I I H E A LT H + W E L L N E S S I I
THESE EYEDROPS MIGHT RID YOU OF READING GLASSES
SEEING IS BELIEVING BY NINA GREENPLATE
Tired of searching for your often-misplaced reading glasses? There may be a tiny bottle of eyedrops in your future that could take away the need for them. The new FDA-approved medication, Vuity, hit the market late 2021, but is it the ocular fountain-ofyouth it claims to be? This once-per-eye, per-day, solution is formulated to improve blurry near vision, or presbyopia, in adults. Lowcountry experts have weighed in on Vuity’s efficacy, and potential side effects. Scott Schultz, MD of Bishop Eye Center, helped
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explain the physiology of the eye’s reaction to the primary ingredient in the drops, Pilocarpine. “The solution works to constrict the pupil and contract the ciliary body (the muscle controlling the shape of the lens),” he says. “This allows your natural, crystalline lens to change shape and thicken, thus helping you see more clearly for near tasks.” Dr. Schultz notes the age-effectiveness of the drops rest in the “sweet spot” between 40-65 years. Beyond a certain age, the eyes’ lens becomes rigid and will no longer change shape easily, even by “forcing” that adjust-
