New eye drops to replace glasses

New Delhi: An eye drop that can potentially replace reading glasses for middle-aged people was launched in India on Tuesday, following marketing authorisation approval by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) last month. This will be India’s first such eye drop.

The drug contains 1.25 percent pilocarpine hydrochloride. Pilocarpine is a plant-derived compound that has been used for decades to treat various eye conditions and dry mouth, and reduce eye pressure, among other applications.

It is meant to address presbyopia, a common age-related vision condition that typically impacts those over 40, causing the eyes to gradually lose their ability to focus on nearby objects.

The eye drop has been developed and launched by Mumbai-based pharmaceutical firm Entod Pharmaceuticals under the brand name PresVu. A single vial of the eye drop, which is designed to last about a month, will cost Rs 345.

A similar formulation was launched in the US in 2022 under the brand name Vuity, following regulatory approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA).

Vuity is the only FDA-approved eye drop that can treat age-related blurry vision.

Nikhil Masurkar, CEO of Entod Pharmaceuticals, told ThePrint that the eye drop’s launch in India is a result of extensive research that started in 2019. It is estimated, he added, that nearly 45 percent of Indians above the age of 40 years have presbyopia. The drug is expected to be available in pharmacies across India by October, the CEO said.