---
title: "FDA Approves Eye Drops That Replace Reading Glasses"
description: "Eye drops that could potentially replace reading glasses for millions of people was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in October."
date: "2021-12-10"
modified: "2021-12-11"
authors:
  - name: "Victor Tangermann"
    job_title: "Senior Editor"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor"
url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/fda-eye-drops-glasses"
categories:
  - "Health & Medicine"
tags:
  - "eye drops"
  - "eyesight"
---

# FDA Approves Eye Drops That Replace Reading Glasses

![Eye drops that could potentially replace reading glasses for millions of people was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in October.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/fda-drops-glasses.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Futurism\</em\>*

Eye drops that could potentially replace reading glasses for millions of people were approved by the Food and Drug Administration in October, and hit the market this week.

The drops, called pilocarpine and marketed as Vuity by pharma outfit Allergan, could come to the aid of some 128 million Americans who are farsighted. According to the company, one drop in each eye can sharpen closeup vision for six to 10 hours, [*CBS News* reports](<https://www.cbsnews.com/news/vuity-eye-drops-fda-approved-blurred-vision-presbyopia/>).

The drops work by using the eye's existing ability to reduce its pupil size.

"Reducing the pupil size expands the depth of field or the depth of focus, and that allows you to focus at different ranges naturally," George Waring, principal investigator of a clinical trial for the drug involving 750 participants, told *CBS*.

The drops aren't the cheapest, but aren't prohibitively expensive, either, at $80 for a 30-day supply.

It isn't a miracle drug, however. Reported side effects include headaches and red eyes. The company is also warning not to use the drops while driving at night.

The drops are also mostly effective for middle-aged people. Those above the age of 65 won't see as much of an effect, according to *CBS*.

The value proposition is a matter of convenience — wearing reading glasses can be a pain for millions of people, so ditching them is intriguing.

"It's definitely a life changer," trial participant Toni Wright told *CBS*. "I would not need my readers as much, especially on the computer, where I would always need to have them on."

## Author
I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/vtanger.bsky.social>)