A single drop to the eye takes affect in about 15 minutes and provides clearer vision for six to ten hours, said Allegra, the drug’s manufacturer

A newly approved eye drop could play an equal role to reading glasses for people with aging eyes.

Vuity, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in October and hit the market on Thursday, is the first and only drug approved by the FDA to treat presbyopia, a progressive eye condition that makes it harder to read small print.

In the U.S., nearly half of the adult population experiences some loss of near-sightedness in middle age due to presbyopia. Although vision can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses or even surgical intervention, there’s no cure for the disease.

Despite the treatment options available, 90 percent of people between 40 and 55 say they remain frustrated or irritated with the vision problem.

Vuity becomes effective in about 15 minutes and provides clearer vision that lasts for six to ten hours with a single drop to the eye, according to Allegra, the drug’s manufacturer.

The lenses of eye can lose flexibility as we age, making it harder to focus on objects up close. Allegra says the drops work by adjusting the pH balance of the eye’s tear film, a thin layer of fluid covering the surface of the eye.

Dr. George Waring, the principal investigator for the trial, told CBS that the drug, known as pilocarpine, works by using the eye’s natural ability to constrict pupil size.

“Reducing the pupil size expands the depth of field or the depth of focus, and that allows you to focus at different ranges naturally,” he said.

Toni Wright, 54, a participant in the clinical study, told CBS the eyedrops were “a life-changer.”

“I would not need my readers as much, especially on the computer, where I would always need to have them on,” she said.

The study found a “statistically significant proportion” of the 750 participants across two clinical trials reported that with the help of the drops they could read three additional lines of text on a reading test chart.

However, trials show the medicine as being less effective in low-light situations and for those older than 65. It can also create side effects including headaches and red eyes, but none of the participants reported any serious adverse effects.

The eyedrops are expected to cost US$80 for a month’s supply. Vuity is not expected to be covered by insurance because glasses remain a cheaper option.

Source: Swikar Oli/Nationalpost.com

Date Posted: Monday, December 13th, 2021 , Total Page Views: 1491