A new prescription eye drop that could potentially allow many people to put down their reading glasses has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Known as Vizz, manufactured by pharmaceutical company Lenz, the once-daily drops treat age-related blurry near vision — also known as presbyopia — for up to 10 hours at a time.
While it’s not a permanent solution, users may not have to consistently keep reading glasses nearby or put in contact lenses every day.
Presbyopia is a common condition found in many people, particularly those over the age of 40, who begin to have difficulty reading words up close as their vision begins to deteriorate with age. Often, they will begin using reading glasses or contact lenses, holding books, phones and other small print farther away, or even increasing the light and font on their screens to see more clearly.
According to the manufacturer, Vizz works with the help of a chemical called aceclidine, which creates a “pinhole effect” in the eye, narrowing the pupil in a way similar to a camera lens, which brings close-up objects and text into clearer focus.
Unlike previously released eye drops that also help reduce presbyopia by affecting the focusing muscles of the eye, Vizz won’t cause a “zoomed-in” effect or blur distance vision, the company says.
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Plus, it claims their newly approved drops don’t cause adverse side effects like brow heaviness due to ciliary muscle activation.
That’s not to say Vizz eye drops don’t come with any side effects. The FDA guidance says users “may experience temporary dim or dark vision after instillation,” and warns against driving or operating heavy machinery with blurred vision. There’s also a warning to exercise caution while driving at night or participating in other activities in low light.
There have also been rare cases of retinal tears and detachments when using miotics, especially in those with pre-existing retinal disease.
A certain percentage of patients who used the drug during clinical trials experienced eye irritation (20 per cent) and headache (13 per cent).
“This FDA approval represents a disruptive paradigm shift in treatment options for millions of people who are frustrated and struggling with the inevitable age-related loss of their near vision,” said Vizz clinical investigator Marc Bloomenstein, from Schwartz Laser Eye Care Center in Scottsdale, Ariz., in a statement.
“I believe this will be a welcome solution for both optometrists and ophthalmologists who will now be able to offer a highly effective and sought-after presbyopia treatment that could immediately become the standard of care, with a product profile that will meet our patients’ needs.”
Global News has reached out to Health Canada to ask whether the agency was looking to approve Vizz for Canadians, but did not hear back as of press time.
A report from Eyes on Eyecare released earlier this summer says that Lenz Therapeutics announced an exclusive licence and commercialization agreement with Théa — a European pharmaceutical company specializing in the research, development and commercialization of ophthalmic products — to help bring Vizz to Canada. So far, they say, no timeline has been established.
The drug is expected to be broadly available in the U.S. by October of this year.
The Canadian Association of Optometrists calls presbyopia a “natural consequence of aging” that becomes noticeable as the eye loses elasticity and flexibility, usually first presenting between the ages of 40 and 45. It typically progresses until the late 40s or early 50s.
Statistics collected by Eye Health Central estimate that approximately 1.8 billion people are living with the condition, with data showing it’s more common in North America; however, better access to eye exams in Canada and the United States could be driving the numbers up.
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