Eye drop for vision: Eye drops could soon become a treatment for age-induced farsightedness

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  Quantumrun Foresight
• April 13, 2022

Presbyopia is an eye problem that affects up to 80 percent of the world's older population, particularly from the age of 40 to 45 and above. While prescription glasses or contact lenses are the most common treatments for presbyopia, a new treatment using eye drops is coming closer to becoming a reality. 

Eye drop for vision context

Presbyopia is characterized by a slow decline in seeing and focusing on nearby objects. Anatomically, it occurs when the lens in one or both eyes become stiff and inflexible. The non-surgical eye drops that are being developed to treat this condition are likely to be available in two types. The Miotic drops will support the contraction of the pupil to maintain focus on both near and far objects. The second eyedrop type will seek to soften the eye lens so it can regain its flexibility. 

By restoring lens flexibility in the eye, the effect could be people's eyes reverting to their function and condition of 10 years earlier. As a result, older people with presbyopia can maintain good eyesight for extended periods. In comparison, studies have revealed that Miotic eye drops will have short-term effects, lasting between 3 and 7 hours, while lens softening drops could last for up to 7 years. 

Disruptive impact

As of January 2022, clinical trials have indicated that the use of these eye drops improves patients' eyesight by up to three chart lines on a standard eye chart, which the United States' Federal Drugs Administration uses to grade eyesight studies. In addition to showing how the drugs can effectively improve a person's eyesight, clinical trials have suggested that these eye drops are safe to use. However, even if these eye drops become available, some market analysts believe that many people approaching 40 will continue to choose traditional glasses instead of this newer treatment.  

While this preference may suggest that eye drops may not replace other forms of treatments for eye problems like surgery and eyeglasses, if corrective eye drops become widely accepted to treat presbyopia, it may be among the most cost-effective options for befitting candidates. 

Wider implications of eye drops for treating farsightedness  

Possible implications of eye drop medication for treating farsightedness may include: 

• Spurring the development of competing eye drops that enhance vision, even doing so in different ways such as enabling people to see in infrared. 
• Optometrists forming partnerships with companies that produce medicinal eyedrops to supplement lost revenue from glasses sales and lens replacements.
• Driving standards being updated to recognize drivers with presbyopia being treated using eye drops and that recurring rounds of treatment may be needed over a set number of years. 

Questions to comment on

• What niche use cases can you see for these eye drops can lenses and glasses cannot satisfy?
• How successful do you think Miotic eye drops will be given that they will need to be used a couple of times daily?