A study presented at the 43rd Congress of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) in Copenhagen has found that special eye drops combining pilocarpine and diclofenac may provide a viable alternative to reading glasses for people with presbyopia.

The study involved 766 patients in Buenos Aires, aged roughly 55 on average, and showed significant improvements in near vision that were sustained over time.

Participants in the trial used the drops twice daily (once upon waking and again about six hours later), with three different concentrations of pilocarpine (1 %, 2 %, 3 %) all paired with a fixed dose of diclofenac.

One hour after the first dose, patients on average improved by 3.45 lines on the Jaeger near-vision chart.

Results varied by dosage: in the 1 % pilocarpine group nearly all participants (99 % of 148) improved by at least two Jaeger lines; in the 2 % group, 69 % of 248 achieved at least three extra lines; and in the 3 % group, 84 % of 370 reached that level of improvement.

Vision gains persisted for up to two years, with many maintaining good functional near vision at twelve months.

Side effects were generally mild: temporary dimming of vision, occasional irritation upon application, and headaches were reported.

No serious adverse outcomes — such as retinal detachment or unsafe increases in eye pressure — were observed.

Researchers caution, however, that the study was retrospective, performed at a single centre, and that broader, multi-centre trials will be needed to fully confirm safety, effectiveness, and how the drops perform across diverse populations.