At a certain age, vision begins to deteriorate. This usually happens around 40, according to Science Alert. This alteration is characterized by a decrease in visual acuity, especially up close. This disease is called presbyopia and is due to the loss of flexibility of the lens, causing difficulty in focusing on close objects. According to scientists, about 128 million people would be affected by this disease in the United States. Faced with this, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved the release of a new drug treating this disease in 2021.
How do the eyes of presbyopic people react to light?
To see better, many parts of the eye interact with incoming light. This light enters the eye and goes directly to the cornea which is the outer, transparent layer. Then it passes through the iris and the pupil, this is when the light grows or shrinks in order to pass it further to the retina. Finally, once it is totally in the center of the retina, it transfers a light signal to the optic nerves so that the brain can translate it into a sharp image.
However, in presbyopia, the opacity of the eye decreases. Consequently, the lens stiffens and cannot bend. As a result, the eye no longer has the ability to focus incoming light onto the correct part of the retina. Scientists have discovered that there are several causes for this disease. The first is that despite age, contact lenses age and become heavier. This implies that the eye no longer has the ability to change shapes more easily. The second reason is that the lens muscles weaken. Third, the two causes can be combined.
How does this new treatment work?
Worldwide, approximately one billion people have presbyopia. Researchers have therefore developed new drops called Vuity. These drops reduce the pupils while allowing the lens to change shape. The drops take about 15 minutes to work once in the eyes. They contain pilocarpine which is an active ingredient. Pilocarpine is a drug that is also used to treat glaucoma and ocular hypertension.
At the moment, the effects of the drops are not permanent. According to the experiments carried out, they last about six hours. Side effects have also been discovered, such as headaches and red eyes. Despite this, the FDA approved this new drug. But it will be available on prescription only and should only be used once a day. Other treatments are still being studied.
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