29 June 2016 - The U.S. FDA today approved the Raindrop Near Vision Inlay, a device implanted in the cornea (the clear, front surface) of one eye to improve near vision in certain patients with presbyopia.

It is the second FDA-approved implantable corneal device for correction of near vision in patients who have not had cataract surgery and the first implantable device that changes the shape of the cornea to achieve improved vision.

Presbyopia is the loss of the ability to change the focusing power of the eye, resulting in diminished near vision. The focusing power of the eye decreases in nearly all adults over the course of their lifetime. It usually occurs in the fourth or fifth decade of life due to normal aging. Some people may develop symptoms of presbyopia sooner than others, but nearly everyone will eventually develop symptoms and may require some method of near vision correction. Bifocals and reading glasses are a common correction method. Corneal inlay surgery is an elective option for those who may not want to wear glasses.

View FDA press release