{"id":81014,"date":"2025-08-19T23:00:10","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T23:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/81014\/"},"modified":"2025-08-19T23:00:10","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T23:00:10","slug":"new-eye-drops-approved-that-restore-near-vision-without-reading-glasses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/81014\/","title":{"rendered":"New eye drops approved that restore near vision without reading glasses"},"content":{"rendered":"

Reading glasses, one of the most recognizable symbols of aging eyes, may soon become a thing of the past. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration<\/a> has approved a new treatment called VIZZ, once-daily eye drops that significantly improve near vision without the need for glasses.<\/p>\n

The breakthrough offers hope for hundreds of millions worldwide, including more than 120 million Americans with presbyopia \u2014 the gradual loss of the eye\u2019s ability to focus on close objects. Until now, most people have relied on reading glasses, bifocals or the constant struggle of holding their phones and books farther away.<\/p>\n

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\"\u05d8\u05d9\u05e4\u05d5\u05ea<\/a>\"\u05d8\u05d9\u05e4\u05d5\u05ea<\/p>\n

FDA approved a new treatment called VIZZ, once-daily eye drops that significantly improve near vision without the need for glasses <\/p>\n

(Photo: Shutterstock)<\/p>\n

The drops use an active ingredient called aceclidine, which works differently from earlier treatments like Vuity. Those earlier medications often came with side effects such as blurred vision, eye strain and even retinal issues. VIZZ, by contrast, targets only the pupil, reducing risks and side effects.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom around age 40 to 45, the eye\u2019s ability to focus up close starts to weaken,\u201d said Dr. Asaf Halali, head of ophthalmology at Clalit Health Services in Dan-Petah Tikva. \u201cPeople start holding texts or screens farther away because the lens can no longer handle the focusing effort. Until now, the solution was reading glasses or enlarging the font on your phone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Halali noted that the concept is not entirely new. In 2021, the FDA approved two drugs based on pilocarpine, a long-used glaucoma medication reformulated for near vision. But aceclidine works more precisely, producing a \u201cpin-hole effect\u201d by subtly narrowing the pupil.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen someone squints, they block scattered light and let only central rays in, which sharpens vision,\u201d Halali explained. \u201cVIZZ applies the same principle in a controlled way, narrowing the pupil just enough to deliver sharp near vision without straining other eye muscles.\u201d<\/p>\n

The drug was tested across more than 30,000 treatment days without major complications. Its effects last about 10 hours, compared to six with pilocarpine-based drops. Reported side effects were milder, with fewer headaches, less heaviness around the eyes, and reduced blurriness.<\/p>\n

\"\u05d3"\u05e8Dr. Asaf HalaliPhoto: Alex Silberstein<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what makes this treatment unique,\u201d Halali said. \u201cIt has minimal impact on the ciliary muscle, so the eye doesn\u2019t have to overwork. It\u2019s not just about better vision \u2014 it\u2019s also about comfort and quality of life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beyond functionality, the psychological impact is significant. \u201cNot having to rely on reading glasses, even at an older age, improves not only vision but also self-image and confidence,\u201d Halali said.<\/p>\n

VIZZ is expected to reach U.S. pharmacies later this year, though it remains unclear if \u2014 or when \u2014 it will be available in Israel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Reading glasses, one of the most recognizable symbols of aging eyes, may soon become a thing of the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":81015,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[64,63,137,490],"class_list":{"0":"post-81014","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-medication","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-medication"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81014","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81014"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81014\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81015"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81014"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81014"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81014"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}