Presbyopia & Controversial Eye Drops: Understanding The Claims

             Written by: Deepa Sarkar

Recent claims about new eye drops designed to reduce dependency on reading glasses have sparked controversy.

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Presbyopia is an age-related condition where the eyes gradually lose the ability to focus on nearby objects. It starts in the early 40s & worsens until around age 65. 

What Is Presbyopia?

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Difficulty with close-up tasks, blurred vision while reading, needing to hold items further away, and frequent headaches.

Symptoms

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Presbyopia occurs when the eye's lens loses flexibility with age, making it difficult to focus on close objects. While this is an inevitable part of aging, it can be corrected with reading glasses.

Why Does Presbyopia Occur?

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Various types of reading glasses are available, including bifocals and trifocals. These glasses are designed to help with close-up, middle distance, and long-distance vision.

Modern Reading Glasses Options

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ENTOD Pharmaceuticals has introduced eye drops aimed at reducing reliance on reading glasses. However, initial approval claims are disputed, raising concerns about their effectiveness & safety.

Controversy Over New Eye Drops

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The eye drops use dynamic buffer technology to adapt to tear pH, ensuring efficacy and safety. However, pilocarpine, the main ingredient, is also used in glaucoma treatment and may have side effects.

Eye Drops & Their Claims

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The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has suspended the company’s permission to manufacture and market its eye drops until further orders.

Regulatory Action

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On September 10, the CDSCO suspended the company’s drug approval for making unapproved claims, violating the New Drugs and Clinical Trial Rules, 2019, due to public interest and misleading concerns.

Reason For Suspension

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While new treatments for presbyopia are promising, it’s essential to approach them with caution. Understanding presbyopia & exploring traditional options like reading glasses can help in it's management.

Please Note

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