The US Food and Drug Administration recently gave Vuity eye drops approval to be a remedy to the eye condition called presbyopia or farsightedness. It is estimated to help millions of people who suffer from blurry vision and may someday replace reading glasses as it temporarily restores perfect virion for up to 12 hours.
The FDA-approved eye drops could someday replace reading glasses. (PHOTO: Shutterstock/life-literacy)
What is Presbyopia?
Presbyopia is an eye condition in which the eyes gradually lose the ability to see things at a close range. According to an article in the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the term came from the Greek word that means “old eye.” That is a fitting name because people 40 and up usually experience this eye disorder.
As people get old, their clear lens that usually changes shape to focus light onto the retina will become rigid and not change shape easily. Due to that, it will be harder to read, thread a needle, and do other close-up tasks. This is an expected effect of aging, and there is no way to stop or reverse it.
However, presbyopia can be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses, and surgery depending on the type of the case. But for those who are having problems seeing both near and far can benefit from progressive lenses. Now, a new eye drop can temporarily restore clear vision and treat presbyopia.
First FDA-Approved Eye Drops for Presbyopia
The first FDA-approved eye drops for presbyopia is the new prescription medication Vuity that has gone on sale in the US, potentially becoming an alternative to reading glasses.
According to New Atlas, the medication is administered once a day to the eyes. With its active ingredient pilocarpine, the eye drops are designed to stimulate the reduction of pupil size to increase the depth of field of view. That means the person would be able to see clearly because its lens can now focus properly on the object.
During the Phase 3 human clinical trials, manufacturers of the prescription eye drops found that those who used Vuity could read an extra three or more lines in the vision chart. On the other hand, the company advises against using it while driving or performing hazardous activities under poor lighting because the light coming into the eye also decreases as the iris size decreases.
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