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If you often squint your eyes while looking at your phone, reading labels, menus or even books, there’s a good chance you suffer from presbyopia. “Presbyopia is the most common cause of vision loss worldwide, affecting 1.8 billion people. Nearly everyone will experience presbyopia if they live to age 50 or older,” reports the Community Eye Health Journal. Whether or not you wear glasses or lenses, the stressful reality of this eye condition — which the Mayo Clinic describes as “a gradual loss of your eyes’ ability to focus on nearby objects” — seems almost inevitable.
Mumbai-based Entode Pharmaceuticals has answered this with its latest launch, Presvu Eye Drops. But what makes this yet-to-be-launched product so special?
Recommended by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and finally approved by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), the primary claim of the eye drops is that it will eventually eliminate the need to use glasses for reading. Speaking about this development, Nikhil K Masurkar, CEO of Entode Pharmaceuticals, told PTI, “This approval from DCGI is an important milestone in our mission to revolutionise eye care in India. Entode Pharmaceuticals’ Presvu Eye Drops is not just a product; it is a solution that can improve the lives of millions of people by providing them with greater visual freedom.”
An expert’s opinion
A similar formulation was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and was launched in the US under the brand name Vuiti in 2022. Currently, Vuiti is the only FDA-approved eye drop for treating age-related blurred vision.
With PressVu set to launch in October, there is a lot of excitement about its prospects. To find out more, we consulted Dr. Purendra Bhasin, MBBS, MS in Ophthalmology, and Founder and Director of Ratan Jyoti Netralaya Institute of Ophthalmology and Research Centre, for his expert opinion on the efficacy of eye drops.
While Dr Bhasin doesn’t discount the benefits of PressVue, he emphasises a few important points to consider when it comes to the longevity of the effects of such a product. “These drops are meant to be used and should be used regularly. It is available in the US market and now they are launching it in the Indian market as well. So it’s not like you use it and then you won’t need glasses eventually. It’s definitely going to help you to some extent… as long as you keep using it, you will see the effect. If you stop using it, it won’t have any effect,” he said.
The role of buffer technology and pH balance
That being said, the eye drops have a sophisticated dynamic buffer technology that enables them to instantly adjust to the pH level of tears, guaranteeing long-term safety and continued effectiveness. Tears have an average pH of 7.45, although it can vary from 7.14 to 7.82.
Elaborating further on the buffer technology and pH factor, which are being considered as the major selling points of the eye drops, he said, “Buffering technology and pH balancing have been used by them to make the drops less harsh. pH balancing is not related to improvement of vision. It will only help in making it more comfortable (for use).”
Long-term use and possible side effects
When asked about possible long-term side effects of continued use, Dr Bhasin emphasised the need for larger clinical trials to fully understand any potential risks. He cautioned that while these drops may be beneficial for certain conditions such as glaucoma, they should only be used under medical supervision and prescription.
What exactly is presbyopia?
Presbyopia is a natural part of the aging process, in which the eyes gradually lose the ability to focus on close-up objects. It usually becomes noticeable in the early to mid-40s and worsens by age 65. The condition is caused by a hardening of the lens inside the eye, making it difficult to change shape to focus on close-up tasks such as reading.
Common symptoms include:
Difficulty reading small letters
The need to put away reading material
Headaches or eye strain after reading
Currently, it can be corrected with reading glasses, bifocal or progressive lenses, contact lenses, or surgical treatment.
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