New eye drops could replace reading glasses, says top eye doctor
Most people between the ages of 40 and 55 will start to feel the effects of presbyopia, or blurry near vision, which impacts 128 million Americans. If you’re experiencing blurry vision when you try to read your phone, computer or a book, now is a good time to schedule a visit with an eye doctor to see if you’re a candidate for a newly approved eye drop, VUITY, which can reduce reliance on reading glasses for those with presbyopia.
“The VUITY eye drop will help you read things close up a little bit easier,” said Dr. Daniel Laroche, Director of Glaucoma Services and President of Advanced Eyecare of New York. “It acts on your pupil. By constricting it down to one millimeter, it allows light from distance, intermediate and near to focus on the retina.”
A basic eye exam can confirm the diagnosis of presbyopia, and patients and their doctors can discuss the use of VUITY.
VUITY facts
- VUITY is a once-daily prescription eye drop that improves near and intermediate vision without impacting distance vision.
- VUITY (pilocarpine HCl ophthalmic solution) 1.25 percent is the first and only eye drop approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat presbyopia.
- VUITY is available only by prescription.
- VUITY uses the eye’s own ability to reduce pupil size, improving near and intermediate vision while maintaining distance vision.
- The medication works for six hours after one eye drop.
- The FDA approval of VUITY in October 2021was based on data from two pivotal phase three clinical studies, GEMINI 1 and GEMINI 2, which evaluated the efficacy, safety and tolerability of VUITY for the treatment of presbyopia.
- There were no serious adverse events observed in any participants treated with VUITY in either clinical study. The most common adverse events (occurring at a frequency of less than 5 percent) in participants treated with VUITY were headache and eye redness.
For those interested in VUITY, LaRoche said, “Now is a good time for those who experience age-related blurry near vision to visit their eye doctor for an exam and to discuss their options to manage this common condition.”
About Dr. Daniel Laroche
Dr. Laroche is an exceptional glaucoma specialist in New York. He studied and received his bachelor’s degree from New York University and a medical doctorate with honors in research from Weil Cornell University Medical College. He underwent a medical internship at Montefiore Hospital and finished his ophthalmology residency at Howard University Hospital in Washington D.C., where he was the chief resident in his third year. He later completed his glaucoma fellowship at New York Eye and Ear.