These New Eye Drops Could Lessen the Need of Reading Glasses for Millions of People

A new eye drop meant to treat presbyopia, or age-related blurry near vision, is now available by prescription in pharmacies across the US. The treatment, called VUITY, is the first and only prescription eye drop for use to treat the condition, according to a press release issued Thursday by pharmaceutical company Allergan.

The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) previously approved VUITY for use to treat presbyopia in adults in October 2021. The approval came after phase 3 clinical studies of the eye drops showed they worked in as little as 15 minutes, and lasted for up to six hours. The drops "improved near and intermediate vision without impacting distance vision," an earlier press release said.

The prescription treatment has been hailed as "significant innovation in age-related eye health" and as the first and only eye drop approved by the FDA to treat a condition that affects 128 million people, it's likely that anyone affected by the condition may be curious to know how VUITY works, and when they may be able to start using the drops for themselves. Here's what you need to know.

What is presbyopia, and who does it affect?

Before we dive right into talking about VUITY, it's important to understand what the eye drops are designed to treat. "Presbyopia, or age-related blurry near vision, is a common, progressive condition that reduces the eye's ability to focus on near objects and affects nearly half of the US adult population, usually over age 40," Selina McGee, OD, Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, tells Health.

It affects so many people because it's a normal part of aging, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). (The term "presbyopia" actually comes from the Greek word meaning "old eye.")

The issue of presbyopia stems from the lenses in your eyes—a clear lens sits behind your iris (the colored part of your eye), and is flexible enough to change shape to focus light onto the retina so you can see, the AAO says. The lenses of younger people are soft and flexible, but as you age—particularly after 40—the lens becomes more rigid and doesn't change shape as easily. That's what leads to the presbyopia and makes it harder for you to see clearly close-up. With presbyopia you may also need brighter lighting while reading, or you may begin holding books or the newspaper at arms' length to read easier, says Dr. McGee.

How does VUITY work—and can it really replace your reading glasses?

Up until now, the best way to treat presbyopia if that was your only vision problem was to use reading glasses, the AAO says. Other options for those with other vision problems include: bifocals, trifocals, and progressive lenses for glasses; and monovision or multifocal contact lenses.

As an eye drop, it's hard to understand how VUITY can help treat something that had previously been treated by glasses or contact lenses. But, according to the press release, VUITY's formulation allows it to adjust the physiologic PH of the tear film in your eyes (that tear film helps to focus light so you can see clearly, among other things, according to the National Eye Institute). This helps the eye's own ability to reduce pupil size—this is important because if your pupil is too big, it can affect your ability to see up close, says Dr. McGee.

According to the prescribing information, the recommended dose for VUITY is one drop in each eye daily—but there are additional precautions to take if you use other topical eye medications or contact lenses (it's advised to wait five minutes between topical eye treatments, and 10 minutes before putting contacts in). Also important: There were no serious adverse events in any clinical trial participants, per the press release, though mild side effects like headache and eye redness were infrequently reported.

While VUITY does offer a new option to patients who suffer from presbyopia, it isn't intended to act as a total replacement for your reading glasses. The makers of VUITY warned users to "use caution when driving at night or performing hazardous activities in poor lighting" in today's press release, in addition to advising against driving and using machinery if your vision isn't clear. So, while you should definitely talk to your doctor if your close-up vision is blurry and you think you might be a good candidate for VUITY, keep your reading glasses handy in case you need them in addition to the eye drops.

How can you get VUITY if you suffer from presbyopia?

If you're interested in trying VUITY, your first step should be setting up an appointment with your eye doctor, Dr. McGee says: "People who are interested in trying VUITY should talk to their eye care professional to see if VUITY is right for them." Presbyopia can be diagnosed through a simple eye exam—part of which will include a refraction assessment to measure how well you see objects at certain distances—according to the Cleveland Clinic. If your doctor thinks VUITY could help you, they can write you a prescription for the drug.

VUITY will cost about $80 a month, according to CBS News, which also reported that insurance companies aren't likely to cover the prescription medication since reading glasses, the alternative treatment for presbyopia, are less expensive.

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