Complaints about tired eyes are nothing new for ophthalmologists. For red eyes, medicated drops could provide relief. If you have eye strain, it may be time for new glasses. But when it comes to drooping eyelids, the options haven't always been great for people who don't want to go under the knife.
Luckily, there's nothing like motherly motivation to inspire innovation in eyecare.
When Dr. Mark Silverberg's mom came to him complaining about her sleepy eyes, the ophthalmologist (and future son of the year) realized that she had the same problem that many other patients are living with—heavy eyelid drooping, medically referred to as acquired ptosis (or low-lying lids).
A mild version of this condition, which can sometimes come with aging, may not affect vision enough for doctors to treat it. So, millions of people are walking around with untreated droopy eyelids that make them look older.
In his search for a non-surgical treatment to give his mom the lift she was looking for, Dr. Silverberg made a breakthrough. He discovered the potential eyelid lifting effect of a well-known eye drop product — oxymetazoline. This key ingredient causes the muscles of the upper eyelid to contract and lift, causing more of the iris and white of the eye to become visible.
Staring at a possible solution, rigorous clinical trials with patients came next, with multiple studies conducted to determine the effectiveness of Dr. Silverberg’s eye drop. The results were what he hoped to see.
In as fast as 5 minutes, one drop lifted the upper eyelid an average of 1 mm, opening the eye for a more awake look that lasted up to 8 hours.
As for side effects, the most common adverse events (occurring in 1-5% of patients) were eye inflammation, eye redness, dry eye, blurred vision, eye pain at time of use, eye irritation, and headache. See Important Safety Information below.
More than 90% of patients in clinical trials reported that the eye drops caused no discomfort.
FDA APPROVAL
In 2020, Upneeq® (oxymetazoline hydrochloride ophthalmic solution), 0.1% hit the market as the first and only FDA-approved prescription eye drop that lifts the eyelid to open the eye.
The eye drop is indicated for daily use in the affected eye(s) with acquired ptosis. To date, more than 20,000 eye doctors have written a prescription for Upneeq and 6,000 medical aesthetic practices now carry the product.
But, the success of a treatment like Upneeq can only truly be measured by how satisfied the patients are. And who better to give their stamp of approval than the woman who started it all?
When Dr. Silverberg’s mom looked in the mirror after using the eye drop for the first time, she was amazed to see visibly lifted eyelids that gave her the lively look that she was searching for. Fortunately, she would be just the first of many patients to experience the eye-opening effects of Upneeq.
YEARS OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK
With years of feedback, it’s become clear that this eyedrop is performing as promised by lifting low-lying lids.
In fact, in clinical trials 84% of patients report improvement in eyelid lift with Upneeq.
So whether they use it daily or want a refreshed look before an important work presentation or a date night, people with drooping eyelids are turning to Upneeq to give them more awake-looking eyes for the moments that matter.