The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Vizz, a once-daily prescription eye drop that can temporarily improve age-related blurry near vision, or presbyopia, for up to 10 hours.
Developed by California-based Lenz Therapeutics, Vizz is the first FDA-approved aceclidine-based treatment for presbyopia in the United States. It is expected to be available in clinics and pharmacies starting in October.
Presbyopia is a common condition affecting most adults over 40, making it harder to focus on close objects. People often rely on reading glasses or contact lenses to see clearly at close range.
Vizz works by using aceclidine to narrow the pupil, creating a “pinhole effect” similar to a camera lens adjustment. This increases depth of focus without blurring distance vision or causing the “zoomed-in” effect seen with some previous treatments.
In late-stage clinical trials, results appeared within 30 minutes, peaked at three hours and lasted for as long as 10 hours. According to the company, 71 percent of participants could read at least three more lines on a near-vision chart without loss of distance clarity.
“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.
Common side effects reported in trials included temporary dim vision, mild eye irritation and headaches. The FDA advises patients to avoid driving or operating heavy machinery until vision clears after using the drops and to be cautious in low-light conditions.
Lenz Therapeutics says the drops will be available by prescription only.
