Vuity eye drops

Vuity is a FDA-approved eye drop that makes it easier for patients with mild to moderate presbyopia to manage their condition. Traditionally, presbyopia was treated with either reading glasses, progressive glasses or multifocal contact lenses.

Vuity eye drops Optometrist
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Why the hype?

Since almost everyone has presbyopia,  this product's unique drug delivery method makes it an easy and low cost option to help people across the globe. Why worry about looking old in reading glasses or wearing contacts when you can use an eye drop. The key issue is that it is not for everyone, which is why we stress the importance of a thorough eye examination and fundus exam before taking it.

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Presbyopia

Presbyopia is a normal part of aging, where close-up objects become harder to see due to normal changes in our eye's structure.

When we are younger, the crystalline lens inside of our eyes is thin, clear, and very flexible. The crystalline lens inside of our eyes can change shape and focus when looking at nearby objects, but as we age, this structure begins to change. In addition to becoming thicker and thicker, it becomes less flexible, making it more difficult to see up close. 

Lens becomes thicker and harder around the age of 40, but some people may get it a little sooner, others a little later.

Symptoms of presbyopia

Symptoms of presbyopia

Here are some of the most common symptoms of presbyopia:

  • You may notice that your vision becomes blurry when carrying out near tasks such as reading
  • Having trouble reading up close
  • Holding material farther from you when reading
  • Having difficulty switching between near and far vision
Phase 3 Trial

Phase 3 Trial

Vuity eye drops were initially evaluated in two phase 2b trials. In phase 3 trials, it was evaluated in low light (mesopic) and bright light (photopic) conditions on over 1000 participants. For up to 30 days, participants received one drop of 1.25% pilocarpine HCl ophthalmic solution in each eye, once daily, which is optimal for treating presbyopia.

Pilocarpine

Pilocarpine is a cholinergic muscarinic agonist that activates muscarinic receptors found in smooth muscles, such as the iris sphincter and the ciliary muscle. 

Pilocarpine creates a pinhole effect, which reduces the pupil size and improves depth of focus.

How does it work:

How does it work:

Vuity causes the iris sphincter muscle to contract, constricting the pupil by 40-50% thereby improving near and intermediate visual acuity while maintaining some pupillary response to light. While doing this, the pupil remains dynamic.

Additionally, vuity may cause the ciliary muscle to contract and may lead the eye to a more myopic state. 

Vuity is not only a low dose concentration of Pilocarpine, but it also uses a unique technology that adjusts rapidly to physiologic pH to increase corneal penetration. When a vuity eyedrop is placed on the eye, it matches the pH of our eye so it increases corneal penetration and doesn’t burn. Regular pilocarpine is acidic, so it burns the eye and ionizes so it doesn't penetrate well, unlike vuity.

When a vuity eye drop is placed on the tear film, the pH of the tear film rapidly adjusts within 60 seconds (to about 6.5), allowing for increased corneal penetration.

How to use vuity:

  • You have to put one drop of vuity onto your eye. 
  • If you wear contact lenses, you must remove contact lenses before instilling a vuity eye drop.
  • You may achieve a three-line improvement in near acuity within 15 minutes of drop instillation, while distance vision is only affected by one line.
  • Vuity eye drop lasts about 6 hours, improves intermediate and near vision, and can wear off by the end of the day. Distance vision is not affected as much as the day goes on.

Who is an ideal candidate for vuity:

Vuity eye drops are ideal for the following candidates:

  • Those who suffer from mild to moderate presbyopia
  • Those with a distance prescription of +1.00 to -4.00
  • People with a near prescription between +1.00 and +2.00
  • Anyone without any prior history of retinal conditions or iritis
  • 40+ aged athletes, firefighters, law enforcement
  • Someone who has difficulty with contact lens comfort or prefers not to wear glasses. 

Safety/precautions

Before prescribing vuity, a comprehensive eye examination and dilated fundus examination are necessary to rule out any retinal ocular diseases or prior history of inflammation. You should also be cautious while driving at night and in poor lighting after using vuity eye drops.

Symptoms of presbyopia
Phase 3 Trial

Side effects of vuity eye drops

  • Vuity eye drop symptoms could include mild headaches that are transient in nature. Vuity was discontinued by less than 5% of patients during clinical trials due to this side effect. In just 5 days, the side effect of headaches will decrease once the muscle gets used to this eye drop.
  • Some patients may also suffer from conjunctival hyperemia. There may be visible redness in this case, but the person may not feel it.
  • Patients at risk of retinal detachment may not be candidates for vuity and should not use the eye drop. Previous literature showed that when patients used Pilocarpine 4%, 4 times a day for glaucoma treatment, there were 9 reports of retinal detachments in 147 years. Vuity, however, has a much lower dose of 1.25% and is only administered once per day.

Why must you have a comprehensive eye exam for vuity eye drops? 

While most people with presbyopia can enjoy the benefits of vuity eye drops, it is extremely important for any starting vuit to undergo a thorough exam before starting

Common Questions

Vuity eye drops are a prescription medication based on a medication used to treat pressure in the eye for glaucoma. Recently the medication has been adjusted to improve vision for someone with presbyopia allowing them to see small text without reading glasses. It is not available over the counter and must be prescribed by an optometrist after an eye exam. A medical eye exam is critical to rule out any possible health issues that make the patient incompatible with these drops. Our medical optometrists are happy to schedule an appointment with anyone considering this innovative treatment for presbyopia. Call us at to schedule an exam today.
Vuity eye drops
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What is a vuity evaluation?

A vuity eye exam is a comprehensive dilated eye exam, with fundus photography and a thorough review of ocular health. 

Visit a Routine Eye Care vision clinic at a Specialty Vision practice near you:
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