In October of 2021, the FDA approved Vituity, an eyedrop medication that could help those who are experiencing blurry vision because of age. The eyedrops may be able to replace reading glasses for those who need them. They can sharpen vision for up to 10 hours after use.
What Does Vituity Treat?
Vituity was developed in order to treat presbyopia, which is an age-related condition that usually affects people who are over the age of 40. Presbyopia is the gradual decline in the ability of the eyes to focus on objects that are close. It’s because of presbyopia that many people start needing to wear reading glasses as they age to counterbalance its effects. Most people who suffer from presbyopia start to notice it in their early 40s and that it worsened into their 60s.
What Are the Symptoms of Presbyopia?
If you realize that you have to hold things, such as a newspaper or a book, at arm’s length in order to read them, then it’s likely that you have presbyopia. Other symptoms include blurred vision if you try to read at what used to be a normal distance and headaches and eyestrain whenever you read or otherwise have to focus on something close.
If you suspect that you have presbyopia, schedule a visit with your eye doctor, who will be able to confirm the diagnosis by giving you an eye exam.
How Does Vituity Work to Treat Presbyopia?
Vituity treats presbyopia by taking advantage of the natural capability of the eye to change the size of the pupil. Vituity decreases the size of the pupil, which then enables those who use it to focus on things at a variety of different distances.
Instead of having to rely on reading glasses or cheaters, those who have presbyopia can instead use their eye’s own natural ability to focus more closely, enhanced by Vituity.
What Are the Side Effects of Using Vituity?
In the clinical trials for Vituity, some people had trouble adjusting the range of their eyes’ focus initially. As a result, they experienced such mild side effects as red eyes and headaches. The researchers expect that even those who experienced side effects would grow more tolerant to the eyedrops over time, but that the longer-term usage of the medication still needed to be studied.
Who Can Use Vituity?
Vituity was developed for those with mild to moderate cases of presbyopia for use during normal activities. The drops shouldn’t be used in low-light situations, especially not when driving at night. The efficacy of Vituity is best within the age range of 40 to 55 and tends to not work as well once someone has reached the age of 65. Additionally, Vituity is only meant to treat presbyopia and can’t be used to treat other eye conditions such as nearsightedness or farsightedness.