Reading, sewing, taking a look at your smartphone—these activities and others develop into difficult when your close-up vision declines in middle age. This condition, called presbyopia, happens to all of us, and is definitely remedied by wearing over-the-counter reading glasses or prescription glasses or contact lenses.
Another option—prescription eye drops—is now available to allow you to improve near-sightedness. Here's what it's worthwhile to learn about presbyopia and latest medications.
Why can we lose near-sightedness?
Our ability to give attention to near or far objects is a function of the lens of the attention. The lens is soft and versatile, which allows it to shape and bend light in certain ways on the retina – the tissue in the back of the attention that sends light signals to the brain.
Eye drops for near vision
The FDA has recently approved several prescription medications that help temporarily relieve presbyopia. Eye drops include pilicarpine hydrochloride (Vuity, Qlosi) and aceclidine (Vizz).
Drugs get around the issue of a tough eye lens to assist other parts of the attention focus more clearly. “Eye drops tighten the iris sphincter muscle, so the pupil in the center of the eye shrinks, letting in less light. It's called the pinhole effect. It's like squinting,” says Dr. Gardiner.
Using eye drops
Eye drops have a versatile dosing schedule. You can use them each day or every time you are feeling like going glass-free. “It's purely for convenience,” says Dr. Gardner. “You can use them for several days in a row and then go back to your glasses, or use the eye drops only on special occasions. There's nothing wrong with switching back and forth.”
Pilcarpine eye drops are given a couple of times a day and last as long as eight hours, depending on the product prescribed by the doctor. Only once a day and lasts for about 10 hours.
It takes about half-hour for the attention drops to take effect.
What is the catch?
Like any medication, presbyopia eye drops have potential negative effects. These may include blurred vision, headaches and blurred vision. “Because the pupil gets smaller and not as much light enters the eye, things can appear dim or dark,” says Dr. Gardner. “So in a very dark environment, like driving at night, you may have more difficulty navigating.”
In rare cases, people taking pilcarpine have had a retinal tear or detachment, which might result in blindness. No retinal tears or detachments were reported in a study (yet unpublished) of escaridine eye drops for presbyopia. However, the drug's label warns of this risk.
Reservations
Eye drops to enhance near vision are usually not for everybody. You should want to undergo them if you will have a powerful family history of retinal detachment, in the event you're very close, or if you will have a swollen iris (a condition called iritis), Dr. Gardiner says.
It's value some more thought. Eye drops are considered cosmetic and are usually not covered by insurance. Prices are as high as $80 for a month's supply.
But in the event you want convenience, and in case your budget allows, you would possibly consider trying eye drops. “They won't permanently restore your near vision,” Dr. Gardiner says, “but they can reduce your dependence on reading glasses while you're taking these medications.” “
Image: © Kanika Payson/Getty Images