Washington: In what could be good news for people with vision problems and reading addictions, the United States FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved a new type of eye drop that they say can eliminate the need for reading glasses. A federal agency has approved the eye drop ‘Viewity’ to correct age-related near vision.
Called Vuity, the drop is applied to each eye once a day and starts working within 15 minutes of application. The makers say each drop lasts for at least six hours. Reportedly, this drug is a formulation of a known compound known as pilocarpine.
The researchers behind Vuity designed it to allow the eye drop to quickly adjust to the pH of the tear film. What the drop does is take advantage of the eye’s ability to shrink the pupil, improving near vision while maintaining distance vision.
This reduction has been found to be most effective for people aged 40 to 55 years. The results came from two randomized controlled trials of 750 subjects, the report said.
During this study Vuity was found to start working within 15 minutes of application.
On the positive side of the news, the drops cause no serious side effects. However, some patients experienced mild headache and eye redness.
(with inputs from agencies)