New FDA Approved Eye Drops Actually Eliminate the Need for Reading Glasses

Say goodbye to reading glasses, at least if you are under 65. A new eye drop called Vuity which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in October could change the lives of millions of Americans with age-related blurred near vision, CBS News reports.

The condition affects about 128 million citizens mostly over 40 and the eye drops work well for people aged below 65. Vuity takes effect in about 15 minutes and lasts for 6 to 10 hours.

The drops make use of the eye’s inherent ability to reduce its pupil size.

“Reducing the pupil size expands the depth of field or the depth of focus, and that allows you to focus at different ranges naturally,” George Waring, principal investigator of Vuity's clinical trial, told CBS.

The trial tested 750 participants who reported being happy with the results. "It's definitely a life changer," said Toni Wright, one of the participants.

The drops go for about $80 for a 30-day supply; which isn't the cheapest, but is not too expensive either. Unfortunately, they also come with side effects such as headaches and red eyes and users are warned not to apply the drops while driving at night or when performing activities in low-light conditions.

"This is something that we anticipate will be well tolerated long term, but this will be evaluated and studied in a formal capacity," Waring added about the side effects.

As of the time of this article, the drug is not covered by medical insurance and doctors believe it likely never will be. This is because it is kind of a luxury more than a necessity, reading glasses are cheaper and offer a better cost-for-benefit ratio. Still, the drops are bound to find plenty of customers particularly between the ages of 40 and 55 where they work best.

If you want to understand how glasses (and these drops) work, step inside this article.