, the eye drops are less effective after age 65 due to the impact of further aging. A 30-day prescription of Vuity eye drops costs about $79.