Around middle age, most people start to develop presbyopia. This condition, also known as age-related farsightedness, is characterized by a progressive blurriness of vision. While there is no cure for presbyopia, the good news is that Clarity Eye Group now offers a new treatment: Vuity. This medicated eye drop has been proven to safely improve the eyesight in many presbyopia patients.
What Is Presbyopia?
During the first half of a person’s life, the lenses of the eyes are soft and malleable. They change shape throughout the day so that light can more easily pass through to reach the retina. However, around the age of 40, the lenses stiffen and do not change as readily. This loss in malleability has a direct effect on one’s ability to read text and see nearby objects. In most people, presbyopia gradually worsens over the next two decades.
Treatment Options
Traditionally, eye doctors have recommended that their presbyopia patients routinely update their vision prescription to handle the progressive blurriness. Reading glasses become a necessary part of seeing the text on a book, menu or smartphone. Some patients who do not wish to wear contact lenses or glasses undergo monovision LASIK to overcome their presbyopia.
Now, Vuity is an exciting and easy option for improving the crispness of sight at up-close distances. Once per day, patients can place a single drop of Vuity into each eye. The medicated drops cause the pupil to shrink for a short period of time. Because a smaller pupil size allows the eye to expand its depth of focus and see better from various distances, quality of vision improves in most patients. The effects typically last between six and 10 hours.
Approved by the FDA
Vuity received approval from the FDA in October 2021 after two separate clinical studies found the drops to be effective and safe. The data suggests that the results were best among patients 40 to 55 years old.
Some participants were provided Vuity eye drops and some were given placebo eye drops, although they were not told which was which. On average, the participants who took Vuity were able to read three extra lines on an eye chart after one month of taking the medication compared to the participants who took the placebo. Even better, none of the participants experienced significant health consequences from Vuity, demonstrating the medication’s high standard of safety.
Ask an Eye Doctor about Vuity
Our team of experts at Clarity Eye Group are excited to offer this new treatment to our patients with presbyopia who do not wish to wear reading glasses. If you have found that you are having increasing difficulty looking at text and nearby objects, please visit one of our Orange County locations for a comprehensive eye exam. This will allow us to determine whether Vuity is the appropriate treatment for you. To request an appointment, please call (714) 842-0651.