The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved VIZZ, the first aceclidine-based eye drop designed to help adults with presbyopia—the age-related loss of near vision that affects more than 120 million Americans. Developed by LENZ Therapeutics, this once-daily drop delivers sharper near vision for up to 10 hours while preserving distance clarity, offering an alternative to reading glasses or more invasive options.
Presbyopia, which typically begins in the mid-40s, forces millions to rely on glasses or bifocals for everyday tasks like reading a menu or checking a phone. VIZZ (aceclidine ophthalmic solution) 1.44% works differently from previous treatments. Instead of straining the eye’s focusing muscles, it gently shrinks the pupil—creating a “pinhole effect” that increases depth of focus without causing the brow heaviness or myopic shift often reported with older drugs such as Vuity.
The approval is backed by three large clinical trials—CLARITY 1, 2, and 3—involving over 30,000 treatment days. Participants experienced improved near vision in as little as 30 minutes, with results lasting most of the day. Side effects were generally mild and temporary, including slight irritation, dim vision, or headache. The drug’s ciliary-sparing, pupil-selective mechanism makes it a unique and potentially safer choice for long-term daily use.
Eef Schimmelpennink, CEO of LENZ Therapeutics, called the FDA’s decision a “defining moment” for presbyopia care, while Dr. Marc Bloomenstein, a clinical investigator from Arizona, described it as a “paradigm shift” in how eye doctors can help patients frustrated by the inevitable effects of aging on vision.
VIZZ is expected to be available to U.S. eye care professionals by October 2025, with a full commercial launch in the fourth quarter of 2025. The drug’s debut is particularly notable as it marks the first time aceclidine has been approved in the U.S.—a compound previously used in Europe for glaucoma treatment since the 1970s.
With its fast onset, all-day relief, and minimal side effects, VIZZ could become the first-line pharmacological option for millions looking to ditch their reading glasses and regain clear close-up vision without surgery. Experts say its approval signals the start of a new era in non-invasive vision correction.
