If you find yourself reaching for your reading glasses again and again as you age, you’re in good company—almost everyone over the age of 40 experiences this kind of eyesight problem to some degree. But what if you could use eyedrops to replace your reading glasses?
You can. Vuity is the only FDA-approved eye drop that treats age-related near vision blur—an eye condition better known as presbyopia. These drops are 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.
Can Eye Drops Replace Reading Glasses?
It might sound too good to be true, but Vuity’s new eye drops really can replace eyeglasses for many people.
Each drop contains pilocarpine in a formulation approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat presbyopia or age-related blurriness. The drops help the muscles in your eye decrease pupil size and therefore increase focus depth. This “pinhole effect” allows you to see more clearly up close.
Pilocarpine is a well-established drug that has been used for decades to treat patients with glaucoma. Other formulations are also used to treat people who suffer from dry mouth caused by autoimmune diseases such as Sjogren’s Syndrome.
In Vuity eye drops, pilocarpine has been adjusted to work quickly and safely to provide rapid relief for near-range blurry vision. The 1.25% solution works in as little as 15 minutes and enhances near vision without affecting long-distance vision.
Your ophthalmologist or optometrist will assess your vision during an eye exam and determine whether these drops are right for you.
What Is Presbyopia?
Have you ever struggled to read a newspaper or menu up close but found it easier to read the further you held it away? That’s likely presbyopia. It is one of the most common vision problems many Americans experience as they age.
Presbyopia is an age-related blurriness of vision when looking at things at close range. Once you hit the age of 40, it’s more difficult for the eyes to change focus between viewing distant and near objects.
With presbyopia, the lens inside your eye becomes less flexible, making it difficult to change focus.
Unlike hyperopia, which is farsightedness that can affect people of all ages, presbyopia is defined primarily by its correlation to aging. It can be exacerbated by trying to read in dim light settings or doing other visually demanding tasks associated with eye fatigue.
When to See a Doctor About Presbyopia
It is pretty common to experience mild changes in your vision as you grow older. The muscles in your eye that help control your pupils become less flexible over the years, making it more difficult for your eyes to adjust as they once did. Much like the other changes that happen to our bodies as we age, this is an expected side effect of the passage of time.
While presbyopia happens to almost everyone over 40 (at least to some degree), you should see your doctor if you experience any of the following:
- Red eyes
- Eye pain
- Sudden loss of vision, especially in just one eye
- Double vision
- Black spots
These could be the signs of a more serious health condition.
Your routine eye care should include a discussion with your eye doctor about your eye health. Let them know if you’ve been struggling with the symptoms of presbyopia. Your eye doctor will be able to examine your eyes and determine whether you are experiencing normal age-related blurriness, or if your symptoms point to a more serious problem, such as cataracts or glaucoma.
Bifocals and progressives (eyeglasses with two different prescriptions in one lens) are a common solution to the problem, but they’re not ideal. Reading glasses are easy to forget or misplace, and constantly taking them on and off can be annoying.
Newer options are emerging on the market to treat presbyopia and include multifocal contact lenses, specialized Lasik surgery, and prescription eye drops.
Vuity Eye Drops
One of the most exciting health news developments for those suffering from presbyopia was the 2021 announcement of innovative new eye drops that worked as well as reading glasses for treating near-range blurry vision in older adults.
These eye drops from Allergan (an AbbVie company) are an effective, convenient alternative to glasses and surgery. Just one drop daily in each eye is enough to provide a safe, well-tolerated solution that works to provide clearer vision.
Approved by the FDA for use in older adults, Vuity eye drops work best for patients aged 40 to 55 with mild or moderate age-related blurry near vision.
Clinical Evidence on Vuity Eye Drops
In clinical trials, Vuity eye drops helped older adults perform better on reading chart eye exams, reading an average of three more lines than they could see without the drops. The “vast majority” improved their vision to 20/40 or better for close-range work.
Compared to a placebo, most Vuity patients maintained their near-distance visual acuity for up to 6 hours at a time after 30 days. Vuity drops work quickly, providing clearer vision in as little as 15 minutes.
What’s more, Vuity eye drops don’t have an adverse effect on distance vision. That means you can use Vuity drops to see up close without compromising your ability to see objects at a distance.
A few mild side effects were reported for Vuity eye drops, with the most common concerns being eye redness and headache.
A 30-day supply of Vuityye drops is $79 and can be prescribed by your eye doctor.
Talk to Your Optometrist About Eye Drops to Replace Your Reading Glasses
There’s no need to sacrifice your quality of life with vision problems. Schedule your appointment with True Eye Experts to learn how to improve your vision with Vuity today!
